Steam Boiler Drain

RobLC

We had asbestos removed from outside of old team boiler powered by natural gas, (maybe it's from 40s) we just don't know. They put insulating cement over the cast iron. There is the return pipe for condensate on the bottom left side, in the rear of the boiler. The make up water also feeds into this pipe.



Does anybody have any idea where the drain might be located for the boiler without knowing what kind of boiler it is?



We're going to have to remove some of the insulating cement around the bottom to find out where the drain might be, if there is one.



Is it possible the condensate return/make up water feed pipe is the only outlet on the bottom of boiler?



Thank you for any help.



Robert

Steve Whitbeck

drain

The drain would not be installed on the boiler but on the piping. If there is a drain on the fill line or on one of the return lines that is enough.

Steve Whitbeck

drain

The drain would not be installed on the boiler but on the piping. If there is a drain on the fill line or on one of the return lines that is enough.

RobLC

Boiler Drain on return piping/fill line...

Thank you, Steve, for your response.



I replaced all of the return lines and put in 3 drain valves at different places in the lines and one drain valve was put at the return line's entrance at the boiler.



When I replaced the lines I used a long spoon and scooped out much scale and crud but I could not get to all four corners of boiler bottom.



In Dan H's book he says to get rid the crud at the bottom of the boiler because you'll lose efficiency and maybe create a "hot spot."



How does someone in the field get at all corners of an old boiler from only a one 1 1/2 inch opening on the bottom?