Removing a stubborn steam plug

branimal

I’ve got an extra steam radiator that I’d like to install where one was installed at some point. The steam pipe is plugged with a 1/2 plug. I’ve hit it with heat for 1 minute and tried to open it with my wrench, no luck. I’m afraid to break the plug. Any suggestions?

And what is that bell shaped thing below the plug?

My replacement plan is a 1/2 close black nipple attached to a 1/2” female x 1” male fitting. That’s the best I could find in my hardware store. My radiator valve is 1” female.

ethicalpaul

Try a good penetrating oil, applied several times over a few days. The bell thing looks like a reducer, maybe the pipe is the same size as the one next to it?

branimal

Thanks I’ll hit it with some pb blaster

Sailah

You need bigger tools than a pair of channel locks. Heat the outside to get thermal differential working for you, then ice down the plug to shrink it. That differential shock helps break the rust bond. Then hit it with Kroil/PB Blaster when it is still warm to draw the oil in. Keep at this for a few cycles. Then on the last, shock it and lean into it with a couple big wrenches.

I find impacts to work better in these situations but you'd need a square socket and a big impact. My 18V 1/2" anvil Makita buzzes those things out like they weren't even stuck.

branimal

I tried with a 12" pipe wrench.

I'll use your heat/cool/oil method with an 18" pipe wrench.

JUGHNE

Assuming this is one pipe steam.
IMO I believe you need to remove the reducing coupling and use the full size pipe. Adding the 1/2" nipple and then increasing to valve size will create a bottleneck (actually an hourglass) to cause water hammer.

Do you have access to the riser below?

KC_Jones

@JUGHNE has it. Ignore that plug, the bell reducer needs to come off as well. 1/2" piping doesn't belong on a 1 pipe system. They probably did it that way because the fittings were laying around so they used them, I only suggest that based on my past experience doing just that.

EBEBRATT-Ed

As @jughne & @KC_Jones mentioned the reducer needs to come off. They didn't have the right size cap so they put a reducer on and plugged it.

Intplm.

branimal.
Do you have two PIPE WRENCHES? 18" or greater in size will turn that reducing coupling. Or larger if you can get them. But you should use two. One as a backer the other to loosen.
Can you pull the fitting reducer up off the floor by hand?
If you can, place one wrench between the fitting reducer and the floor on to the pipe, the other wrench on the fitting reducer.
If you can't pull the reducer up a little from the floor, hopefully you can access the pipe from below . You will need some help.One person holding one wrench from below and the other loosening from above.
If those things don't work, you can try turning with just one wrench from above as a last resort. This can turn the pipe in the floor that is not exposed and create more problems so hopefully you can get it from the other recommendations.
("lefty loosey righty tighty").
Good luck. Please post your end results.

nicholas bonham-carter

What about cracking the fitting with 2 big hammers, or making lateral cuts in it to relieve the hold on the threads.
Put a big pair of vice-grips on the pipe in case it wants to fall down the hole under the floor.—NBC

Intplm.

Doesn't look like a BCI fitting. Looks malleable....?
Would be better if it's black cast iron.

Pumpguy

One useful trick not mentioned is to hit the plug a few good whacks with a hefty hammer. The impact shock is frequently all that is needed to loosen things up.

JUGHNE

Probably cast iron swing 90's under the floor.
Those would "whack crack".

I did crack a CI tee unscrewing a nipple. Didn't show up until I tried to reuse for new nipple.

branimal

Yes its a one pipe system.

I cannot pull the reducer fitting up. Won't budge.

I can ask my tenant below to access through his ceiling.

I've got a 12" and an 18" wrench. I'll give that route a try.

I recently moved a 2" CI steam pipe and I needed to put relief cuts in the couplings and hammer and chisel it out. The pipe threads were in good shape afterwards.

Regarding the water hammer... i disconnected a radiator yesterday and it had maybe 30 ounces of water in it because the pitch was terrible. But it never hammered. I thought water in the radiators made them hammer?

ethicalpaul

It _can_, but I’ve given up being sure about such things 😂

nicholas bonham-carter

Have you described your main steam boiler piping, as that can throw up a lot of water, if it is not correct, especially if the pressure is too high, and the main venting is inadequate.—NBC

Intplm.

Use the 18" to loosen and the 14" as your backer below the floor if thats possible.
Hope that you do not need to cut the fitting as you had before.
Maybe put a cheater bar/long piece of pipe on the 18 to extend the leverage and make your turn.???

BobC

A few years back I replaced the anode rod on my gas hot water heater. It took a 24" breaker bar with a 1-1/16" six point socket and a four ft cheater on that 24" breaker bar. I ilso had a buddy trying to hold the tank but I still moved it.

Bob

kcopp

I would just cut it w/ a good Sawzall blade and after you get 7/8 through the fitting split it w/ a cold chisel.

branimal

Sailah said:

I find impacts to work better in these situations but you'd need a square socket and a big impact. My 18V 1/2" anvil Makita buzzes those things out like they weren't even stuck.

Bought a square socket from amazon and borrowed my brother's cordless impact wrench. The plug came right off.

I'm going to temporarily use a 1/2" nipple along with 1/2" x 1" bushing to hookup the radiator. In 3-4 months I'll be gutting this apartment and I can upgrade to 1" fittings so there is no bottleneck.

Thanks guys.

Sailah

Nice!! Everyone that tries mine is:

"Huh, that's pretty awesome. I should get one. Or I could always borrow yours right?"

branimal

Sailah said:

Nice!! Everyone that tries mine is:

"Huh, that's pretty awesome. I should get one. Or I could always borrow yours right?"

While I have the impact wrench I'm going to attempt to remove my water heaters anode rod!

Larry Weingarten

Hi, That's a good idea! Best if you use a 1-1/16" six point socket, and grind down the face of the socket so it's flat. This gives the best bite on the head of the anode.

Yours, Larry

Intplm.

Good to hear @branimal . Thanks for posting your results.

JUGHNE

I am curious to hear (perhaps literally ) how that rad works with the bottleneck/hourglass. Good experiment I think.

Intplm.

Remove the anode rod !? Have a helper put a bear hug on the water heater !🔩

71montess

That’s a 1x1/2 Black malleable coupling, remove it completely and connect to radiator. Use an 18” or 24” wrench.