Skimming a new steam boiler

Billo

I had a new gas Weil Mclain boiler installed last November, the plumber who installed it said he skimmed it. I still see oil on the tube about 1/3 oil 2/3 water. After doing some research I learned that the proper way to skim a boiler is to put a skim tap. This was never done. The plug is still in. I tried to get the original plumber back to fix it but he never responded. So I called another plumber, who has experience with boilers to have a skim tap and valve installed. He was unable to get the plug out, and actually chewed off the some of the corners of the plug trying to remove it. The wasn't much of the plug sticking out. Before he completely destroyed the plug I told him to stop.

Can anyone offer any assistance on how to get the plug out? Should he have heated up the boiler first or torched the fitting? Or does the outer covering need to be taken off first to get a better grab on the plug?

MilanD

Yes, all the above. You need a good big wrench. If that doesn't do it, you may have to cut it out.

Also, Weill McClain does suggest cooking the boiler with lye (as in soap lye), to bind up the oils. Works pretty well. Look here under "How do I clean a steam boiler"

https://www.weil-mclain.com/faq

j a_2

Well the easy solution is to remove the boiler panels get your hands on a oxygen/accetline set up or someone who has one, heat up around the plug till it's red hot and get a good bite on it with a pipe wrench and simply remove it....The clown that tried removing it with out heat belongs in a circus