Which side is the top on this heating element? - Page 5

#41: Post by **ira** » May 28th, 2022, 9:15 pm

Vinegar will likely not attack the black stuff, you might need to scrape the black stuff with a scrubbie or scratch it so the vinegar can get to the limescale underneath it. If it's not bubbling, it's not working.

May 29th, 2022, 1:06 am

Okay, Thanks! I'll leave the vinegar in for a couple of days and see what happens.

May 29th, 2022, 1:09 am

I did notice a little bit of bubbling but not a lot of fizzing or anything. I don't think that I can open the boiler to scrape it. I'll see how it looks after a couple days of vinegar.

#44: Post by **ira** » May 29th, 2022, 3:21 am

I could get my hand or something to scrape with in the heater hole.

May 31st, 2022, 5:46 pm

The whole is small. Only 2 1/2 inches wide maybe. What kind of tool would be good? I'll be in the shop laster today to see what happened after 2 days of vinegar.

Thanks!
Joe

#46: Post by **ira** » May 31st, 2022, 6:55 pm

If the black stuff is resisting the solution, you need to scratch through it to expose what's underneath. Anything that will reach through the hole and let you scratch the black.

May 31st, 2022, 9:09 pm

It's resisting. It looks like the upper area was cleaned. I'll have to get something it there and scrape. Maybe if I can get enough out in the visible area the solution can take care of the rest? Should I stick to vinegar or try the dezcal? I guess the deszcal uses heat so I'm thinking vinegar is good if you all approve.

#48: Post by **sketcher88** » June 2nd, 2022, 1:42 pm

For this to work, you need to turn the "new" elemet flange so that the tubes are in the same orientation as the "old" flange, and then you can be sure you've replicated the wiring and jumpers correctly. From your second photo, you need to turn that "new" flange and heater bundle, so the bundle looks the same as your old bundle, then just transition the jumpers and wiring to the new flange with confidence.

#49: Post by **sketcher88** » June 2nd, 2022, 1:45 pm

Also, I forgot to mention, but you might have better luck with citric acid. You can buy it in crystal form in health food stores and it's generally prefered for descaling because it doesn't leave a taste behind. I'd do that before mechanical cleaning the inside of a boiler. Note, if you dunk the whole boiler in a 5 gallon bucket with water and citric acid, the acid may strip some of the boiler's outside finish, or dull it at least, so if you want to get really fancy, you could plug all your holes and then soak the inside, it depends how picky you want to be...

June 2nd, 2022, 6:25 pm

Thanks! I have Dezcal (citric and sulfuric acid I think). I believe it requires heat to make it work though.

I don't have the heating element installed yet. I was planning to line it up in the way that you suggested (At least that's what I'm imagining).

I could just put the Dezcal in boiling water but it would cool down pretty fast. I think it'll take a long long time to dissolve that bumpy stuff. Is that still limescale or something else?

Thanks again!
Joe