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Best Boiler Cleaner

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melo
melo Member Posts: 96
in Strictly Steam

what’s the best steam boiler cleaner?

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,067

    a wand

    kcoppWaher
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,604

    Adding chemicals into a steam system is not a panacea. Water chemistry is a steam system is a bit fragile. Adding chemicals can effect how steam is made. Water and time is your best bet.

  • melo
    melo Member Posts: 96

    What about this? See it all over my local shops: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hercules-32-oz-Heating-System-and-Boiler-Cleaner-with-Silicone-35206/100207068

  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 2,483

    8-way boiler cleaner. Dump a bunch in. Fire up the boiler. Shut the boiler once it starts to make Steam. Let it stay hot for at least 30 minutes. Fire it up a little bit here and there, just to keep it hot, but don't let it steam too much. Drain and fill drain and fill drain and fill. Pour some more in (not to much), and fire up the boiler, to get rid of the oxygen. There will be those with different approaches. This is what I do and it seems to be pretty effective

    Robert_Hethicalpaul
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 7,981

    Steam Doctor's regimen above is what I have been having most success with. Once the "mud" is all freed up and removed, 8-way is a fantastic way to greatly reduce the creation of new "mud" (which is simply corroded iron particles—iron oxide)

    It can take a long time to clean a boiler that has been neglected for years. The wand might make that faster but I've never wanted to get into that due to messiness.

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • dandub1960
    dandub1960 Member Posts: 50
    edited November 21
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1871591#Comment_1871591

    I've recently become a huge fan. It stopped terrible surging and carryover in my system almost immediately. If that is not a problem for you, maybe less important. I like 8 way too, but I think the chemistry is different. 8 way is sodium hydroxide (strong base), sodium nitrite (weak base), and sodium phosphate (I assume TSP, good cleaner). The Hercules product contains silicone, so maybe a better emulsifier of oils and other organic crud). I'll have to look up the MSDS numbers.

    Steward to 1923 Spanish revival near Chicago - 2 pipe steam 650 EDR shiny new Peerless 63-06

  • dandub1960
    dandub1960 Member Posts: 50

    Looks like a series of Oatey proprietary silicone compounds:

    TSR #31348300 is a product code for the Hercules OATEY OAT45802 NJ-T.S.R. #31348300 product, which is a leak detector for boiler and heating systems. It is also associated with several Hercules boiler leak repair products such as the boiler liquid and cleaner, which are used to seal leaks, remove rust and scale, and prevent issues like foaming and surging in heating systems.

    Steward to 1923 Spanish revival near Chicago - 2 pipe steam 650 EDR shiny new Peerless 63-06

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 26,254

    if it is available in your area Rhomar has some excellent products

    I have used their hydronic and glycol products

    They had a good steam system cleaning manual, I’ll see if I can find it

    IMG_1480.png
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • ARobertson13
    ARobertson13 Member Posts: 109

    Why not read the boiler's maintenance manual or contact the manufacturer of the boiler's tech support and ask them.

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