Anyone try this ? Rectorseal 68712 Quart 8-Way Boiler Water Treatment

Hap_Hazzard

ChrisJ said:

> @nicholas bonham-carter said:
> Chrisj, I see your water is more purple than mine. Although it could be the lighting. I think the last time I tested my Ph, it was 9.5–NBC
I don't know if that effects how purple it is. It turns blue below a certain point but other than that I assume it's just the phone / lighting.

Maybe your boilers don't hold the same amount of water?

nicholas bonham-carter

In my Peerless 211A-5, (1050000 btu), I used 6 to start last season, and then 2 more this season to compensate for LWCO draining.
Before joining the steamaster club, I was having to wash the sightglass every other week, as it had rust stains.—NBC

Hap_Hazzard

That's very similar to my experience. I added two tablets this year because the solution was becoming diluted from blowdowns and draining and I was starting to notice some rust. Now it's nice and clean again.

gfrbrookline

I used two steamaster tablets this year, the water is crystal clear but it is not tinted at all.

EdwinD

> @gfrbrookline said:
> I used two steamaster tablets this year, the water is crystal clear but it is not tinted at all.

@gfrbrookline
I experienced something similar with my last two tablets - actually one and a half tablets. But the water was a very light pink. I had them for about two and a half years, but I don't know the date of manufacture. What's the gallon water capacity of your boiler?

Correction: on the bottom of the bottle there's a sticker that says 020916. Date of manufacture? Expiration date?

gfrbrookline

My contractor put them in when he did the annual maintenance last month. I assume he buys them by the case so should be in the traceable ball park, maybe.

He has to install them on the end of my dry returns as there is no other option to drop them into the boiler. Not sure if this is a contributing factor.

Can't find the water capacity, it's a 2015 burnham v903A.

BobC

Check the PH of the boiler water, anything around 9 is fine. I've found the cheap PH tape hard to read so I use strips that have two patches to match to the chart.

Bob

Hap_Hazzard

I like the pH to be 7–8.5.

ChrisJ

> @Hap_Hazzard said:
> I like the pH to be 7–8.5.

I think you're mistaken. People like 7.4-7.6. that's the best range for a swimming pool.


I find the boiler likes it to be 9-10.

gfrbrookline

I have not tested the PH, need to buy strips, but was told there was no way to add the steamaster tablets except from my dry return vent ports, which is what they used. Is there any reason I couldn't use this plug to add the tablets directly to the boiler? It goes to the secondary LWCO that has the manual reset.

Hap_Hazzard

That looks like it should work just fine.

ethicalpaul

Looks good to me. I think Steammaster suggests the pressure relief valve.

gfrbrookline

Thanks @Hap_Hazzard , @ethicalpaul, this looks easier than dismantling the drain from my PRV, just need new tape and dope on the plug.

Thank you both.

Chris_L

The comments about the different color of boiler water treated with Steamaster inspired me to do some research.
The data sheet doesn't say what pH indicator is used, but I am guessing it is phenolthalein, which turns from clear to pink at pH 8.2.
Here is my boiler water today, which I last treated with Steamaster when I shut the boiler down for the summer. Measured pH is at least 9.

And here is what it looks like after adding a couple drops of vinegar dropping the pH to about 6.5:

Is that rust or something else? Before I started using Steamaster a few years ago, the water in the sight glass was crystal clear.
As for the purple vs. pink color of the treated water, here is what 1 pill of Steamaster looks like in 1 gallon of water before it goes into the boiler:

And here is what happens when the pH is reduced to about 6.5 (again with vinegar):

I don't know what causes the blue color, but it nearly matches the color of the pills, and seems to disappear after the Steamaster has been in the boiler for a while, resulting in the water color changing from purple to pink .

Hap_Hazzard

I suspect they're using more than a single indicator—I couldn't think of one that would account for all the color changes alone—but it's also possible that some of the other ingredients are altering the shape of the molecule and changing the coloration. It's probably a trade secret.

ChrisJ

It takes some time for them to dissolve and mix.

Here's what mine looks like now.

It does fade more over time but after 3 seasons was still slightly purple.


2 pills and I think this boiler holds around 10 gallons.