Copper pipe and water to water hx cleaning ?

[Mr Good Wood]

We have an old hot water boiler system with copper pipes that out owb is plumbed through and connected with a copper plate hx. We have crappie sulfur water and I have a hunch that that is the reason our system is not working like it used to when installed 7 years ago. Looking for ideas to clean the pipes and hx. Was thinking vinegar and salt solution in house side of hx. How do ya clean your copper hx?

 

[NSMaple1]

If the indoor system is a closed system (assuming so?), I think I would suspect the OWB side of the HX to get gunked up before the indoor side. A closed pressurized system will seldom present any issues if its kept closed so oxygen can't keep appearing into it - whereas an open OWB is pretty well exposed to it all the time, and makeup water would keep introducing more fresh O2 & water with minerals.

I haven't had to clean my HXs yet, but I put them in with the ability to easily flush, with shut off valves & drain valves I could hook hoses to. If I ever found myself having to do that, I'm just planning to recirc some CLR solution through the HX with a small pump - like a drill pump or whatever I could find at the time. Not sure the CLR is the best thing to use - but that's what I was thinking.

If you can get some temp measuring done at all your ins & outs, that should help narrow down a possible problem.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

If the indoor system is a closed system (assuming so?), I think I would suspect the OWB side of the HX to get gunked up before the indoor side. A closed pressurized system will seldom present any issues if its kept closed so oxygen can't keep appearing into it - whereas an open OWB is pretty well exposed to it all the time, and makeup water would keep introducing more fresh O2 & water with minerals.

I haven't had to clean my HXs yet, but I put them in with the ability to easily flush, with shut off valves & drain valves I could hook hoses to. If I ever found myself having to do that, I'm just planning to recirc some CLR solution through the HX with a small pump - like a drill pump or whatever I could find at the time. Not sure the CLR is the best thing to use - but that's what I was thinking.

If you can get some temp measuring done at all your ins & outs, that should help narrow down a possible problem.

I have used sulfamic acid
http://www.accepta.com/water-treatm...acid-descaler-and-cleaner-with-inhibitor-2316

 

[Joesell]

I tried CLR when my hx was clogged on the OWB side. It didn't do a thing. I actually used toilet bowl cleaner. Even that had to sit in it for about a week before it loosened up everything.

 

[hupte]

I have sulfur water too. it doesn't gum up the copper it eats away at it. you will develop holes in copper with sulfur water. there could be some lime build up though thats causing the problem. like others have stated CLR could work or vinegar and baking soda paste usually cleans anything.