Rinsing the boiler

crash2009

Nice

 That gets the water in there.  Have you had time to figure out how to get all that water over to the sump?



I was thinking for mine, I would need a cut-off 45 gallon drum to catch the water, then gravity or pump 50 feet to outside.

ChrisJ

draining

I'm probably going to use two crap garden hoses screwed onto my two drains and feed both into the pump.



While its not as fast as a wide open 2 1/2" pipe it should be fast enough, I'll just have to use some patience. You know, spray for a bit and rest, spray more and rest.

ChrisJ

Boiling

I'm assuming these two pictures indicate oil present.  Lots of large bubbles.



Skimming as we speak.

BobC

Sometimes you just wonder

Chris,



Have you noticed any sheeting inside the gauge glass when steaming? That usually indicates oil in the water, I've found the sight glass looks fine for a bit but within a day or two you'll see some sheeting inside the gauge glass indicating that more oil has emerged.



It looked like the water in my boiler was clean but I went down to the pit tonight while the boiler was firing and sure enough the damn sight glass was sheeting again. I think I'll pick up some washing soda so I can clean the crap out of the boiler once and for all.



A long time age when I was in the Army the saying used to be "crabs and ice water' when things just wouldn't work.



Bob

ChrisJ

Sheeting

By sheeting, I'm going to guess you mean when you see a super thin film of oil on the glass floating above the water level.



If that is what you mean, then yes. I'm boiling my second sample now and I can tell you even before boiling it looks cleaner.



You know, if they could keep oil in bearings as well as my steam boiler keeps it we would live in a better world.

crash2009

Sheeting

That's what I was talking about on mine.  I skim it in October, then the sheeting comes back just as thick, usually by Xmas. 

ChrisJ

Its time

Decided to wash using the wand tonight. I just skimmed for quite a while and it seemed clean again so lets see what the wand takes out.

ChrisJ

The Wand

Just started using the wand on what I thought was a perfectly clean skimmed boiler.



All I can say is : http://youtu.be/ZeSXvATLmSU

gerry gill

always amazing what washing

brings out. Let us know how it works out.

ChrisJ

All clean

My water has so far stayed clean in the gauge glass even after steaming for some time.  Unfortunatly the one takeoff is still hammering on startup, I think I have no choice other than to either try to raise the pipe more or slow the venting on the radiator.  I have no idea what could have changed other than if the house sunk more which I hope not.  Maybe once we get some frost it will stop





One thing I should note is I hooked up to my water heater drain to do this. I do have a cold water supply I could hook to which is in the same area, but I felt hot water would clean better. Only issue I noticed was the cheap garden hose started to get kinda beefy looking near the end and it was hard to hold the wand sometimes due to the heat.







Here are some pictures of the water from what appeared to be a clean boiler after skimming.  I hauled many 5 gallon buckets full of disgusting water out.  The picture of the gauge glass is after steaming for some time.

Steve Nichols

not hijacking thread, but...

Gerry, Chris can this be done with a new model Burnham steamboiler?  I don't see any large tappings like Chris has  The only two tappings are for the safety vave and boiler drain (both 3/4) and I'm wondering about effectiveness of using a wand in these locations.

Do these tappings go all the way through all 5 sections?  I'm not sure how they are constructed internally and if they are all connected above the safety valve.  I'm guessing we're into the steam chest at that point.

I keep getting dirty water out of mine and the thing appears to be making wet steam as I can see condensation at the top of the sight glass. No hammer so that's a plus.

When I take a sample of water, it doesn't appear to foam but it takes an awful long time to boil and doesn't appear to "roll to a boil" as with fresh water.   Oil?

Chris keep up the good work and thanks for the pics; they have definitely helped me see what others are working with.

Thanks folks

gerry gill

I've never seen a boiler

Without a return connection. Or do you mean someone put a 90 instead of a tee with plug in it? You can wand from the skim opening, and let it drain out the drain valve, if the skim port goes all the way thru. Believe it or no, but some don't.

Steve Nichols

some pictures

Gerry,

Here are two pictures showing the layout of the boiler and exposed piping.  There may be some big pipe plugs located under the jacket.  These boilers come pre-assembled from factory, so a lot of stuff is hidden.

I'm slowly chipping away at the dirty water issue, but was impressed with how much junk you got out of that new boiler on the video. 

BTW, I know about the condensate piping connection being too high.  I have much to do this summer.

gerry gill

Where's the skim port?

Looks like the boiler skim is missing from the right side..We usually will make the bottom 90 degree elbow of the hartford loop a tee with a plug in it, for washing out the boiler..that or put a nipple and cap on the opposite side, where your drain is.

Steve Nichols

gotcha

Thanks for looking at that Gerry, I appreciate it.

I may see if I can find the skim port on the RS.  Manual shows where it should be.  I just haven't felt like taking the jacket off yet.

Have a good remainder of the weekend.

ChrisJ

steamaster tablets

Gerry,



Will I still need to do the cleaning cycle with the steamaster tablets or can I just add 1 or 2 as treatment being I used the wand on the boiler?  I should have them by this weekend as well as a 1-13 PH test kit.



By the way, water in glass is still clean several days later even during steaming aside from minor rust particles.

Greg S

Sight glass (post rinsing)

Chris,

Congrats on getting the boiler clean, has the sight glass settled down since rinsing?

Greg S

ChrisJ

gauge glass

Hi Greg,

Honestly I don't see a difference in how it acts as far as the sight glass.  It still bounces up and down 1/2" or so.    I recall watching a youtube video on boilers that showed the sight glass didn't always show what was really going on inside a boiler.  I guess that means my sight glass could be calm but at the same time its a nightmare inside the boiler.

ChrisJ

violet

I added two steamaster tablets after skimming a little more and things seem good.  I'm hoping I won't have to drain and refill again.



Also my PH went up from between 6 and 7 to a solid 8.





Thanks for recommending the steamaster pills Gerry!