Is this this what a brand-new Burnham steam boiler looks like?

Coopy

I had a brand-new Burnham MST 396 boiler installed just over a year ago 3/12/21, I researched the serial number and found it was manufactured 8/26/20, around 6-1/2 months old prior to install, right now the boiler is losing water and is being investigated by the installer, when the jacketing was removed I thought for sure we had found the leak! But the installer said that the rusted section is normal!
Is this the condition U.S. Boiler Company sends out its boilers…pre-rusted? The overall quality of the assembly is crude where caulking is either missing or haphazardly daubed on, this was only one side of the boiler, I have yet to see the other!
I have experience with restoring cast iron wood stoves so I know what it takes for cast iron to get this rusty, it definitely is not flash rust but looks to be left out in the elements for some time.
is there anybody out there experienced with this that can tell me if this is normal? Or more to the point, acceptable?
Thanks in advance.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Completely normal to have surface rust but usually all the sections look the same.

I am not sure the sealing between the sections is correct though

JohnNY

The rusted section is normal and typical.

Ironman

I think you’re being mis-directed. Surface rust is quite normal and NOT the cause of your leak.

The sections are joined with push nipples and it’s unlikely they’re leaking on a new boiler.

The main cause of leaks on a cast iron boiler are oxygenated water, improper water chemistry, thermal shock, leaks on the system causing fresh water to be constantly added.

Of course, a defective section or improper assembly is possible.

Are you sure there’s a leak on the boiler or could it be on the system? Like on a wet return?

Coopy

Thanks Ironman, the leak is currently being investigated by the install company, my current concern is the rusty section and the sloppy way the boiler was assembled, not the quality I would expect in an appliance retailing for around $3500, it does not look to me that any skill was involved in putting together, what I do know about rust on cast iron is that it continues to rust, especially in a sometimes-damp environment such as my basement, when I see work like this it just leaves me with no confidence that the thing will last.
U.S. Boiler Company/ Burnham, should be embarrassed to put out a shoddy product such as this.

Steamhead

@Coopy , I'll second @JohnNY 's post. Some surface rust is normal. The cast-iron in a MegaSteam is quite thick, as you'd know if you ever tried to move one. That degree of surface rust will not cause a leak, especially at this point in the boiler's life.

I'm pretty sure, as others have said, that you have a leak in your system somewhere, and that's what killed your old boiler. Look for leaking air vents, loose valve packing nuts, buried return lines etc.

If it does happen that the boiler is leaking, the MegaSteam line has the best warranty in the business.

Coopy

Thank you all for your input, for everyone else out there, like me you may have searched online for images of what is under the hood of a U.S.Boiler Company/ Burnham MegaSteam boiler, like me you probably could not find any, I will be taking more pictures as time goes on and posting them with close-ups of the sloppy, unskilled way it was assembled , I think it's only fair that everyone should be aware just what they can expect when purchasing a boiler from this company.

“Anybody can do bad work, but not everybody does good work”
Paul Simon.

jhewings

Four professionals have stated the surface rust is normal. It appears the boiler is not leaking. You continue to trash the boiler manufacturer for "sloppy" work. I suggest you take Steamhead's advice and find the real problem.

DanHolohan

I agree. Please take Steamhead’s advice. 

Kickstand55

Hi Coopy,
I see some blackened insulation at the bottom rear as well as what appears to be that area on the boiler.
Poke around to see if combustion gasses may have been leaking.
A slew of pics to include all piping from 360 deg. around may help us to narrow down potential install/piping issues.
I suggest having your cold water tested to see what's in it. If you have municipal water, that provider should be able to get you the results. Consider water filtration for the boiler feed to include a water softener cartridge that can help reduce mineral build up. Feeding the boiler using hot water can reduce oxygen corrosion. If there's chlorine in the city water, a carbon block filter can help. Look for brass fittings and valves bleeding a soft white fluff. That's most likely chlorides off gassing through casting pores.
Hope this helps.

Coopy

Hi Kickstand55,
I will certainly check out the possible combustion gas leak, I did notice the blackened insulation and wondered what might be causing it, as far as the piping is concerned, with the help of Don Holohans book/articles, thank you Don! (and many others) I have determined there are no leaks in my piping, that includes pipes, radiators, vents, valves and nothing is buried or hidden, the near boiler piping is installed to Burnham specs and insulated throughout.
only boiled make -up water is used and have added Rectorseal to bring the PH up to the manuals recommended 9-12, also installed is a de-scaler filter but more for the hot water coil than anything else. I have been wondering how to control the Chlorides in the water and will check out the carbon block filter, I read somewhere that because Megasteams combustion chamber is below water level that there is little or no damage/corrosion due to chlorides, that is why they offer the corrosion warranty, still, it’s better safe than sorry.
Thank you for your suggestions.

