Draining problem with Steam Boiler

kacrejam

I have a Steam Boiler which has a drain that is completely clogged.  The water behind the sight glass is very cruddy.  There is a drain on the return line to the tank and I'm able to drain from that (and the water is very dirty).  However the drain valve on the boiler is completely clogged.  In previous years I was able to drain from this same drain valve but not this year.  I tried opening the drain valve and pushing a cut metal clothes hanger through to try and clear the thing.  However did not work.  What can I do?  Should I consider removing the drain valve and seeing if I can clear the pipe - I'm assuming there maybe so much crud at the bottom of my boiler to completely clog my drain valve.

Hitzkup

Low water cut off?

What is clogged? Your drain valve or your low water cut off?



If the low water cut off is clogged it needs replacement ASAP, if the water in the sight glass is so dirty your boiler needs cleaning too.

kacrejam

drain valve

The drain valve is completely clogged (no prblem with the low water cut off).  I'm wondering how to clean the system if I can't drain water from it?

Hitzkup

Pics

Can you get us some pictures of the boiler and drain valve?

kacrejam

I will send Pics

OK, when I get home from work I will take some Pics and send along.

kacrejam

Pictures

Here are 2 pics of boiler in question.  In the second picture you can see the drain valve that when open has no water coming out of it.  I tried to snake a little metal wire to loosen any clogged gunk but had no success.   I was able to drain real dirty water from the return line that has the hose attached.

Polycarp

full port

I think your best bet is going to be to remove the drain completely.  It looks like you have a coupling there, so you should be able to do it.  If it won't come off, you can search the wall for "persuasion" techniques for fittings.



Once you take it off, you should be able to clear everything out.  You might want to think about replacing your drain valve.  It looks like you have a gate valve on there and I think ball valves are less prone to clogging.

kacrejam

Thanks

Thanks for the reply.  Yes there is a coupling there.  As you suggest I will remove that drain valve at the coupling.  I'll assume at that point all i'll need to do is stir up the gunk inside (with some sort of homemade device) and drain the boiler a few times. 

I'm assuming at this point it will be OK to run this boiler for the rest of this winter season and maybe do this job come spring. 

BobC

Another drain

There should be a lower drain than that on the boiler itself. Usually there is a drain on the mud leg which is the lowest point on the boiler.



 We have a few months of winter to go and you really should drain some water off every week or two for two reasons. First to make sure the sight glass is really seeing the water level in the boiler and second to help keep the LWCO probe from crusting up.



Bob

kacrejam

Lower Drain

BobC, is the lower drain you speak of the drain in the secong picture that I have a hose connected to?  I am able to drain water from that drain (its very dirty water).

BobC

That is a return drain

The drain with the hose on it is for the return line not the boiler. See if there is amother drain down low on the boiler, it maybe on the other side.



Bob

Polycarp

I wouldn't wait

I would give it at least a try now.  You have to do it one way or the other. 



If there is enough gunk in there to clog the drain valve, there is a lot of gunk.  At the least it is having a negative impact on performance, at worse it could be causing damage rattling around in there. 



Also, I see a lot of copper there.  If it is below the water line, it is OK.  But if that copper is above the water, that is one of the big no-no's with steam.  You'll really want to get rid of any copper above the water line.  An advantage of doing a repipe is that you can also add a mud leg to your return to catch a lot of that gunk in the future.

kacrejam

OK, i will do it now.

OK, I will do the clean out now rather than waiting.  Hopefully turning that drain at the junction won't need to much persuasion...



I like the idea of adding the mud leg. 

crash2009

I have a Weil Mclean EG-55

 The boiler drain is just below the sight glass, exactly where you have the bucket.  What model is yours?

kacrejam

yes

Yes, the drain valve is right below the sight glass.  You can see it in the picture earlier in the thread.  This drain valve is currently completely clogged with gunk on mine.

Charlie from wmass

Another copper install

I am sure that copper is not doing you much good as far as corrosion is concerned. They do make full port ball valves with hose ends and caps. I use these for the boiler drains as they work. They have female threads though and would require removing the coupling not just the boiler drain.

kacrejam

I cleaned it out

I successfully removed the drain valve at the junction and was able to clean the line.  The drain was full of mud.  I also disconnected and cleaned the sight glass.  I filled the system twice and let all the (dity) water out.  Everything looks much better now.  Thanks for all the advice!

crash2009

Glad it worked out for you

 Hope your cleaning lasts longer than my first one.  As I told you before, I have the same or similar boiler.  Mine too was very dirty when I got it.  I added a bunch of valves here and there to make it easier to clean, and keep clean.  Can you see in the picture where I have marked WET RETURN ---------------->  Over on the other side of the boiler there is a tapping for an additional or alternate wet return in exactly the same place.  It is a little bigger than the left side.  2 and 1/2" I think.  Next summer, if its affordable, put a drain valve on there too.  For some reason these Weil McLeans build up the muck real bad over on the other side.  I must have cleaned mine 10 times, and the sediment still builds up on the right side, so if this cleaning doesn't last too long, think about that other side for the spring.   

kacrejam

New tapping

OK, sounds like a great idea.  There is a tapping directly on the other side.  I will put a second drain valve on that side (will be easiet to access as well).



The one thing I worry about is that if I need to clean this thing out so much with addition of new water - won't I be introducing alot of new water which results in additional sediment?  I guess its a lesser of 2 evils.

crash2009

Come out of the right hand side

 with a full size nipple and elbow, then reduce it for the drain valve.  I think mine was two and a half inch tapping.  You wont believe what will come out of there.  I got a couple handfulls of pipe threads, maybe yours wont be as bad.  Wait till summer though, so you can take your time.  Spray the plug with PB blaster, wait a couple days, before you try to remove the plug, it will be welded in there with rust and etc.  The photo below is how mine turned out.



You really should figure out a way to clean out that return sitting on the floor.  Looks like that will be a messy one.