And just when you think you have seen it all.......

northernboiler

I arrived at a service call this afternoon to find this.....



(background info, the owners of this house just purchased it only 3 days ago, they called us to "check out" and "service the boiler" because they "didn't think the boiler was working correctly".

Also, the previous owner told them, "that it will be necessary for the new owners to drain about 10 gallons of water from the system every week".

That is in total every week, about 1 gallon everyday, "because if they do not, the boiler will end up over filling".



Mind you this boiler was installed, by the previous owners, between approximately 5 to 6 years ago.)



We have already our diagnosis and recommendations as to what considerable amount of work needs to be done to correct this abomination.



I didn't know if I should just laugh, continue to keep shaking my head or try and pinch myself to try and wake up from a dream. I am in such disbelief that someone could or would install a unit this way. Not to mention, how it was operating at all.



I would love to hear any and all comments you all may have.

Hap_Hazzard

Wow

Just... wow.

icesailor

SGO:

That's a hell of a thing to do to a nice boiler.

I especially like the DWV drainage copper fittings on the return.

BobC

The amazing thing

is that it was still trying to work. Steam systems are amazingly resilient but that install is sure one for the record book.



Bob

Rod

Well....At least he didn't use copper on the steam side.........

Thanks for sharing this with us. It obviously has the potential to being inducted to the National Knucklehead Hall of Fame!   When you look at an installation like this you always wonder what was the idiot thinking and how did his twisted brain rationalize coming up with a configuration like this?   I especially like the copper "Hula Hoop" to which the return piping is attached. You have to admit that is a stroke of artistic genius and deserves a special award!  The upside of this is that when it is fixed, the new owners will think you walk on water!

- Rod

knotgrumpy

I see the chicken wire...

And so, I guess that must be chicken poop all over those fittings?



Aren't those copper drain/waste fittings?

northernboiler

"Hula Hoop" boiler

I like that name for this abomination of an installation.

That is corrosion from the severely hard water we have here seeping through the sweat joints.

And yes, all of the copper fittings are DWV fittings.

This is a text book example of how NOT to install a steam boiler.

Dan should use these photos in his classes.



What really confuses me is this, how can a contractor that installs boilers screw up this bad. It is almost comical, if it wasn't so sad. There is almost no logic to how this boiler was piped in, in many aspects. Bob is right, it is simply AMAZING that this system is working AT ALL!

Another thought that crossed my mind is, how much "life" was taken from this unit. Especially with all of the water they have been forced to drain out of the system every week and because of the over filling/ flooding of the system.

Hap_Hazzard

I was thinking the same thing.

I mean, it's not like the information is not available. There are at least a dozen of us amateur homeowner types here who could probably, if you put a gun to our heads, install a steam boiler and not screw it up too bad, and the only reason is that we've been learning from you professional steam men long enough to know what to do (e.g. read and follow instructions) and what not to do, and because we had the sense to come here and seek advice in the first place instead of "winging it."



This boiler has been wung. It's not just missing things, like a header and equalizer, but it has some fairly elaborate features that make absolutely no sense. You just have to wonder what in blazes this guy was thinking when he built that big copper loop. It doesn't even bear any resemblance to anything that should be there.



We've all seen videos, Dan's video on near boiler piping being probably the best example, that walk you through the components of a system explaining what each one does and why it's important. Wouldn't it be a riot if this guy had made a video like that? Wouldn't you love to hear him explaining what he thinks that hoop does? I'd probably bust a gut just hearing what he called the thing.

northernboiler

No excuse

Quite frankly, there really is no excuse or acceptable or plausible explanation for the installation we see here.

None whatsoever.



If I ever had the chance to speak to whom ever performed this "installation", I would probably pass om speaking with them. I know I would not laugh at them, I would probably become upset and angry at them.



I am a professional. I take significant pride in my work. As do most of the fine people who post and give advice here.

It truly upsets me to see "work" like this, so some degree it (work like this), it reflects badly upon all of us in the heating industry/ trade. People do make generalizations about trades people and poor work/ results.

Work like this does nothing to help with that.



It only further demonstrates to me that we as professionals still have a lot more work to do educating the general public and especially some involved in the trades doing the work as to correct and proper methods.

Jean-David Beyer

You just have to wonder what in blazes this guy was thinking when he built that big copper loop.

Right! He should have put a circulator in that loop. Otherwise the water would not go around it properly,. (I am kidding.)

Steamhead

It's yet another example

of "You Can't Fix Stupid"!

Hap_Hazzard

Exactly

The point I was trying to make is that the information is all here. Not only is there an incredible archive of articles, documents and discussions, but there are experts--the best stem men in the industry--who answer questions and give knowledgeable advice free of charge--not just to clueless noobs like me, but even to their competitors! This site is really an incredible resource, and with Google, anybody can find it. If you're looking for heating information on the web, it's nearly impossible to miss.



The only way you could possibly fail to find this site is if you don't look. You have to be so clueless or care so little about the work you do that it somehow doesn't occur to you to do a simple web search.



And that's on top of totally ignoring what's in the IOM. It's hard to imagine anybody--even a do-it-yourselfer--wasting their time building that ridiculous hoola-hoop when they could read the IOM in less than half the time.