Descale Ultrastore Rapid GE

[Damian]

I have worked on various Truma heaters with problems ranging from poor water delivery to leaks and in each case limescale has been the culprit.

Some have been relatively minor in amount but enough to cause issues, others, especially motorhomes for some reason, have been very severe with the casings eaten away and large deposits of limescale , up to a couple of inches thick, in the base of them.

One reason for the tanks themselves being eaten away is possibly the owner using Milton in the wrong dilution and left for too long to sterilise the water system. If using Milton,it should only be left in the system for 20 minutes and at the right dilution ratio.

As regards Carver water heaters, they are much more problematic in that limescale blocks the water inlet port inside the heater and the tie bar is prone to rusting through.

The use of domestic type descalers .such as those used for kettles, is not suitable and should not be used.

 

[Jcloughie]

A couple of years ago I had calcium build up in both my iliac arteries. I thought calgon tablets might help, but no, it had to be an operation.

I might be wrong on this, and am therefore happy to be corrected. But I believe with some, or all caravan systems there is an issue with electrolysis between different materials used in the construction. and this can be accelerated by use of the wrong descaler.

John

 

[otherclive]

A couple of years ago I had calcium build up in both my iliac arteries. I thought calgon tablets might help, but no, it had to be an operation.

I might be wrong on this, and am therefore happy to be corrected. But I believe with some, or all caravan systems there is an issue with electrolysis between different materials used in the construction. and this can be accelerated by use of the wrong descaler.

John

Disimilar material when in contact create a potential and can be subject to corrosion. A fluid can act as an electrolyte and create a galvanic cell susceptible to corrosion. A classic case was Royal Navy ships of the line were covered in copper below the water line. Copper being an effective biocide to keep barnacles, shipworms and marine organisms at bay. Unfortunately sea water attacked the iron nails and any underwater iron components so a way had to be found to insulate the copper from the iron.

 

[Damian]

I might be wrong on this, and am therefore happy to be corrected. But I believe with some, or all caravan systems there is an issue with electrolysis between different materials used in the construction. and this can be accelerated by use of the wrong descaler.

John

You are quite correct, systems within the caravan can have issues with dissimilar metals, as can also happen in all situations where different materials are used together.

 

[JTQ]

You are quite correct, systems within the caravan can have issues with dissimilar metals, as can also happen in all situations where different materials are used together.

Part of the issue with the stainless steel used in the Truma if filled with the likes of Milton or other chlorine bearing products.
The stainless itself is not on a micro scale, homogeneous and these little batteries can develop between the adjacent alloying grain boundaries. Again, also very much so with surface contaminants like bits of carbon.

 

[Buckman]

As a matter of interest here is an extract from a thread where ALDE discuss descaling on an ALDE system.


Indeed, limescale isn't usually a problem in the Alde system, due to its design.

If you were to inspect the hot water cylinder with an industrial endoscope, you would likely notice a thin, copperly coloured film on the stainless steel surfaces, but little else.

You can check if limescale is going to be a problem in your system by removing the red water connector on the upper corner of the boiler.

http://www. alde. co. uk/images/3010-9013. jpg

Shine a torch inside the brass nipple it connects onto. Can you see any furring/limescale? Now look inside the red water connector, inside the port that connects to the brass nipple. Can you see any limescale debris?

If the answer is "No", or "Hardly any", then limescale shouldn't be a problem for you.

The only time we've found limescale to be a problem, the water fittings on the boiler (and elsewhere in the vehicle) were all showing visible, obvious signs.

White vinegar is a tried and tested method of cleaning/descaling stainless steel.

 

[otherclive]

Well after 24 hours soaking with 50/50 white vinegar water mix the discharged solution wasn’t that different from the new vinegar. Will use it for salad dressings. So must mark 2027 in reminders for a repeat procedure.

 

[Hutch]

You can use the vinegar solution as weed killer, do not get it anywhere, plant you don't want to kill.