Easy way to clean pigtail / siphon

ChrisJ

I don't know if this has been mentioned before or not but I confirmed my pigtail was clear today by removing a gauge and blowing with my mouth.  This of course blew most if not all of the water, and any junk out of the pigtail and into the boiler to be drained when I clean the boiler.



It's not a perfect way but I feel it's a lot easier than taking everything apart and I like to know that things are functioning properly even if I never need them.  I test my pressuretrol once a year by closing the king valves and return valve allowing pressure to build.   I also test the LWCO occasionally which unfortunately is much harder with a probe type than a float type.



I did not add water back in after this as I feel the first time you make steam all that happens is the steam pushes against the air in the piping and in the process condenses and fills the pigtail.  I don't see a point in adding water.

KC_Jones

I was thinking

When I put my new boiler in I would put a union on both sides of the pigtail so I can easily pull it for inspection on a yearly basis, just because.  I figure it makes it easy to take it off and inspect.

ChrisJ

Union

Some of us forgot to put a union.

Hey, at least I admit when I make a mistake, right?

vaporvac

Did that...

Thanks  to suggestion here, I did put them on just that way and also on the kpressure relief valve. Since my Vstats are on my header they did need a pigtai, but I used them anyway! Pigtails rock, but the little ones are really difficult to find.

Techman

Pigtail

I thought the water in the pigtail protected that sensitive diaphragm/ bellows in the control from the steam . I put in unions on my 1st routine on ALL of my steamers , total 4.

ChrisJ

water

Hi Techman,



Yes, the pigtail blocks steam from getting to sensitive devices.



I did not add water back in after this as I feel the first time you make steam all that happens is the steam pushes against the air in the piping and in the process condenses and fills the pigtail. I don't see a point in adding water.

BobC

I agree

The air in that sealed pigtail essentially blocks the steam from getting very far. the bottom of the loop in my pigtail gets very hot but the top of the pigtail never gets more than warm and I'm sure that's just because of the thermal conduction of the brass pigtail.



Bob

Pughie1

Tee

Chris,

How about a Tee on top of the syphon, then your presuretrol/vaporstat (you must have a vaporstat) with a plug in the bull. Take out plug, fire boiler, if you get water or steam -- the syphon is clear. Just thinking.

John