What size elbow is this on the male side?

rccrfan

So I go to change my relief valve today and when I start to unscrew it, I notice the threads are hitting the boiler supply pipe that its near. Ok fine, so I figure I will unscrew the whole thing via the elbow that the relief valve is screwed into. No dice either because now the relief valve hits the back of the boiler.

Looks like the installer didn't have the foresight to imagine the relief valve would someday need to be replaced. So Now I have to cut the elbow off and install a longer one that will bring the relief valve out a little more so I can thread the relief valve into it without the relief valve hitting the boiler supply pipe.

My question is: What are the thread size of the male side of this elbow that thread into the boiler supply? The relief valve is 3/4 so does that make the elbow 3/4 on the male side? It looks smaller to me than the female side for some reason.

Also, there’s black pipe and street pipe fittings at Lowe’s- can I use the black pipe ones? Thank you.

STEVEusaPA

It's just a 3/4" street elbow. What's with the shiny pipe?

rccrfan

I’m not sure why they used that pipe it does look out of place. From what I figure I can buy a 2.5 inch pre threaded male to male piece and a new female to female elbow and that should do it. What a hack

ChrisJ

If you unscrew the discharge connection from the relief valve, it doesn't have room to spin out? If the relief is hitting the pipe behind it, can you turn the street ell a little, and then get it to clear?

With all due respect, if you didn't know what a street ell is, why do you feel you can call someone else a hack?

rccrfan

Because if you do this for a living then you should know. As a homeowner if I have to go behind someone and fix their **** then yea they’re a hack.

rccrfan

Also, let’s not forget that this is the same company that forgot the flange gasket on the burner to boiler connection as well as the relief valve on the indirect. This little oversight today with too short an elbow takes the cake. Total hacks

HVACNUT

> @rccrfan said:
> Because if you do this for a living then you should know. As a homeowner if I have to go behind someone and fix their **** then yea they’re a hack.
>
>

No hacking there. The shiny pipe is an OEM Buderus manifold for the relief valve and tridicator gauge.
Can't see what's on the discharge, but I've never had a problem replacing a relief valve on a Buderus manifold. Must be you.
And watch the language. This is a respectable forum. Kind of.
BTW, the street el comes with the boiler. As close as possible to the boiler.

KC_Jones

rccrfan said:

Because if you do this for a living then you should know. As a homeowner if I have to go behind someone and fix their **** then yea they’re a hack.

I don't see a problem with the install, I see someone with a lack of knowledge on how to take things apart. If you are going to use that language and call someone a hack due to your lack of knowledge, fully expect to be called out on it.

As said, you turn the elbow to the side slightly so it clears the pipe behind it, then spin out the relief valve. If it went together it will come apart, this is a fact.

pecmsg

rccrfan said:

Because if you do this for a living then you should know. As a homeowner if I have to go behind someone and fix their ******* then yea they’re a hack.

Should have picked the contractor more carefully!

Nice language BTW

rccrfan

Its unable to come apart either way I try, even if I turn the elbow and then try to turn the valve. When they installed it I was downstairs doing laundry and specifically remember him installing the valve and elbow along with the boiler pressure gauge and then threading the supply into the boiler.

You're right, I shouldn't have used home advisor and their "reputable" reviews about this contractor. I would have been better off watching You Tube tutorials and doing the install myself Oy Vey

Erin Holohan Haskell

Our number one forum rule is to be respectful of one another and that includes not using foul language. We've edited the language. Please be respectful from here on out. Thank you.

icy78

Rotate the 45 so the valve points downward. Cut the valve off with a Sawzall. Remove the 45 and repipe it so you can do it however you like. Maybe I should have said HACK the pipe off with a Sawzall.

GroundUp

It looks like there is something threaded into the discharge port of the relief valve. It needs to be removed before you can remove the relief valve lol. Rotate the shiny pipe if you have to in order to clear the boiler. If that's out of your wheelhouse, then roll the street 90 maybe 20 degrees one way or the other to clear the shiny pipe with the discharge and screw the relief valve out of it, then remove the street 90 completely. Reinstall in the opposite direction. This is a 2 minute job that you're making laughably more difficult than necessary. This "hack" you hired sure is making you look like a fool right about now.

rccrfan

I ended up banging the boiler case with a 5lb sledge so the valve will turn. Most of the case is space anyway. I did hear a crack and some water came out but I'm not worried. Also, while I was there I cut that shiny pipe completely out of the picture and installed me some nice PVC tubing. All set now.

Grallert

With the PVC drop removed, cut or broken that relief valve will spin out of that st90 with out any gymnastics.

HVACNUT

> @rccrfan said:
> I ended up banging the boiler case with a 5lb sledge so the valve will turn. Most of the case is space anyway. I did hear a crack and some water came out but I'm not worried. Also, while I was there I cut that shiny pipe completely out of the picture and installed me some nice PVC tubing. All set now.

You removed the Buderus manifold and re piped it in PVC? Is that right?
What's the boiler case? Hope you don't mean the casting.
What exactly did you smack?
I would've gone with a 10 lb sledge. I mean, if you're gonna smack it, you gotta mean it.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

rccrfan said:

I ended up banging the boiler case with a 5lb sledge so the valve will turn. Most of the case is space anyway. I did hear a crack and some water came out but I'm not worried. Also, while I was there I cut that shiny pipe completely out of the picture and installed me some nice PVC tubing. All set now.

I love this place!

ChrisJ

> @HVACNUT said:
> > @rccrfan said:
> > I ended up banging the boiler case with a 5lb sledge so the valve will turn. Most of the case is space anyway. I did hear a crack and some water came out but I'm not worried. Also, while I was there I cut that shiny pipe completely out of the picture and installed me some nice PVC tubing. All set now.
>
> You removed the Buderus manifold and re piped it in PVC? Is that right?
> What's the boiler case? Hope you don't mean the casting.
> What exactly did you smack?
> I would've gone with a 10 lb sledge. I mean, if you're gonna smack it, you gotta mean it.
>

I believe he's trolling now.
It's a good way to get others to want to help you down the road.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I really don't see what the problem is.
Cut the discharge off if you can't unscrew it,
In fact cut the valve off if you can't unscrew it

Take the stree elbow off and put new stuff back on.

What's the big deal?

HVACNUT

> @ChrisJ said:
> > @HVACNUT said:
> > > @rccrfan said:
> > > I ended up banging the boiler case with a 5lb sledge so the valve will turn. Most of the case is space anyway. I did hear a crack and some water came out but I'm not worried. Also, while I was there I cut that shiny pipe completely out of the picture and installed me some nice PVC tubing. All set now.
> >
> > You removed the Buderus manifold and re piped it in PVC? Is that right?
> > What's the boiler case? Hope you don't mean the casting.
> > What exactly did you smack?
> > I would've gone with a 10 lb sledge. I mean, if you're gonna smack it, you gotta mean it.
> >
>
> I believe he's trolling now.
> It's a good way to get others to want to help you down the road.
>
>

Yeah I should have picked up on that. If it's true it's like the pot calling the kettle black.

JUGHNE

Hopefully he will post a picture of his improvement over the Hack Job he had to correct.
We all like new ideas and methods to consider.