DIY Steam Boiler Install

ethicalpaul

What’s the correct length?

Edit: I found the correct length, but damn those are long!! https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/npt-national-pipe-taper-threads-d_750.html

ethicalpaul

Does anyone know why they piped my gas line so crazy? Is it because the installer was even lazier than me and just threw whatever pieces of pipe he had up there?

JUGHNE

He maybe did not want to cut and thread the larger size.....and just cleaned out his shop scraps with the short.
I am often less than 1/2 mile from installs and will do the threading in my shop on the bench vice.....if mis-measured and too long I might have done that also.....though would have put a tee with a plugged opening on the end of the first pipe to make it look like a plan......"that is for your water heater, dryer, range or grill".

mattmia2

Wait until you feel your hands and arms tomorrow.

the large gas pipe probably went to the right place for the first conversion burner or gas boiler and they just kept adding on every time the boiler was changed.

ethicalpaul

That sounds very likely! Luckily I don’t have any other service calls today so I can clean it up 😄

ethicalpaul

Gas line done!

ChrisJ

Is that gas valve still code compliant in new jersey?

EzzyT

@ChrisJ yes that gas valve is still allowed as per code.
@ethicalpaul how close is the draft hood and the flue pipe to the stairs?

JUGHNE

That gas stop valve must not be that old. The ones like that I have seen have a broken handle or will have soon....they were never exercised. If it operates smoothly it is better than the import ball valves most end up with.

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

That gas stop valve must not be that old. The ones like that I have seen have a broken handle or will have soon....they were never exercised. If it operates smoothly it is better than the import ball valves most end up with.

How do they work?  Is it a plug valve?

I've been using full port. CSA rated ball valves recently.  They aren't cheap tho.

JUGHNE

By plug valve do you mean a tapered plug with a slotted keyway in the plug (seems restrictive, but works).
Usually has a nut on the opposite side of the handle that can be loosened to allow turning....but more often is just forced with a pipe wrench breaking the handle off.
They can be taken apart, cleaned and regreased to work easy.

My guess is that is what it is.

ethicalpaul

I looked through the valve and it appeared full port. 

I’ll measure the draft hood clearance @EzzyT thank you

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

By plug valve do you mean a tapered plug with a slotted keyway in the plug (seems restrictive, but works). Usually has a nut on the opposite side of the handle that can be loosened to allow turning....but more often is just forced with a pipe wrench breaking the handle off. They can be taken apart, cleaned and regreased to work easy. My guess is that is what it is.

That sounds right.  It's what older curb stops were.  Basically same idea as a ball valve except a tapered plug instead of a ball.

ethicalpaul

EzzyT said:

@ChrisJ yes that gas valve is still allowed as per code.
@ethicalpaul how close is the draft hood and the flue pipe to the stairs?

It’s 7”! I thought it was more but the draft hood is big. I’m OK per the Peerless manual by one inch but I’m admittedly ignorant of NJ code.

EBEBRATT-Ed

As long as the threads don't leak......................Usually the more threads engaged between the pipe and the fitting the better. I usually look inside the fitting to see if the pipes is close to the end of the fitting threads.

Unions always seem to make in further than other fittings which can screw with your measurements if in a tight spot

mattmia2

i have seen versions of that valve that have a spring on the nut side that keeps tension on the plug

also leaked if you didn't turn it just the right way to keep the plug from pulling out.

ethicalpaul

Today I did the flue pipe and the electrical. Is it ok to put an emergency switch at the top of the stairs AND at the boiler? Before it was only at the boiler so I wired another one at the top of the stairwell in series.

I’m waiting on my control fittings and a couple more near boiler nipples but I can fire it up and do some skimming and test the controls.

It took awhile to clear the air out of the gas line but then 👍🏻

SlamDunk

Nice!

ethicalpaul

It’s clocking about 88.9k BTU (corrected) with a specification of 88.5 so that seems pretty good. 

From dead cold the Psycho Gard low water test kicked in before it started to steam but just barely so I think in the winter it will do its check mid-steam so I’ll be interested to see what that’s like

Dave0176

ethicalpaul said:

It’s clocking about 88.9k BTU (corrected) with a specification of 88.5 so that seems pretty good. 

From dead cold the Psycho Gard low water test kicked in before it started to steam but just barely so I think in the winter it will do its check mid-steam so I’ll be interested to see what that’s like

Looks good Paul. I normally throw the cycle guards in the garage and replace them with a safe guard 450.

