Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Elastomer boiler seals

STEAM DOCTOR
STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,662
in THE MAIN WALL
Good morning. Weil McLain says not to use petroleum based cleaning agents, as they may damage the seals. If I recall correctly, someone on this site said not to use TSP with these seals. Is Arm and Hammer super wash allowed (no petroleum in the ingredients)? Anything else to avoid? I have colleagues who have successfully used the Arm & Hammer to clean out dirty boilers and I would like to try that as well. I do not plan on leaving the cleanser in the boiler. Just clean and rinse and remove. Thanks  
Mad Dog_2

Comments

  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 682
    We have installed a few hundred steam boilers with elastomer rings/seals in the last thirty five years or so. With rare exception the boilers were cleaned with TSP when new and often throughout their lifetime. I am not aware of one boiler failure that was related to using TSP. As a matter of fact the few boilers that have failed that we know of were the ones with almost no maintenance and or long standing steam leaks (excessive make-up water).

    What I'm trying to say is that TSP appears to have no negative effects on cast iron boilers with elastomer seals.
    STEAM DOCTORMad Dog_2ethicalpaul
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,662
    Awesome! Great to know. 
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,662
    Just curious. What exactly was your cleaning procedure?
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,662
    And how do you calculate how much TSP to use?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 13,456
    edited May 24
    @STEAM DOCTOR

    I believe it is 1 lb./each 50 gallons of boiler water. I also only used TSP with no issues.
    STEAM DOCTOR
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 4,931
    I've only used MEX..TSP substitute.  As long as there's no Petroleum your fine.  Mad Dog 🐕 
    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
    STEAM DOCTOR
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,662
    edited May 24
    EBEBRATT-Ed said:
    @STEAM DOCTOR I believe it is 1 lb./each 50 gallons of boiler water. I also only used TSP with no issues.
    Any harm in putting in too much? Just hard to calculate precisely. 
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 21,117
    Not if you do it within reason. Just don't get too carried away Plus even 30 or 40 percent won't hurt anything.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 14,443
    It would be nice if we knew what kind of rubber they actually are honestly. If they're silicone they're almost bullet proof. Almost.

    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 170
    The elastomer seals are silicone from HTR Rubber & Foam in the Netherlands.
    ChrisJ
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 14,443
    dko said:

    The elastomer seals are silicone from HTR Rubber & Foam in the Netherlands.


    https://jehbco.com.au/products/chemical-compatibility-chart/

    That will give an idea of what will harm them.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Pumpguy
    Pumpguy Member Posts: 605
    Notice the ratings for Amines, a common boiler water treatment. Nitrile is commonly known as Buna, and Fluorosilicone is commonly known as Viton.
    Dennis Pataki. Former Service Manager and Heating Pump Product Manager for Nash Engineering Company. Phone: 1-888 853 9963
    Website: www.nashjenningspumps.com

    The first step in solving any problem is TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.

Categories