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Combi Boiler Anti Freeze protection

  • 19-01-2011 5:14pm
    #1
    e_m20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18 ✭


    I have a mobile home which has a combi boiler heating about 8 small rads. As it is normally unoccupied during the winter, I want to put some anti-freeze into the system to prevent burst pipes. Fernox have a product called Alphi-11 which seems to be right for the job. Anyone know where in Dublin I could get it or a similar product? Any plumbing shops I tried only seem to have Fernox MB1 which is only a corrosion inhibitor as far as I am aware.

    Thanks in advance.


Comments

  • #2
    Pearson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20 ✭Pearson


    i heard that anti freeze inthe toilet bowl can prevent the bowl from cracking in extreme temps, has anyone tried this?


  • #3
    Billy Bunting
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Billy Bunting


    Alphi 11 is available from any good plumbers merchants, you will need to work out the volume of water in the system because Fernox recommend a minimum 25% Alphi 11 to protect down to -11.

    Box standard car antifreeze will do the toilet, best to pour a bit into the cystern and then flush.


  • #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I'd drain it, even with anti-freeze in the heating circuit there is still a risk that the mains water in the plate heat exchanger can push off from the body of the hydraulics, I found this few times over the last winter.


  • #5
    Dardania
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,612 ✭✭✭Dardania


    would draining the system not introduce problems with rusting?

    My suggestion would be to have the combi boiler provide fabric protection, if possible, by running the heating system when the temperature externally is low enough...


  • #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Dardania wrote: »
    would draining the system not introduce problems with rusting?
    No, very few heating system in this country have inhibitor added and this causes more problems than leaving a system drained for a few weeks.

    Dardania wrote: »
    My suggestion would be to have the combi boiler provide fabric protection, if possible, by running the heating system when the temperature externally is low enough...

    Getting the heating system to tick over would be the best answer if it could be guarantied not to shut down, I had to rebuild quite a few boilers that were left firing, they locked out due to numerous reasons and the ice damage caused over a few hours was unbelievable:(


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  • #7
    Dardania
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,612 ✭✭✭Dardania


    gary71 wrote: »
    Getting the heating system to tick over would be the best answer if it could be guarantied not to shut down, I had to rebuild quite a few boilers that were left firing, they locked out due to numerous reasons and the ice damage caused over a few hours was unbelievable:(

    One I've heard of is the condensate drain going to atmosphere (and co-incidentially being frozen...)

    Having an active protection system is no substitute for decent levels of insulation nonetheless...


  • #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Dardania wrote: »

    Having an active protection system is no substitute for decent levels of insulation nonetheless...

    A very difficult thing to achieve with a mobile home, the pipes can be looked after but the components in the boiler can't and adding anti-freeze to a heating system will have no impact on any water in the mains water side of the boiler.


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