Install Skim Port - DIY? Burnham IN5

Johnson_Rod

Is putting on a skim port something i can readily do myself? I have a Burnham IN5 -- 2 years old -- and it was never skimmed, though the installer cleaned it w/ squick from my understanding.

The side of the boiler w/ the skim port is probably 10 inches or so from the wall, so access is tricky. When I knocked out the piece in the jacket I can feel the plug, but I'm not sure what's the best tool to get in there. Any recommendations? Also, once I get it out, I don't have a lot of room to work with. How best to configure the port?

Thanks!

Fred

You will most likely have to take the panel off to get to that plug. If you can get a 6 sided socket on it and a large breaker bar, you can try to remove the plug that way, before removing the side/back panel. I doubt that it will work. Those plugs are tough to get out but you do need a skim port. If you take the panel off, put a 24" pipe wrench and use a pipe extension on the wrench and see if you can break it loose.

hboogz

I have an IN6 and had the pressure relief valve on the side 3/4 tapping towards the top of the jacket. I have similar space issues and i just built an elbow with a long nipple and ran the skim through that setup for about 4 hours, feeding water slowly to a trickle. Once I was done I mounted the relief valve back on.

Harry.

Paul48

It may take an impact gun to get that out.

Johnson_Rod

Thanks @Fred . I think I'll give it a go w/ the socket first.

If I have to take the whole panel off I think I'd need to take apart the pressure relief mounting... and if I'm going to go through that trouble, maybe I can just do a set up like @hboogz suggests right off the pressure relief tap instead of adding a dedicated skim port?

It's the difference between 1" and 3/4"... is that a big deal for skimming?

Fred

I'm hoping that because the boiler is only two years old, he can get that plug out. That's the best option but as @hboogz said, using the Pressure relief tapping is an option, and one that I have to use also, on my old boiler. It works but much slower. I put a permanent TEE on my PRV tapping, remounted the PRV on the top tapping of the Tee, put a nipple and cap on the end tapping. That nipple is 3/4" and when I need to skim, I set the water flow to a mere trickle, after adjusting the flow, I attach a garden hose to that nipple and run the hose over to a floor drain and let it run for several hours, sometimes over night when the weather is mild and the boiler can be powered down.

hboogz

Good idea on the Tee, @fred When the winter passes I'm going to get that done. Also allows me an inlet to drop a SteamMaster tablet in (have no direct experience with it, heard from local guys it's not needed on residential, but the collective here hasn't led me astray yet)

Harry.

Johnson_Rod

Any guess on what size socket will fit that plug?

New England SteamWorks

Burnham used to put those plugs in hydraulically at the foundry, making them very difficult even for pros to remove on a new boiler. A few years back a Burnham rep stated here that they were trying to change that procedure. With all the Burnham problems, we abondoned them (MegaSteam excepted) a long time ago, so I have no recent experience. If no one else here does, using the pressure relief tapping might be a better bet.

hboogz

@RI_SteamWorks Curious. Not a pro, but always thought burnham steam boilers were top quality. I imagine things have changed recently? That being said, If my burnham were to go down, which steamers would you recommend besides WeilMCclain ?

New England SteamWorks

Burnham has had a lot of casting problems causing premature failure. Weil, Peerless, Slanfin all good choices.

hboogz

@RI_SteamWorks great info. Thank you. that's really unfortunate. about Burnham.

I'm very curious about slantfin steam boilers. Guys at the supply houses don't speak very highly of them when it comes to steam boilers...

Harry

JUGHNE

You can get 8 point impact sockets that fit well on a square plug.
If you take a guess at the size of the plug head and just buy a plug that is that exact head size. Take that plug to a industrial tool supply and size the socket to fit. You can rent an impact wrench, (maybe even the socket).

You could leave the jacket on.

I would soak the boiler plug with PB Blaster or Kroil spray several times in advance before trying the socket.

If you round off or break the square corners with the wrong tool then it is going to stay there unless you drill it out. (this I know).

Johnson_Rod

@JUGHNE you're talking about a driver, right? I'm just not sure if I have enough clearance on the side to get a driver on there and get leverage.

Danny Scully

I have removed many a surface blow down plug from an independence. It's never easy, even on a brand new boiler. It's definatly not a DIY project, unless you're comfortable with cutting/chiseling out the plug (if necessary). A socket might work, although I've never tried. You would need quite the breaker bar, or impact gun if you had the nerve. If you go the wrench route, you'll really need to take the right side panel off, as well as the lower front tie bar and vestibule panel.

JUGHNE

Yes, I mean an impact driver/drill. Next bet would be the correct socket with a breaker bar, 1/2" or 3/4" size.

Johnson_Rod

I went with the pressure relief valve port and skimmed this morning for about 2 hours.

I could remove the 90 that connected the PRV from the boiler, but couldn't get the PRV off the elbow, so instead of spending all day with it, I just rigged up a temporary skim port rather than put the tee in.

Anyway, when everything was put back together, I may have compromised a soldered joint beyond the PRV to the copper pipe that points it at the floor. Is this anything to be concerned with or no?

Also, the elbow tightened back onto the boiler isn't what I'd consider extremely tight. I can't get another full turn on it (to keep the PRV vertical), only about 3/4, so I brought it back to vertical. Should I just keep an eye to make sure steam doesn't escape next time the boiler fires?

Fred

That copper pipe is just to direct any water/steam to the floor should the PRV trip on pressure. You should probably correct that solder joint but it won't affect daily boiler operation. Just, for safety sake, repair it.
Did you put some tape on the elbow when you put it back on the boiler? Just watch that joint and make sure it doesn't leak.

adambnyc

Speaking from personal experience and having an IN6 myself, getting that skimport plug out was a real PIA for me. I tired all the recommendations here, breaker bar, impact gun, 24" pipe wrench. All no good.

In the end I rounded out the plug by trying so much and eventually had to take the sawzall/hacksaw to the plug and cut the threads out.

But I also gave the lower 1 1/4 plug a shot while I had the side off and was successful with that one.

I think where I went wrong was instead of talking the side panel off completely, I tired to fit the pipe wrench in and started the stripping of the plug. I think if I took the side panel off from the start I probably coulda got the right angle to get the plug out.