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Circulator flat flange gasket, sealant

Leonard
Leonard Member Posts: 903
edited October 2018 in THE MAIN WALL
Figured I'ld replace weeping flange gaskets before we get too far into winter.

I removed whole circulator assembly to replace center section (one with shaft seals) in April 2001.
I installed new red "Taco" rubber flange gaskets, and put car engine sealant Permatex 2 on them to help seal, worked well. But now those red rubber gaskets are dried out, cracking, weeping and falling apart.

1) looking for a better gasket material that won't dry out, maybe a sheet of Viton rubber and cut my own gasket? Running boiler at ~ 185 degs now , previous ran it @ ~ 210 ( thought I had fouled DHW coil)
Old flat flange had recess for square or O ring but was pretty rusted. So I wire wheeled, filed it flat, and used red flat sheet gasket.

2) what brand sealent do you use on flange to flange sealing ?
The permatex 2 worked fine , but it stinks when I vent air from baseboards. ( used it to seal many car water pumps gaskets)





Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,470
    Red rubber can't take any heat. I am surprised it went 17 years. I stay away from sealent and just use never seize on the gasket and bolts and nuts. Makes removal easy. I guess Viton would be fine if rated for the temperature. A sheet od Garloc will work
    Leonardkcopp
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited October 2018
    Gasket's started leaking couple years ago, but now I notice I have to add little water every ~ 2 months. Hoping it's the flange leak, and it's just evaporating. No real water accumulation on floor drip pans.
    Added drip shield over electric burner motor

    Going to change the old pressure safty relief , it's weeping too.
    I'm running ~ 4 psi on boiler gauge, enough to keep highest baseboard full ( less than 6 ft up from gauge).



  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,379
    Does that pump have a groove for a square cut ring gasket? If so that would be best seal to use. Flat black gaskets are usually EPDM.

    If the pump does have a groove, the flat gaskets don't have much sealing surface, find the ring gaskets to fit.

    Here is a really old B&G, I think they once came with red ring gaskets?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited October 2018
    Seal surface on your B&G looks good

    My Furnace is 60 years old, dad's house, now mine.

    Been ~17 years but I remember there was a grove for a square or O-ring , but seal surface was so rusted that in my opinion it would not seal. Even after I heavily wire wheeled it. I forget if that was the pipe flange or circulator casting's flange.

    I know what you mean about not much surface area for flat gasket seal, that occured to me too back then, but was winter, it needed to go together. I'll have to look , suppose I can replace the pipe flanges if their the problem ones. I have several propane/air turbo torches to heat it red hot to get it off after 60 years. Oxy-acetylene and wet rag for yellow/white hot if it decides to be difficult.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,379
    Surfaces don't need to be super smooth, cast iron flanges are fairly rough and gaskets seal them.

    Looks like you have steel flanges, if they have deep pit holes from corrosion, best replace them.

    Of course a new wet rotor circulator would come with gaskets :)
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,329
    Off topic but can you pull the cover off the burner and post a pic?
    J pump on the right side. That's a real oldie.

    As far as the circ, new flanges, gaskets and a wet rotor pump.
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,290
    I use ring gaskets and never a lubricant or sealant of any kind.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
    STEVEusaPAHVACNUTMikeL_2
  • Alan Welch
    Alan Welch Member Posts: 270
    No one noticed the Honeywell stack switch? Definitely an outdated system. Time for a new burner and circulator at the least.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,329
    edited October 2018
    > @Alan Welch said:
    > No one noticed the Honeywell stack switch? Definitely an outdated system. Time for a new burner and circulator at the least.

    I noticed, but didn't mention because it matches the rest of the decor perfectly.

    If I walked in to that boiler room and wasn't talking about complete replacement, I'd do a 180, and maybe throw in a "Hammil Camel".
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited October 2018
    I'll take a pic of inside chamber when I replace nossel, and clean insulators & heat exchanger. Will be a while till I get to that.

    Currently running boiler @ 4 psi because of leaks.

    After I fix leaks , what pressure should I be running? As kid remember dad saying ~ 10 psi. Highest point of heating system is baseboards at 5.5 feet above boiler pressure gauge. I'm running ~ 195 degs MAX at temp gauge at top of boiler .

    Guessing I need MIN of 5.5 ft of water pressure (2.4 psi) at boiler gauge while circulator is running and baseboards are cool. What am I forgetting?

    1 zone, monoflow tees to baseboards

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