Slightly Squished G-8 Installation, or a Holiday Present for the house

Steamhead

Another atmospheric bites the dust. This one was rotting out above the waterline. 

Steamhead

We commissioned the new G-8 tonight

Not Ron Jr. territory but we had limited space at the sides. This boiler sits in the part of the laundry room where people walk, so we had to make sure there was nothing for them to run into. That's why the gas pipe drops so close to the EZ-Gas burner.



Gordon hadn't installed the backflow drip when I took these pics.



With the new main vents, this system heats quite a bit more quickly.



The rear of the house has scorched air, which kept things from getting too cold to work. Plenty of capacity for a few more steam convectors though!

Mark N

New Boiler

Another great looking installation. The boiler you removed doesn't look all that old. What caused the rot hole, was there a leak that caused the boiler to take on to much feed water.

Steamhead

The "death by a thousand cuts" is likely

we found a very, very small weepage at all the convector shutoff valves. Not enough to keep the system from running, but we'll have to take them all apart, clean and anti-seize them and reassemble. And there was at least one bad radiator vent.



The new water feeder is our standard Hydrolevel VXT which will keep track of the water intake.



We just knocked apart another atmospheric and it had a hole in the exact same place. Watch for pics of that one.

Mark N

Rot Hole

Steamhead



Looking over the pictures you posted is the hole in the end section that had the plug in it. It looks that way from the pictures. The pins on the section that had the riser look much better. The reason I ask is, The installer that did my boiler told me they always use both risers because they had problems with only using 1 riser. They other end section sometimes developed holes. I wonder if the other boiler you just did developed a hole in an end section that also was plugged.

Steamhead

I wondered about that too

but the I&O manual for that model series says one riser is acceptable for boilers up to six sections. These were five-section boilers, so at least in that respect they weren't piped wrong according to the manual. Now, as to the copper- we had a great time cutting it out, as you might expect  ;-)



I think a call to the rep is in order.

Gordo

Should One Also Take Into Account...

...that  the leak occurred on the section closest to where the fresh water is added?

Mark N

Don't Know

Don't know if is because the fresh fill is in that section. Could using only one riser cause the water line to slightly tilt toward the outlet causing the pins in the other end section to be hotter. You and Steamhead remove many boilers, have you noticed any patterns to where the holes develop.

Gordo

Holes and Leaks on Steam Boilers

(and related wet return piping) appear to develop most often nearest to where the fresh water is added.  It is vital that fresh water usage be kept to a practical minimum in order to achieve maximum boiler and piping life.



The use of only one riser, when called for in the manufacturer's instructions, appears to have no effect on the development of holes at the water-line.



The boiler manufacturers imply that using their minimal piping arrangements and sizes as called for in their instructions,  their boilers should produce "98%" dry steam.



 It should go without saying that the boiler water should also be free of contaminates.



To go from 98% to 99% dry steam, one starts to climb an asymptotically steep curve of a cost vs. benefit  ratio.



By using one riser, BUT increasing the header size one size larger then called out for in the instructions, we find that it is a cost effective, and space and time efficient  means of gaining that extra measure of dry steam.

Mark N

Thanks

It makes sense that the hole would develop where the cold water is introduced. I tried to do all that I can to reduce water loss. But I still lose about 1/2 gallon a month. I have no idea if that is excessive or not. It doesn't seem to be to me. I don't have an automatic feeder so no water goes into the boiler that I don't know about. My Burnham manual states no more that .1 gallons a month, that only 12.8 oz. To lose that little a month I think you would need to have the tightest steam system ever. The only time I lose that little is from May to October when the boiler doesn't run.

World Plumber

Water usage

I was adding water about every two weeks. After attending Dead Men Don't Lie and applying what I learned to my system. I added 5 more main vents. My house is now evenly heated,within 1 degree used to be a 40 degree difference on single digit degree days. The last 2 years I fill the boiler in November and it doesn't seem to move. I think the water level dropped about 1-1/2" last year. I also more than halved my gas consumption.

Get your firing rate matched to you need , the pressure down, down low and proper piping and venting Oh did I mention venting!

crash2009

Sorry to interupt

 the discussion of the perils of adding fresh water, but how do you match your firing rate to your need?

Gordo

Cryto-Leaks

Can be a challenge to find, that's for sure!



 I assume you re-packed around your valve stems?   If not, that's a very good place to start.



 Also, some folks have found pesky micro-leaks by temporally increasing their steam pressure to above 2 psi and checking the spud unions out of the valves and hearing if the air vents close tightly.  Inspecting between radiator sections is another place to look.



A few have reported finding leaks where none were expected...sand-holes in pipe fittings or at seemingly tight thread joints.



Suspect the pressure relief valve if corrosion is found inside, too.



If, after doing all this, no leaks are found, then I'd say you've done your best.