Best method to add solution to boiler

Jian

I bought Squick to help clean my steam boiler. I don't have a skimming port so what are my option in adding the powder to the boiler? Can I just remove the relief valve and add it from there?

Here is a pic of the boiler (yes, the relief valve has a pipe down installed. It was taken when I bought the house)

http://mysite.verizon.net/zuffy/boiler.jpg

nicholas bonham-carter

yes you have!

a skimming port is nicely piped between your sight-glass and the red switch.
squick is a band-aid in my opinion. skimming will make your boiler squeaky clean, but will take a bit of time.can you put on some temporary pipes to get the disharge over to a floor drain? proper skimming can take hours [quality time with your boiler!]
you will be pleased with the results.i use arm&hammer washing soda[put in through the relief valve tapping] to loosen up the old oil with the gentlest of simmers, turning that switch off and on,or throttling the gas pipe down to a softer flame.then adding the meerest trickle of make up water, while keeping the skimming valve open, discharging into a bucket [or a pipe to the drain.]minimum 1 hour preferably 4! at least with a bucket, you can see the color of the water coming out.
how lucky you are that some previous owner apparently selected the right man for the job on this boiler.--nbc

p.s. don't forget to put a cap on the end of the skimming pipe, when you are not using it-you don't want anyone playing the "what does this do?" game!

Jian

LOL. I thought that was a blow down port. When I bought the house last year, I opened the skimmer port. I think about 3lb of black oily crap came out. Did a complete drain a few times but everytime the boiler fire up again, the glass gauge is filled with brown water. Last year, I got an annual maintanence service. They added some cleaning powder that turned green.

I am trying to reduce or get rip of a water hammer in my master bedroom radiator. It's a loud bang after the boiler stop firing. The radiator is pitched, the air vent is replaced, the valve is fully open. I don't know what else can be cause other than a dirty boiler.

Back to the skimming procedure. Correct me if I misunderstand the steps:

1) open the skimmer valve
2) fire up boiler but don't let it create steam
3) trickle the water feed
4) repeat until water from skimmer port is clean

Does that sound right?

nicholas bonham-carter

skimming methods

that's it. at the end you should NOT have to add anything to the water.
do be prepared for a lengthy process-bring a good book [something russian w/750 pages] assuming you have the discharge piped to the drain.
check your pressure-the pressuretol should be set to its lowest point.under 1 psi is good.get a low pressure gauge on the same pigtail as the p-trol so you know whats happening.
a copy of dan's book from this site would help you enormously also--nbc

Jian

I bought Dan's book last year. Pretty good read but I think I forgotten everything I've read already. LOL. Pressuretrol is good... set to .5-1 (depends on the viewing angle). Last year, the previous owner had the CPH @ 6 for the thermostat so the boiler was short-cycling. I replaced the thermostat and set it to CPH 2 even though the manual said 1 for steam / gavity system. I think is 1 is too long.

When water is coming down from the skimmer port, should it be dripping or have a small smooth stream?

Thanks for the help, Nick.

nicholas bonham-carter

hows your stream

a small stream such as pouring tea from a pot-there will be a little bit of force to it though.
while others will be seeing "james bond" this w/e you will be in the basement!nbc

P.S.while you are doing this work take your pressuretrol of and see if it is clear.when they get plugged up the p-trol can misread the pressure.