Print

[UKSmoker]

From my research (the last hour or so only), it seems that most corrosion inhibitors sold for $40 to $80 per gallon are just sodium nitrite in water. Some of them have other chemicals or coloring but that's all. I even confirmed this against some MSDS sheets I requested.

I found that I can buy a pound of sodium nitrate for about $10 and a test kit of 1000 strips for $30. It seems pretty easy.

I'm not a chemist though so I'm hesitant to start pouring chemicals into my furnace. Hence this post.

My plan is to dilute some sodium nitrite powder into some water, pour it into the furnace with the pump running, then check my levels the next day. What do you all think?

[mlappin]

I don’t know enough about any additives in boiler treatments, I know sodium nitrate drives oxygen out of the water, but I also know that Heatmaster tests for PH and conductivity, whether or not sodium nitrate covers those as well I dunno.

[slimjim]

Some manufacturers require the homeowner to send a sample in to be tested yearly, those manufacturers have the ability to void the warranty if the sample bottles are not sent in and recorded.

[E Yoder]

I don’t know enough about any additives in boiler treatments, I know sodium nitrate drives oxygen out of the water, but I also know that Heatmaster tests for PH and conductivity, whether or not sodium nitrate covers those as well I dunno.

I've seen straight nitrate treatment test high in electrical conductivity, the treatment we use dampens it down to prevent pitting. I don't know the ingredients tho.

[slimjim]

We still draw off samples and send them in for our customers when we do our service, we also keep very good records in order to protect their warranties even though we don't sell those units any more

[coolidge]

Thanks for he reminder guys

[UKSmoker]

It sounds like you guys are all a bunch of sticks in the mud. 

My furnace doesn't have a warranty so I'm not worried about that. I also found that companies put in potassium hydroxide (a very strong base) to control pH. I've added that and some pH test strips to my list of needed items.

I've collected more MSDS sheets and all of them list pretty much the same ingredients. None of them say exactly how much but I've got enough to go on.
For one gallon of water I'll add 5-10% by weight sodium nitrite (nitrite, not nitrate as I said earlier, oops). After that has time to circulate I'll use the same method to add sodium hydroxide as needed, 1-5% to a gallon of water.

Some companies have die that just makes their product pretty. It's not an accurate representation of when the chemicals lose potency.

And so you all know, a gallon of this stuff costs about $5 to make, on the high side. It's probably less. The chemical companies and the boiler companies are both making huge markups. I understand that you're maintaining your warranty and stuff but most of those are worthless anyway, especially after the initial coverage period.

Cheers.

[E Yoder]

You are correct on the die, color doesn't tell much more than it had some treatment at one time. As far as making your own, I dunno... Hope it works for you.
 Keep us updated, it's an interesting idea. Do some tests after treating and post.

[RSI]

You will want to have the nitrite somewhere in the 1000-3000 ppm range.

[BoilerHouse]

Do any of the MSDS sheets for sodium nitrite as a boiler water conditioner make reference to either boron, or borate.  I have heard that this is used to help the passivation action and to controls bugs (bacteria) which could form as part of the reaction.

I have been curious just how nitrite works and it is an interesting process;

at a higher pH i.e. 9 to 10, rust Fe2O3 and rust compounds are converted to Fe(OH)2 (hence the reason for using NaOH for pH control)

The Fe(OH)2 reacts with nitrite (NO2) to form Fe2O4, which is a black magnetite layer protecting the metal from further rusting.  Another compound formed as part of the reaction is NH4 - which is the bug food I spoke of earlier.  This of course is a very simplified statement that does not attempt to list the various reactions. 

Whether the commercial boiler treatments are worth the money - who knows.  The technology is now pretty ancient so you should be paying just for the commodity and not for any research. 

[aarmga]

You will want to have the nitrite somewhere in the 1000-3000 ppm range.

Honest question.   How come every time I hear this it always goes up and up.  I first heard more than 1500 could be bad for heat exchangers and brass.  Then 2000 then 2500 now 3000.  Should I just add 5000?  Is there really such a thing as too much treatment?

[RSI]

I have always heard 500 minimum 3000 max. Trying to keep in the middle of the range being best.

[E Yoder]

I've heard too high can damage impellers.

[slimjim]

Isn't it kind of a mute subject for HeatMaster customers anyway Eldon? Doesn't HeatMaster still require a yearly sample to be sent to them in order to maintain the warranty or has that changed?

[E Yoder]

Yes, a once per year test minimum.