Skimming Methods (what do you prefer)

fxrgrunt

I understand there are always many ways to skin a cat. I have skimmed using the attachment (pictured) and methods based off much reading and recommendations in this forum. Attach the skim port, fire the boiler until right before boiler is making steam, manual fill water until water flows out of the port at roughly the size of a pencil, continue to skim at that pace for 3-4 hours or until water is clean.

What I have noticed though, is when I am done skimming, fire the boiler and it gets going, then I start to see dirty water come up into the sight glass as if the boiling water is loosening it inside the boiler or maybe coming from the wet return.

Would it make more sense to have the boiler running for an hour or so, then shut it down, blow down some of the now loosened dirty water that I can, and begin the skimming process when the pressure is gone in the boiler? Or will all the oils and dirt be mixed in if I do it that way?

Your input is appreciated.

ChrisJ

I drain the boiler, wash it out with the wand with hot water real good, then refill with cold water until it runs out of the skim port at a decent speed until it almost fills a 5 gallon bucket. I then drain some back down to the normal level and chuck 2 steamaster tablets in.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I would wash it out first if possible then put in TSP @ 1 pound/50 gallons of boiler water skim it for a few hours, drain, refill , drain and refill

fxrgrunt

@chrisJ where is everyone finding these elusive steamaster tablets? Old stock?

ChrisJ

fxrgrunt said:

@chrisJ where is everyone finding these elusive steamaster tablets? Old stock?

Sadly, I have no idea.

A few years back I bought a bottle I think from Supplyhouse but then they stopped carrying them. Then, someone on here had a small stock on Amazon so I bought a second bottle to make sure I'd never run out.

Then I have no idea what happened.

Another option I'd consider is Rhomar. They make a good product, I've just never used it and it didn't seem as convenient.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@fxrgrunt

Someone just posted on here within the past week or so about the Steamaster being available from Rectorseal but under a different name

fxrgrunt

@EBEBRATT-Ed I believe they said it was a product called Scale Flush

Big Ed_4

Skimming a steam boiler is removing the oil which floats on the top of the boiler . Larger diameter pipe works best ,

JohnNY

Your picture shows a 2" connection followed by two bushings terminating to a ½" or ¾" valve and a garden hose. This can't work. If there's anything good about those side-outlet steam boilers it's their ability to be skimmed with a full 2" opening.

clammy

My usually method is let it steam ,flush till slightly cool ,drain ,wand then fill and steam and skim . On side outlet boiler I usually wand from the top down and just let it run out the return tee until clean and fill and steam and skim . I find on most boiler wanding from the bottom really cuts the skimming time and a fill and drain also cuts the skimming time down . This being said it all dandy as long as the boiler was installed correctly and set up to do so if not it’s and slow expensive and painful for the HO experience . If there’s just elbows on the return inlet then good luck . This is why a proper installation w a few extra tees and plugs makes a world of difference in the future . I would say that just about all the boiler is see where never cleaned or skimmed because they never where set up to do so . Most also where not piped correctly so it’s all hand and foot or hand to mouth thinking unfortunately and most do not see the value in either repiping or set up to do a bottom water side cleaning such stupidly and cheapened thinking is the Bain of modern thinking sadly or they say maybe the next boiler or next owner will do something ,great thinking but they usually get the same idiot to replace it ,in which case the answer is yeah steam systems are that way they bang and make noise you should switch to hot air lol enough of my rant peace and good luck clammy

fxrgrunt

JohnNY said:

Your picture shows a 2" connection followed by two bushings terminating to a ½" or ¾" valve and a garden hose. This can't work. If there's anything good about those side-outlet steam boilers it's their ability to be skimmed with a full 2" opening.

@JohnNY at some point I remember another forum member mentioning that if I didn't bush down the water wouldn't get high enough in the boiler to clear all the sections. Are you saying that I should just be running a 2 inch nipple right out and skimming off that?

fxrgrunt

@clammy I get ya. That's why I am spending the time and taking the recommendation I get to make the necessary changes to my system for it to operate correctly. The boiler is only 7 years old and if I can get everything tip top it should last the remaining 10 or so years I am in this house and probably more. I have been speaking with Charles Garrity about repiping my near boiler piping to the correct piping and using both boiler tappings. 

NYtimebomb

fxrgrunt said:

@JohnNY at some point I remember another forum member mentioning that if I didn't bush down the water wouldn't get high enough in the boiler to clear all the sections. Are you saying that I should just be running a 2 inch nipple right out and skimming off that?

You were probably reading my thread about replacing piping to install a tee to be able to skin. I think we have the same (or similar) boiler a Dunkirk PVSB-7D. One of the older members suggested I pipe the skim down to 1 1/2" so all of the boiler sections will get clean. I did that and it makes sense. When looking into the boiler from a 2 1/2" outlet the boiler sections are about 1" higher than the outlet. If you skim at anything larger the water doesn't get over the other section dividers and you end up skimming only the closest section.

I just got my boiler with my new old house, and re-piped the one outlet and have started cleaning it. Since it's now heating season I have modified the full cleanout recommended by the manufacturer. Here's how I've been doing it so I can keep the house warm as well as clean when I can.

Make sure the boiler has been off for at least an hour since it's last cycle. The near boiler piping should be warm, not hot enough to make you pull your hand away.
Remove the plug from the 1 1/2" skim port, place a bucket to catch run off.
Feed water into the system until it starts to come out of the skim port at a steady pace. "Pencil thick" is a good description.
Fire the boiler for 1-2 minutes, every 10 minutes for ~1 hour, so it keeps the water heated and mixes up settled debris. If you fire too long and your boiler is very dirty, the water will start to surge and you will end up with a mess. If the skim run off starts to surge (slow down, then speed up) you are getting too hot.
Empty the bucket as needed.
After the hour turn off the water feed and let the skim run off until it just about stops. At this point there is too much water in the boiler. Leave the skim port open.
Empty the bucket.
Place the bucket at the blowdown valve. Open the blowdown enough to get water flowing (approx. twice what it was out of the skim port) and fill the bucket about halfway. Shut the blowdown, empty the bucket, and repeat until the water level is where it should be.
Replace the skim port plug, adding new PTFE tape / dope as needed. Double check your valves and ports are shut.
Fire the boiler for ~20 minutes.
Return to normal use.

JohnNY

Yes. Don’t reduce the skim tapping.