pressuretrol/pigtail/ pipedope!!

rtv

i have a suspect* pressuretrol/pigtail. whoever installed it used some pipe dope that is hard as rocks.
if i try to loosen anything it just bends..are there any tricks to get these things apart? i'm hesitant to put a torch
to it. if it helps..the stuff is white

* set for .5 w/ 1diff its cutting out at 5lbs and in at 2!

Captain Who

It's hard to advise on how to go at it without a picture. It's kind of like blindfolded plumbing.

rtv

ask and you shall receive!

Captain Who

Ha ha much better. It's like a fog has been lifted. Well that gauge is a 0-30 psi gauge which is necessary according to the code although fairly useless otherwise but that isn't the right position for it because the pigtail is supposed to protect it from the steam by virtue of the fact that some water will be trapped. You should have a tee on top of the pigtail with a nipple and elbow on each side. The pressuretrol mounts on one elbow (needs a short nipple too) and the gauge mounts on the other elbow (preferably a 0-3 psi gauge). I'd move the 30 psi gauge actually to another location entirely.

Anyway, that pipe dope can't be that tough. Once you have taken the pressuretrol and the gauge off you will be able to use a torch judiciously if need be. As far as getting the pressuretrol off goes, make sure that you only use a crescent wrench on the brass coupler below it, not a channelock or god forbid a vice grips. Vice grips can be used on the other parts, but don't squeeze too hard. I would also only use a crescent wrench on the gauge as well. I'd use teflon tape when you reassemble everything after cleaning. Make sure you don't have a plugged hole in the bottom of the gauge and the pressuretrol as well.

Captain Who

I actually have never used vice grips for this. I usually do just fine with a couple small pipe wrenches, but again not on the gauge or the pressuretrol. I'd try that first before the vice grips.

Fred

You can take a thin blade knife and run it around under the hex base of the Presssuretrol and cut through the dope. If you can't get it off, you may want to go to a supply house and buy a new pigtail and do what you have too to get that pigtail off. Don't rachet (skew) the body of the Pressuretrol though. It won't work right after that.
Sounds like either that pigtail is clogged or the small orifice inside that Hex fitting (maybe with pipe dope)

rtv

yes! EVERYTHING on this boiler was done incorrectly. I plan on making it right. including the gauge, pressuretrol and adding a 0-5lb gauge as well. However...this pipe dope is like cement!
I especially don't want to break things at the moment. (0 deg F outside) I thought there might be a trick i didn't know for this type of sealant. God only knows what they used!

rtv

I'll probably need a 6ft pipe wench for the 2&3 in pipes!

rtv

Fred, are these pressuretrols sensitive to mounting angle?
i thought that was only on the old mercury bulb types

BobC

Unless something is drastically wrong you might want to wait out the current arctic blast before tackling this.

Some pipe dope does harden like cement. I remember using a wooden carpenters clamp on the loop to get the original pigtail off my oldv75 steam boiler. Have you tried a plunger handle through the loop (after removing the ptrol)? That should give you the leverage you need.

Bob

Fred

They are not sensitive to mounting angle but if you ratchet the cabinet, the switch contacts and the diaphram can be misaligned.

rtv

fred...Ahhhh got it! Thanks!
bob...good idea..if i can get the pressuretrol off without destroying
the pigtail

wmtandson

there are small screws under it which can be removed ,then it can be lifted off and cleaned

wmtandson

take the body off first then remove and clean the diaphragm

Fred

You should not take the body off of the diaphragm. There is a floating pyramid shaped botton between the top of the diaphragm and the opening in the bottom of the Pressuretrol box. Lose that or not get it back exactly centered properly and the Pressuretrol is useless. Not saying it can't be done but definitely not recommended.

Fred

wmtandson said:

take the body off first then remove and clean the diaphragm

Further clarification, He's not trying to clean the diaphragm (nor does he need to). He needs to cclean the pigtail out, which still isn't accessable when you remove the four screws on the bottom of the Pressuretrol.

rtv

Right O Fred! my biggest problem is to get these things apart!
thanks to the monkeys that put everything together with some sort of cement!

ChrisJ

Order up a new brass pigtail and some fittings from Supplyhouse.com and put a pipe wrench or two on there.

You should be able to have that apart in 5 minutes or less with two 10" wrenches.

I don't know what others have seen but it seems like even Megaloc dries up some near the boiler. I think it's just too much heat for it to stay greasy.

ChrisJ

Hatterasguy said:

ChrisJ said:

Order up a new brass pigtail and some fittings from Supplyhouse.com and put a pipe wrench or two on there.

