Copper steam main

Jim_108

It's going on four years now since a steam boiler I operate was installed with 4 inch copper pipe and fittings. It was soldered with regular lead free plumbing solder. I confronted the contractor when I saw the piping and his response was that they were in a hurry so they used the copper. Personally I would think steel and cast iron would be faster and since there is no restock charge at the local supply house Sommerville or Fergerson) I usually just grab lots of extra fittings and take back what I do not use?

Well it is all water under the bridge now so all I can do is keep a close eye on it. The really weird thing about this situation is the pipe and fittings, including the solder joints look just fine. There is no indacation of breakdown in anything that I can see.

When I first found out about the job I came onto this forum and was told to expect problems to include a total breakdown of the piping and joints. Any oldtimers out there that have seen what happens over time to 4 inch copper low pressure steam boiler piping over the long term?

Thanks

Jim

Unknown

Depends on the thought process,,,

I have seen many "get-away" with copper IF allowances are properly made for expansion & contraction, just be sure they`re insulated.



Myself,,, I`m NOT a lover of copper on steam,,,, but if it  suits the purpose with no probs, let-it go & consider yourself lucky!  :-)

Jamie Hall

Depends

so much on two factors -- how well the work was done, and exactly what the geometry of the piping is.  The basic problem is that copper expands -- a more than iron -- when it gets hot.  If the original work was done well and the joints are really thoroughly soldered, that's more than half the battle.  The rest is the geometry of the piping -- unlike black iron, where we tend to use elbows and the like so that any expansion can be taken up by a slight twisting of the threaded joints, copper joints don't like to be twisted or pulled.  They are, however, ridiculously strong in bending (assuming they were made up properly).  Therefore, if the expansion can be taken up by bending things, rather than twisting things, it's pretty much OK.



That said, if you have a system which has been working for four years, I'd leave it be -- joint failure tends to have a large infant mortality factor, and you're well beyond that.



Oh yeah -- and I agree -- insulate it.  Doesn't eliminate the temperature changes, but tends to make them more even and a little slower on the cool down.