Tinman

Looks great, Paul.

ChrisJ

Dave0176 said:

It’s clocking about 88.9k BTU (corrected) with a specification of 88.5 so that seems pretty good. 

From dead cold the Psycho Gard low water test kicked in before it started to steam but just barely so I think in the winter it will do its check mid-steam so I’ll be interested to see what that’s like

Looks good Paul. I normally throw the cycle guards in the garage and replace them with a safe guard 450.

He's probably going to keep it just because he knows I can't stand them.

ethicalpaul

Dave0176 said:

It’s clocking about 88.9k BTU (corrected) with a specification of 88.5 so that seems pretty good. 

From dead cold the Psycho Gard low water test kicked in before it started to steam but just barely so I think in the winter it will do its check mid-steam so I’ll be interested to see what that’s like

Looks good Paul. I normally throw the cycle guards in the garage and replace them with a safe guard 450.

Mine may end up there too, but I want to try it out 😃

Precaud

Awesome! It appears you've installed two risers but are only using one.

ethicalpaul

I’m awaiting arrival of a part for the second one. Should arrive tomorrow (good eye!)

Precaud

Ah, I thought maybe you would be comparing 1 vs 2, but the header would normalize the result, I suppose.

ethicalpaul

I will be

ethicalpaul

The first skimming session went fine. I threw some tsp in there and let it simmer for a while then skimmed for a couple hours. That peerless must have a lot of iron because it stayed hot for a long time.

today I received my last parts and finished attaching the second riser and the equalizer. And I did the control tree.

Wow, what an experience! At one point I was like 3/8” off in like three different places. But joints that seem tight can take another turn or two. And that boiler can be budged just slightly and then almost like magic that last union is suddenly lining right up!!

It’s really like an art—you get the urge to fight the pipes, to bend them to your will, but they don’t! Well ok a little they do, but only a little! But then you figure out a way to work with them and then they agree. Do you guys feel that feeling? I feel like I got just a taste of that experience from this project.

Dave0176

It looks like a mad scientist’s lab on steam boilers lol

Dave0176

ethicalpaul said:

But joints that seem tight can take another turn or two. And that boiler can be budged just slightly and then almost like magic that last union is suddenly lining right up!!

It’s really like an art—you get the urge to fight the pipes, to bend them to your will, but they don’t! Well ok a little they do, but only a little! But then you figure out a way to work with them and then they agree. Do you guys feel that feeling? I feel like I got just a taste of that experience from this project.” blockquote>




Paul I was told by an old timer quote “threaded pipe lies”
This is why we carry so many extra nipples and why I also have a nipple chuck.

ethicalpaul

Thanks @Dave0176 that’s a great saying! I thought for sure I’d have to cut a 1-1/4 on the equalizer but it stopped lying finally!

EBEBRATT-Ed

Looks goo Paul! That's why they call it "pipe FITTING"

ethicalpaul

It’s no joke @EBEBRATT-Ed as you all know and I have learned!

I always use tape for the steam and water connections. One trick I tried is that when I needed to find two more turns on one particular joint, I removed the tape and went with my Blue Block. That got me the two turns just fine, but I found that joint leaking a little steam and oozing during my testing tonight. 

That stuff claims no cure time...what do you all think?

My mind reels at all the tricks I don’t know!

mattmia2

i think you need a bigger wrench...

ethicalpaul

mattmia2 said:

i think you need a bigger wrench...

Maybe, or arms. But this joint in particular I turned more than any joint before (because I needed the clearance).

I’ve never had a taped joint leak steam, even ones that were way looser than this one. 

Are doped joints known to have to be that much tighter than taped joints?

Danny Scully

Are you certain it’s leaking @ethicalpaul? I’ve been fooled before by some dripping blue block. 

ethicalpaul

No I’m not 100%. I’ll keep an eye on it and will redo the joint if it proves faulty. I’ll look hard for condensation drips on the next test run. Thanks @Danny Scully!

mattmia2

Dope can flow under heat and even a little pressure. Tape will take more to move. It probably is more equal with higher pressures and lower temps.

ChrisJ

Most of my piping was done with Megaloc alone.

Going into the boiler and into my old mains got both tape and dope.

ChrisJ

Is blue block rated for steam?