.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#pressure-gauge-pigtails/=vcbhfj

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Generic-PIGTBRA-1-4-Angle-Brass-Pigtail

$6 plus shipping.
McMaster is rarely the place to go for something like a siphon unless you want to spend 3 times as much.

BobC

I've used McMaster for 40 years, they seem to have everything under the sun and it's usually tough to beat their prices because the shipping is so reasonable on small orders.

Bob

ChrisJ

BobC said:

I've used McMaster for 40 years, they seem to have everything under the sun and it's usually tough to beat their prices because the shipping is so reasonable on small orders.

Bob

I use them often as well mostly because they're fast and always stock quality items.

However I have to admit Bob, you're the first I've ever heard say their prices or shipping costs are reasonable. They're fast and always top quality, but you pay for it. Same with Grainger.

ChrisJ

Hatterasguy said:

We use McMaster quite a bit for the hardware necessary to assemble various tooling components. I certainly would not characterize them as "cheap". If I spent another couple of hours, I'm sure I could save $1.00 on a box of socket head cap screws. But, the convenience of ordering and the ease of using their catalog and the very low shipping rates tip the scales in their favor. Time is valuable and a vendor that is ALWAYS responsive (wait times on the phone are non-existent) gets my business every time.

In this day and age of vendors that cannot even answer the telephone with a functional idiot, McMaster stands out as exemplary.

I used to be able to pick up from them directly but I don't think they serve direct to the public any longer. Though, in this area you can get same day shipping if you pay for it and order early enough.

BobC

In this day and age of vendors that cannot even answer the telephone with a functional idiot, McMaster stands out as exemplary.

You have to understand the costs associated with using functional idiots, if they did that where would it all end? The companies CEO might have to give up the corporate jet to fund such foolishness.

Bob

rtv

Just ordered one from mcmaster...they might be a bit more but i have a good chance of it being here tomorrow..the other place might not ship for a day or so

ChrisJ

rtv said:

Just ordered one from mcmaster...they might be a bit more but i have a good chance of it being here tomorrow..the other place might not ship for a day or so

If you order by 6PM EST Supplyhouse ships today.
This is moot as you already ordered, I just wanted to point that out for future reference. Anything Supplyhouse can ship same day will have a little note on it.

Fred

I always get great service from Supplyhouse Too!

rtv

Thanks...i didn't see that! I was thinking about using them for my big order coming up for rebuilding the whole header system.
it should put me close to free shipping!

KC_Jones

If you are rebuilding your header getting to 300 for free shipping won't be a problem at all.

Gordo

I like the brass pigtails from McMaster because they are high quality thick red brass versus the thin yellow brass type (cheap at half the price) that others sell.
No sir, not all "brass" pigtails are alike.
I'll bet that if the middle kingdom (and the manufacturers they sell to) could get away with it, they'd send us brass plated steel pigtails.

BobC

Always keep a magnet close by.

Bob

ChrisJ

To be honest the brass pigtail and brass 1/4" connections are something I've never been completely happy with on my boiler.

With PTFE tape they just never seen very tight or solid.

The 1/2" black iron stuff I put together for my low pressure stuff on the other hand...

Steamhead

We do not discuss pricing on this forum.

Gordo

ChrisJ said:

To be honest the brass pigtail and brass 1/4" connections are something I've never been completely happy with on my boiler.

With PTFE tape they just never seen very tight or solid.

The 1/2" black iron stuff I put together for my low pressure stuff on the other hand...

It's those cheap, thin yellow brass ones that are giving you trouble, yes? The red brass ones are harder to find but worth it.

ChrisJ

Gordo said:

ChrisJ said:

To be honest the brass pigtail and brass 1/4" connections are something I've never been completely happy with on my boiler.

With PTFE tape they just never seen very tight or solid.

The 1/2" black iron stuff I put together for my low pressure stuff on the other hand...

It's those cheap, thin yellow brass ones that are giving you trouble, yes? The red brass ones are harder to find but worth it.

No, my joints like to turn if you put too much pressure on something. Perhaps I'm not putting stuff tight enough, but I'm afraid with this 1/4" brass stuff. I'll crank a 1 1/4" black iron / cast iron joint down using two 24's but this tiny stuff, just seems fragile to me. I haven't damaged anything so maybe I'm just being too careful?

ChrisJ

Steamhead said:

We do not discuss pricing on this forum.

You are absolutely right.

It won't happen again. Please accept my sincere apology.