descaling commercial big heaters - Page 4 - Plumbing Zone

08-27-2010, 10:08 PM

#31

Protech

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Join Date: Sep 2008

Location: Polk County, Florida

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So I tried an experiment today. I tried some concentrated sulfuric acid (drain opener) on an old gas water heater. The idea is to use an acid that is less costly than phosphoric acid to drop the PH and dissolve the calcium carbonate. The problem is that the sulfuric acid was so strong that it ate the enamel lining right off the tank and started dissolving the tank walls. It the sulfur also reacted with the boiler scale and formed insoluble sulfate salts which was the opposite of what I was hoping for.

I wonder if I dilute the acid with a bunch of RO water, maybe it will up the PH enough so that the liner doesn't dissolve. Also, maybe the lower TDS will keep the sulfate salts from forming.

I'll post the results of the next test.

It would be nice if I could get this to work as sulfuric acid is like 1/4 the cost of phosphoric acid.

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The Following User Says Thank You to Protech For This Useful Post:

SewerRatz (08-27-2010)

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delime, removing boiler scale, unlime, water heater maintenance

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