STEAM DOCTOR

@Coopy .How much water are you loosing?  Quite possible that the boiler left Burnham with zero rust. Maybe distributor or wholesaler was storing boiler in an humid environment. 

Coopy

Hi Steam doctor
Its losing about four times a month the amount deemed as excessive in the manual, as I mentioned earlier the installer will be doing tests on the boiler so will update the findings when that happens.
No, I looks like it was assembled that way as I am sure the other sections would be in a similar condition.

mattmia2

I mean it is easy enough to flood the boiler and wait a couple days and see if any water appears on the outside. If you're losing 4 or 5 gallons a month through the boiler you will see drops.

EdTheHeaterMan

I have looked at thousands of boilers that are in crates, with a plastic bag covering between the crate and the boiler. I see nothing wrong with the picture of the surface rust. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised the other two sections are not rusted also. Perhaps @Coopy's extensive experience with metallurgy should be a lesson to all of us with years of experience on boiler metal only. You know the customer is always right. If I was the CEO of Burnham Boiler, I would be out there with a can of silver paint as soon as I saw that picture posted on the internet. We can't have unreasonable... check that unsatisfied customers posting pictures like that.

This message has been brought to you the

Coopy

yes, that's the plan when time permits.

Coopy

Hi Ed The Heater Man,
You ever considered selling used cars? I think you would do really well at it.
Please MR CEO if you read this I would prefer Stove Black not Silver, if it’s not too much trouble, all that brown! so yesterday!

Jamie Hall

OK. I'll put my oar in. First off, @Coopy should listen to @Steamhead and the guys above, but it appears he doesn't want to. That's OK, it's a free country. He also seems to want to blame the manufacturer. That's OK, too; that's what lawyers are for, and how they earn their keep.

For the rest of us.

On the surface rust -- as someone said, it's a good deal odder that there isn't much rust on two of the sections shown than that there is on the one section. That rust has nothing to do with the water loss. There really are only three general areas where water loss can occur in a steam system (I know, guys, this is steam 101, but sometimes...): above the water line in a boiler, below the water line in the boiler, and in the external piping. Fortunately, it is very simple to determine which of the three is involved and thus narrow down the search.

Step 1 -- best done when the system is not being used (in fact, all of them are). Lower the water level below the Hartford Loop and observe the water level. No change? No leak below the water line. Change? Leak below the water line. Step 2. Now raise the water level just above the Hartford Loop and observe. No change? No leak below the water line and no leak in the wet returns. Change? Most likely leak in the wet returns (there is a remote chance that the leak is in the boiler in the half inch you raised the water between step 1 and step 2. Very unlikely, but anything is possible). Step 3. Raise the boiler water level at least into the risers, but preferably no further. Observe both the water level (a simple manometer connected to the boiler drain will do) and around the boiler. This one MUST be done with the system cold. If you observe water around the boiler or in the firebox, a leak is present above the water line in the boiler. If the water level drops but you don't observe water around the boiler or in the firebox, there may still be a leak above the water line, but there may also be a leak in the piping between the Hartford Loop elevation and the water elevation created in this step.

If you haven't found it yet, it's in the steam piping -- most likely leaking valves or vents.

One of those steps should have located the area of the leak at least. Now you need to find it within that area.

DanHolohan

Jamie, not a single word wasted. Thank you. 👏

STEAM DOCTOR

Coopy said:

Hi Ed The Heater Man, You ever considered selling used cars? I think you would do really well at it. Please MR CEO if you read this I would prefer Stove Black not Silver, if it’s not too much trouble, all that brown! so yesterday!

Out of line. People here have zero agenda. They are giving of their time and experience. You don't have to agree. This site is for useful and constructive dialogue. There are many seasoned experts who disagree with your assumptions. They certainly could have taken all sorts of potshots at you. They didn't. Learn from them. It's a productive and constructive way to live. And it's the way that this site thrives. If you want to be a member of this community, welcome. 

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thank you, @STEAM DOCTOR. Please be respectful of one another.