Best Way Of Dissolving Rust?

[plumbandplumber]

I recently changed the plate hex on my combi, and want to keep the old one for a spare for the future - just in case. However, the reason I swapped it was because it's got lots of rust flakes in it from my 55 year old system. Filter now fitted.

I thought of leaving the hex for a few months with a strong saline solution sitting inside it, but will the salt damage the hex? Or is there something better/quicker that will dissolve the small rust flakes and not harm the hex?

 

[tamz]

Spirits of salts (hydrochloric acid). Google it. Under a fiver a bottle but don't leave it in for more than a few hours.

 

[gasmanrob]

Don't leave it more then 30 seconds have you seen what that does to stainless steel.

 

[tamz]

Lol :lol:

 

[SimonG]

Coca cola, full fat

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

prosperhic acid also works well,also dont leave that in long,or get any near any skin/eyes/other sensitive areas

 

[gassafe]

Kamco fx2 maybe?

 

[julesverne]

I use spirit of salts for a few minutes rubber gloves a must .Also used vinegar heatted up with blow torch. Thoroughly flushed with clean water.

 

[stevetheplumber]

if its rust flakes you can get a lot of it out just back washing with a hose and lots of tapping

 

[plumbandplumber]

Ok thanks to all for your suggestions. Will try one or two. So it looks like I should forget the salt idea?

Also, which type of metal is the Turbomax's plate hex made out of?

 

[gassafe]

Ok thanks to all for your suggestions. Will try one or two. So it looks like I should forget the salt idea?

Also, which type of metal is the Turbomax's plate hex made out of?

is that the old one with black fascia & green knobs?

i thought all plate Hexs are stainless steel!?

 

[tamz]

Copper and stainless steel.
I used to get a brazery price off the scrappie for them but he stopped that as it is too hard to seperate the plates.

 

[FD Powerflow]

Kamco FX2 or Fernox DS40, boiler the kettle, mix it up in a bucket, soak the HEX and leave for about an hour, give it a bloody good rinse out and should be fine. Kamco and Fernox might be a bit more expensive but you'll get three or four HEX's cleaned with the bottle/box

 

[Ermintrude]

Easiest one is dishwasher tablet crushed in boiling water. Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acid are horrifically efficient but will strip it aswell.

 

[Deleted member 64964]

HSD EXTRA pour it in neat leave it for 20 mins wash it out. Don't breath it in it will descale your throat.

If its really bad do it again

 

[Deleted member 64964]

HSD EXTRA pour it in neat leave it for 20 mins wash it out. Don't breath it in it will descale your throat.

If its really bad do it again

 

[jonny5isalive]

HSD EXTRA pour it in neat leave it for 20 mins wash it out. Don't breath it in it will descale your throat.

If its really bad do it again

Sounds pretty hardcore. 36% Hydrochloric acid with inhibitors to prevent too much metal corrosion.

 

[jonny5isalive]

horrifically efficient .

is a great turn of phrase

 

[Deleted member 64964]

Sounds pretty hardcore. 36% Hydrochloric acid with inhibitors to prevent too much metal corrosion.

Yeah its pretty hardcore stuff lol

Even taking the cap off it smokes like a mad scientists test tube lol

 

[jonny5isalive]

Yeah its pretty hardcore stuff lol

Even taking the cap off it smokes like a mad scientists test tube lol

Amazing. White coat and goggles. You ever got some on stainless?

 

[Deleted member 64964]

Amazing. White coat and goggles. You ever got some on stainless?

Yeah not very stainless anymore lol.

The best is when you do it near a cast grate on a drain, instant restoration lol

It loves to eat galvanising too.

 

[jonny5isalive]

Definately sounds like a last resort.

 

[Matt06]

Using Electrolysis , put a sacrificial metal (for the rust to go to) and the rusty metal in a bath

Look up on google , Mate did it to a spanner which was completely rusted up it came out like new