HELP!...unthinkable happened, pigtail broke off inside threads...

MJ_in_centralPA

I went to check on my <strong>25 y/o oil utica starfire boiler</strong> w a new gas conversion gun, the very same boiler i''m trying to wean through this winter and is featured in this link   <a href="http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/138702/piping-madness-or-genius">http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/138702/piping-madness-or-genius</a>

The pressuretrol cut in has been clogged up and is getting caught in the off position infrequently and happened twice tonight. I went to tap on it again and I noticed it was turned to the side and I gave it the slightest turn and the <strong>pigtail SNAPPED OFF INSIDE the thread....this is what all of you guys tell us all not to do.</strong> AS soon as it happened I thought..."Oh know, thats no good"

Honestly it had been hissing and had a leak, likely corroded and I looked inside the snapped off end to see that the pigtail (which is iron) is nearly clogged with sediment so I think it was pretty much gonna come off soon anyhow.

Its like 10F outside now, I ran the boiler for a little bit and steam came pouring out of course.

<strong>What r my options based on my picture:</strong>

1. Can you bore out and retap cast iron where the pigtail was (<strong>yellow arrow in pic)?</strong> I doubt it.

2. Can't I also take off the PSI gauge <strong>(see red arrow in pic</strong>) and put a new brass pigtail to a T which would branch to a my pressuretrol and a 0-3- new PSI?

3. ?Weld the old pigtail hole shut? Or pack w some graphite temporarily. I cant fit a hack saw blade or or saw saw blade inside the thread, plus I'll probably damage the threads.

I need to do something as it is now January.

<em>I am going to shut the boiler off, go to bed, and pray that you guys have an answer in the am.</em>

Thanks

Hap_Hazzard

First try a screw extractor.

If it doesn't come out nicely with a screw extractor, look up the drill size for 1/4" pipe thread and drill through it then run a 1/4" pipe tap through the hole. Put some grease in the flutes to keep the chips from falling inside the boiler, and flush the boiler to remove the chips that fall in anyway. This is not a big deal. Don't panic!

Dave in QCA

Another perspective

If the corrosion was on the pigtail and not that cast iron (which is probable) the first and least aggressive action is to retap the opening to clean in out.  Get a 1/8" pipe tap and also a drill bit sized as per the instructions on the tap.  First very carefully drill out the opening to remove enough of the remaining pig tail and/or corrosion residue so that you can get the tap started.   Carefully run the tap into the hole.  Make sure you are running straight.  Turn the tap backwards every so often to keep it clean.  This will usually clean out the threads without a problem and will allow you to install a new pig tail.  This operation does not cut new threads in the cast iron, just cleans out the old ones.

Good Luck!

MJ_in_centralPA

sweet

easy screw off thing didn't work, I had to run the 1/2" tap in the threads which got most of the screw out, I dont think bits got dropped inside

thanks so much for your guys help, put a brass pigtail on

what happens if the old pipe bits fall into the boiler....corrosion over time?

thanks

MJ_in_centralPA

diagnose my problem

I put the new pigtail on and cleaned out the bottom of the pressuretrol

the boiler is back on and trying to get to 70F from 56F after being off all night from the pigtail break

So its been on for an hr or so

the 0-30 PSI gauge on LWCO is at 4, the sight glass water is very low and the automatic water feeder is filling every 5-10 minutes

the water before it fired was at 3/4 of sight glass

I assume the pressure is too high causing exit of water in form of steam too quickly that is backing up in return line causing the lwco to trigger the auto water feeder before the condensate can return to the boiler

Data for u guys

my presuretrol is set at 0.5 w diff or 1.5

I have an old utica starfire 280btu w a midco ec 300 gas conversion gun,

~610 of edr on system, about 150-200 turned off now due to renovations,

we have it firing ~250BTU input

I do have screwed up near boiler piping which i intend to fix this summer

? is:

I assume I should turn the firing btu down while i'm doing renovations?

Do I need a new pressuretrol, wouldn't it turn off at 4psi, or is the lwco gauge not the same as a pigtail 0-3 gauge? (i just ordered a 0-3 psi gauge today)

BobC

check twice then install aux gauge

Old pressure gauges have been known to tell big fat lies, a 0-30 PSI is not worth a damn at the low end where we want the boilers to run. Do you know what the gauge would typically run before you installed the new pigtail? Did you clean out the boler tport to make sure there isn't a "flap" of crud that closes off the pigtail port when the boiler starts to build pressure AND check the pressuretrol to make sure the tiny hole at the base of it (1/16") isn't blocked?



You might want to install an aux 0-3 psi gauge so you can see what is going on. Just make sure you monitor the boiler carefully after installing a new 0-3 to make sure the pressure isn't really 4PSI.



Bob

Hap_Hazzard

Don't adjust the firing rate.

Assuming it's about where it should be, you should not turn down the gas valve to decrease the firing rate. To downfire a boiler you need to change the orifices so the output can be reduced without lowering the manifold pressure. Then you adjust the gas valve and air. These adjustments should be done by a qualified technician.

Hap_Hazzard

Not a big deal.

They'd just add to the amount of rust inside the boiler. A drop in the bucket, but worth trying to avoid if possible.

MJ_in_centralPA

pressuretrol was checked

thank you all your responses

haphazzard- dont mean to disagree however the midco ec300 manual that came with it notes to adjust the WC and blower intake, there is only a orifice change at ~90K btu (far below my needed 200K), there is a air restrictor needed but only at 200K, dont think I wanna downfire it that much

bobc- after reading lost art, I looked at my pressertrol which was set at 4 cut in which i turned down to 0.5 w diff of 1

when I installed the new pigtail I made sure the pressuretrol hole was clear

I have ordered a new 0-3 guage which i am going to put on a T with the pressuretrol

whats the T port?  u mean lwco valve drain?, the top lwco intake or the bottom Lwco intake? or do u mean the 0-30 gauge itself?

I drain the lwco once in a while to get out the crud

thanks

BobC

adding gauge

This is the way I installed my gauge, If I did it today I would probably put in a 1/4" union just after the pigtail so I could easily remove the assembly. Some folks say to use all brass fittings but I don't know if making it all brass is really necessary because anything above the pigtail should never see steam.



Bob

MJ_in_centralPA

nice

looks very nice

I will take that advice and add a union thanks

should i add a union on the other side as well then?

Hap_Hazzard

1/4" Unions

They do the most good under a pressuretrol or vaporstat, as they allow you to disconnect the piping without disconnecting the electrical wiring.



Apologies for my misplaced concerns about downfiring. I'm not familiar with your type of burner, but with some gas valves, the manifold pressure is critical. I'm glad you checked the manual, and I appreciate your bringing this to my attention.