Cleaning my SEP4 - how often?

SteamtoHotWater

How often should I be cleaning my SEP4 Hydraulic separater? I'm sure the answer is, "it depends." In my particular case, the water flows through PEX attached to aluminum plates. I've got stainless steel manifolds, a Taco 0015e3 pump and a Laars combi boiler. The supply pipes are iron and 90+ years old. The water itself is municipal and run though a softener.

Should draining be a weekly thing? Seasonally? Yearly? And then how often should I be removing the actual "dirt separation element" for cleaning?

mattmia2

Probably like annually but in a new boiler on an old system with a lot of steel i'd take a look after a couple weeks and see what is in it, if it look pretty full then i'd do it every week or 2 until you get the crud from the old system out, if it is clean i'd check it in a month or 2 then based on that i'd figure out how often it needs cleaning. It shouldn't get much stuff in it after the initial new flow pattern.

hot_rod

try once a month and see what comes out. Usually the first few months clears up most of the particles, then maybe  a yearly flush

Flush into a bucket to see what flows out. If it always flows black colored you still have magnetite particles swimming around

Be sure the fill valve us working and on when you flush

When it finally runs clean, maybe squirt a hydronic conditioner into the system , to stop further corrosion, or at least slow it down 

SteamtoHotWater

They system is 100% new, except for the supply pipes. So, advice seems to be: check it every few weeks until clear. Then check it annually?

I also need to look into "hydronic conditioner." Never knew such a thing existed.

hot_rod

New system and piping, check it in a few weeks, if it flows clean, check in a year?
Rhomar or Fernox for conditioners. Get a squirt can to inject it into the system 

SteamtoHotWater

hot_rod said:

Get a squirt can to inject it into the system 

What kind of squirt can?

HomerJSmith

Be sure and remove the magnate before you purge. I know that you know that.

SteamtoHotWater

HomerJSmith said:

I know that you know that.

It's definitely safe to presume I know nothing. However, in this particular case I did know that - but only because I read the manual earlier today.

hot_rod

SteamtoHotWater said:

hot_rod said:

Get a squirt can to inject it into the system 

What kind of squirt can?

This is a two part kit. Inject cleaner run for a day, drain, refill, then add conditioner.
They screw onto a hose thread or boiler drain

SteamtoHotWater

hot_rod said:

This is a two part kit. Inject cleaner run for a day, drain, refill, then add conditioner.

Interesting stuff, thanks.
I'm reticent to ask you do even more work for me, but do you purchase the stuff from a particular online vendor? It's not available at Amazon, Home Depot, Supplyhouse or even eBay. I do see it available at smaller retailers, but the price is always, "login to see pricing and availability."

hot_rod

SteamtoHotWater said:

This is a two part kit. Inject cleaner run for a day, drain, refill, then add conditioner.

Interesting stuff, thanks. I'm reticent to ask you do even more work for me, but do you purchase the stuff from a particular online vendor? It's not available at Amazon, Home Depot, Supplyhouse or even eBay. I do see it available at smaller retailers, but the price is always, "login to see pricing and availability."

Try the Fernox brand they offer the same kit