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Long sight glass nipples

SeanBeans
SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
edited October 2019 in Strictly Steam
Just wondering if this set up is dangerous at all.

Also wondering what negative effects this could potentially cause.

Comments

  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,147
    @SeanBeans The "setup" you are referring to did not post.
    Lets' try to see if its dangerous ?👍🏼 One more time ?🙂
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    edited October 2019
    Post title should be “Long sight glass nipples”
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    @Intplm. thanks, I always do that LOL
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,973
    Whats the reason ?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,500
    Could I ask... why? The sight glass will still work -- but stuck out in space like that there's a good chance someone or something will hit it and bust it. Not if, when.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,147
    If you secure all of that, ( Looks like more than the sight glass? Dare I say McDonnell Miller Control? ) with some threaded rod secured to the floor in at least two evenly divided split ring hangers to take the weight off of it than it should be fine.
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    Yeah... i don’t know why.
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    I’m not fond of the primary LWCO being out there
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,252
    It may be code but I wouldn't want it.

    Nipples that long are more easily plugged up....to much chance for an obstruction between the boiler and the low water cutoff and that's asking for trouble, even if it does get blown down. If it must be out there I would use brass pipe and fittings.

    If it was me I would shorten it up and move the gas line instead.


    If it was a commercial boiler I doubt a boiler inspector would approve that
    ratioIntplm.ZmanSteve_210
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    I’m almost positive that it was inspected and then they went back and extended it out.

    I remember seeing a photo a few weeks before this photo and it was close against the boiler.

    This is also the boiler where the riser towards the steam main comes off off the header on the side.
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,774
    Sure seems like a bad idea that's bound to cause someone (maybe you?) heartache.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    Just a thought on that long horizontal steam pipe going towards the sight glass......could you get water hammer in that on start up if there is a little water in that 1/2" pipe? And how strong is a sight glass?
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,793
    Those sight glass valves crud up enough without adding all that piping to make it worse. I don't see that they added a blow down on it, or any provision for cleaning all that piping. That will be a maintenance nightmare.

    I can't think of a single benefit to that set up.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,147
    If it must be piped the way it is.?? Change the pipes to brass to eliminate corrosion build up issues. Pipe it so it can be serviced, and support the thing by hanging it securely from the floor or other secure structure.

    It should be fine if you do that.
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287
    This is wrong.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • Ron Jr._3
    Ron Jr._3 Member Posts: 605
    I agree with everyone saying it's too far out of the boiler. Too much weight to be supported on the end if its a 47\2 low water cutoff feeder combo.

    Another issue is it looks like there's a manual reset probe low water cutoff in the boiler ? Is one of those switches a reset ? I believe that port is supposed to be used for a main LWCO ?
  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    I wonder if there is a skim port on the other side