Fernox 56608 1L F5 Powerflushing Cleaner

Product Information

A plumber advised of sludge in the system and said that he'd treat it with Fernox F5 Express first, leave it a week and then see if that would loosen the sludge. He came tonight and put 1.5 cans of Fernox F5 Express into the system (volume 280ml + 140ml = 420ml) and advised me to keep the heating on as much as possible and to have the rads up full as the heat would help to break up the slugde. The rads had been on for about 30 mins and the boiler pressure shot up to 3 bar which resulted in it dumping water. I turned the heating off as my concern was that it would dump the Fernox F5 Express that had just been put into the system! The fill and dump rate may need to be rebalanced when the flow is reversed due to differences in system resistance in each direction of flow. For all systems, isolate and clean the upstairs radiators first as downstairs radiators tend to be more affected by sludge and scale.

Connect the mains water supply, overflow and dump discharge pipes, ensuring that all isolating valves are I have however used a Magnaclean, during and after X400, where it only collected the return from the downstairs rads. Over time, of course, the water mixes and flows round the upstairs, downstairs and cylinder circuit. And it is very much better than the previous arrangement of no filter at all. DIY cleans may not solve all your problems, but they are unlikely to do anything other than good, and are very cheap and simple.Before beginning the flushing process you will need to ensure the system is correctly set up to use the Powerflow unit.

Finally, after disconnecting the unit and recommissioning the system, you should dose it with Fernox Protector F1. If antifreeze protection is required, Fernox Alphi-11 may be used. Alternatively, systems with an in-line system filter fitted may be dosed with Fernox Filter Fluid+ Protector. Fernox central heating protectors ensure long-term protection against corrosion, limescale build-up and maintain system efficiency. The powerflushing machine can be connected to the system using TF1 Flushing Adapters which can be used where a Fernox TF1 Filter is installed. Alternatively, it may be connected across the flow and return pipes at the boiler (which is particularly useful when replacing a boiler), or you may also connect the machine across the circulator pump using a Powerflow Pump Head Adapter. Finally, you may connect the machine across a radiator, however this option should only be used if no alternative connection point is available. At this time of year you won't want heat all day but you can leave the pump running with the boiler stat turned to 0 for several weeks. It is useful to turn off all the radiators but one, in turn, to maximise cleansing flow. Do that on your first day when you are full of enthusiasm. You can turn up your pump speed as long as you don't get pumping-over into your F&E tank. An additional or repeat dose of Cleaner F3 may be necessary in some cases. Drain and flush thoroughly, at least twice, until the water runs clear. When using Cleaner F3 with a powerflushing machine, cleaning should be completed within an hour. Use dynamic flushing with plain water until the water is clear. Refill the system adding Fernox Protector F1 for long term protection against corrosion and limescale. In single feed indirect cylinders, e.g.’Primatic’or similar, potable water chemicals must be used.A single dose of Cleaner F3 treats a larger sized property with a heating system of 130 litres, up to 16 radiators, or 250 sqm of underfloor heating. Additional/repeat applications of Cleaner F3 may be necessary for larger systems, or if systems are heavily sludged. Alternatively, Power Cleaner F8 may be used for heavily sludged systems.

Wondering if anyone can shed any light on my issue. I've had many months of poor radiator heat quality. The rads in the hallway being the hottest (closest to the actual boiler) while those in extended rooms are barely even luke warm. There's a total of 6 radiators in the house.

How to powerflush?

Turn the Powerflow unit on to carry out an initial flush to remove the system water. Refill with fresh water and dose the machine with Fernox Powerflushing Cleaner F5. Circulate the cleaner (whilst theheating is on, if possible) and begin dynamic balance flushing (reversing the flow periodically). Slightly open both the dump valve and the mains inlet valve. Ensure the dump pipe is discharge into an appropriate waste drain. When used in conjunction with Protector F1 gas savings of up to 15% can be achieved every time you heat your room First drain and refill the entire system with plain water. For optimum results the entire system, including drop feed radiators where fitted, should be completely drainable. Preferably, full bore gate valves with hose connectors should be provided temporarily for this purpose. Motorised and thermostatically controlled valves must be set so that no part of the system is closed off during cleansing, or rinsing. Discharges must be made to the foul drain and not the surface water drain. For open vented systems add Cleaner F3 via the header tank. For sealed systems add via a suitable dosing point, or use Fernox Cleaner F3 Express 400ml.

It is non-aggressive and not acidic like some of the faster cleansers. If you forget to drain it out, it doesn't do any harm (but it will lose its power and the dirt will re-settle after about 4 weeks). Gradually open the dump valve further, balancing the increasing flow from the mains inlet. Aim for the maximum discharge rate that can be made up by the mains water supply available. Continue circulation with the powerflow throughout. the best position is certainly on the return pipe just before the boiler, what you are aiming for is that all the water has to pass through the filter before it can go into the boiler, to minimise the chance of particles going in there and getting lodged. However no filter collects 100% at first pass. It may be that a professional plumber, with more practice and better able to change the pipe layout, may be willing to spend the time making a better route.

Removes sludge, limescale and other debris to restore energy efficiency and extend system and boiler life Cleaner F3 is an effective, universal pH neutral, non-foaming liquid cleaner, which removes sludge, scale and debris from existing central heating systems to restore heating efficiency and eliminate boiler noise. When commissioning new systems in accordance with BS 7593:2019 regulations and best practice, Cleaner F3 is ideal to remove flux residues and other installation debris to help extend the life of the boiler and the efficiency of the system. It is suitable for use when powerflushing to accelerate the cleaning process in existing and contaminated systems. Cleaner F3 is a non-hazardous product which is compatible with all metals commonly used in heating systems, including aluminium. Fernox Cleaner F3 can also be used in conjunction with a powerflushing unit. In this case, please refer to the unit manufacturer’s instructions. When pre-commission cleansing new systems, Fernox Cleaner F3 should be circulated for a minimum of one hour at normal operating temperature. For cleaning existing systems, sludge and debris should be dispersed also within one hour at normal operating temperatures. However, to remove hardened iron oxides and limescale, the cleaning time can be extended to up to one week under the normal heating cycle. If a radiator still has a cold spot after one hour, increase the flow through the radiator by closing the valves on the other radiators. Powerflushing is a popular method of cleaning and maintaining a central heating system. A powerflushing unit sends water at high velocity through the system to dislodge and remove debris, limescale, and sludge build-up. A thorough powerflush will improve heat distribution throughout the property, subsequently lowering household energy bills and increasing system reliability.