Fun with Knuckleheads

Polycarp

So, I've been slowly correcting the problems in my steam system (if I am to be honest, some I inherited, some I caused). The latest is the need to replace a totally corroded and clogged drip line at the end of the main. I've been getting bids to get the work done. Cue the knuckleheads.



One of the companies wanted to repipe my near-boiler piping .. and wouldn't touch anything else unless I hired them to do it first. The image on the left is the piping diagram from the manual for my SlantFin Galaxy. The image on the right is their repiping diagram from .. well, some other boiler.



The current piping follows the manufacturer's diagram with just 2 deviations. 1) it has a Gifford loop instead of a Hartford loop. 2) it has a mud leg at the bottom of the cross instead of a drain and the drain has been moved to the front of the cross.



According to them, the reason that it needs to be repiped is that there is no skimming port in the piping and the system is astoundingly dangerous without it. You see, I need a $3000 repiping job to add a skimming port to the near-boiler piping for a boiler that has an integrated skimming port. They also want to add a steam vent *to the header,* "for safety." And the Hartford Loop is all wrong. I wonder how they would convert my top-supply steamer to a side-supply like in their diagram. No wonder it was going to be a $3 grand job.



I can understand the Hartford Loop bit. I've since had much better guys come and give me estimates and note the Loop as well (although they only wanted $550 to fix it). Not a lot of people know about the approach and I can understand why some techs would think that it was just an incorrectly piped Hartford. But the rest is just astounding.



Hanlon's Razor may apply - "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" - but I can't help feel like they just saw a sheep to fleece.

jpf321

at least ...

at least they knew the term "skim port" (i'm not implying they knew what it was for) and they had "any" diagram which they expected to follow .. that's far better than 8 of the 10 guys that came in to quote my new steamer (and the job didn't go to any of the 10).

Steamhead

That second diagram

is for a Dunkirk Plymouth steamer, or any of its re-brandings.



If they want to use that instead of the diagram for your Galaxy.... well, you can't fix stupid.

Polycarp

Can't fix stupid

...but at least I can not hire stupid.

Jean-David Beyer

I wish.

I wish stupid contractors were labeleled. Or the good ones.