Weil MCLain CGa-5 Leaking castings.

Steve Whitbeck

Guys - this is not a problem with the relief valve or the exp. tank. - The problem is that the bottom of the heat exchanger is GONE but the boiler still holds water at pressure. ( 17 PSI ) There is ONLY a small dribble of water dripping off the bottom of the broken sections.
I have pieces of castings that were the complete inside and outside of the castings. Inside surface and outside nipples. ( fingers that pick up heat)

Steve Whitbeck

Weil MCLain CGa-5 Leaking castings.

I installed this boiler about 2 years ago, it has run great untill about two months ago. I got a call for "NO HEAT". I found the pilot out a a small leak above the pilot. To get the customer through the winter I put some boiler solder in the boiler ( 1/2 quart) This stopped the leak and it has worked great untill today. NO HEAT - Here is where it gets STRANGE - Again the boiler is leaking and the pilot is out. The boiler has 18 PSI on the guage and when I trip the relief valve the guage drops and I get a good flow of water from the drop tube. When I looked on top of the burners I found a handfull of castings.
One of the pieces is about 4 inches long and IS the complete bottom of the heat exchanger.
There is a solid piece where this piece of casting came from.
Is it possible that the casting sand wasnt removed from the sections?
I pulled the return pipe out of the side of the boiler and looked inside. I found some black stuff but can't see any blockage. ( REMEMBER FOLKS ) The boiler holds pressure but drips water off the castings. All of the center casting are visably cracked along the bottom casting seam.
Been doing hydronics for 34 years and have never seen this.

Unknown

meaning you

If that's the case, meaning you have a serouis leak(s) in the system, or the exp tank is too small and have contuined relief valve leaking.

Unknown

The CGa is a good CI boiler,

but you`ve got to protect-it from low return temps, as it will "flake" until it fails.
And it WILL.

Dave

tommyoil

What....

is it connected to.

kpc_73

call weil...

and replace it... let them figure out what is happening. kpc

Mark Eatherton

You know what they say... Got Pictures?

A pictures worth a 1000 words...

ME

Steve M_2

More info

When someone asked what is it attached to I believe they meant, is there any radiant tubing, non barrier pipe, cast iron radiators used as heat emitters.