Can I add skim port to existing pressure relief valve?

Zipper13

Wondering if this is safe/code legal.

Filling out my list of projects to budget for this spring and having a skim port sounds worthwhile.

Curious if this makes sense and if it will be safe/legal/effective

Thinking of adding a tee to the existing PRV port, connecting the PRV to the vertical and then adding a drain to the other end of the horizontal to skim through.

I figure this would be cheap as I'd only need the tee, a nipple, the drain and some teflon tape.

Am I barking up the wrong tree here?

Fred

I'm guessing this is a Burnham Boiler. I also have a Burnham. I put a short nipple in the boiler tapping, put a Tee on that nipple, put the PRV on the top opening of the Tee and use the end opening of the Tee as a skim port. I use a plug in the end when I'm not skimming. I would not put a spigot on the end as that might fail or someone might open it while the boiler is firing.

Zipper13

Yessir, it's a Burnham.
I like the idea of using a plug instead.
Glad I'm not out of line for thinking of this.

Thanks!

Zipper13

Also I'm shocked that you could tell it was a burnham from my bad drawing!

Fred

Zipper13 said:

Also I'm shocked that you could tell it was a burnham from my bad drawing!

It wasn't the drawing. Burnham is about the only boiler left that puts the PRV on the side instead of on top.

STEAM DOCTOR

> @Fred said:
> Also I'm shocked that you could tell it was a burnham from my bad drawing!
>
> It wasn't the drawing. Burnham is about the only boiler left that puts the PRV on the side instead of on top.

Peerless, Crown on left side. Burnham on right side

Fred

STEAM DOCTOR said:

> @Fred said:

> Also I'm shocked that you could tell it was a burnham from my bad drawing!

>

> It wasn't the drawing. Burnham is about the only boiler left that puts the PRV on the side instead of on top.



Peerless, Crown on left side. Burnham on right side

Wow, I didn't realize that Peerless and Crown were side mounted PRV's too.

New England SteamWorks

You can as long as there is not a shut off valve between the PRV and the boiler.

But be warned: Skimming through this tiny tapping is excruciating slow. Only the smallest of trickles works. Otherwise the water level rises above the tapping, and you are no longer skimming the surface...