Peerless Gas fired steam boiler

PeterKennedy9180

I have a Peerless gas fired steam boiler manufactured in 2005 (18 years old). The round steel metal plate where the pressure gauge is mounted is rusting and expanding. The result is the bolt heads are falling off. There is very little water dripping. What is this part called and can it be replaced. As the boiler is running very well I hope it can be saved.
Thank you in advance for your expertise. Pete

pecmsg

That should have been addressed a long time ago, alone with the wiring. 

Can it be repaired yes. 

Is it worth it ?

EBEBRATT-Ed

As @pecmsg said this should have been fixed at the first sign of a leak before it did that much damage.

The question is are you going to fix it or hire someone?

It can be fixed but most in the business will tell you you need a new boiler. This is a labor job and labor is expensive.

The bolts will probably break and snap off and drilling and tapping new threads is not fun at all and is labor intensive. most will not want to tackle it.

jesmed1

This is your chance to try saving your boiler by drilling into the headless bolt shanks and using "Easy Out" bolt/screw extractors to try to get the bolt shanks out of their holes without damaging the threads. If you can do that, you may have saved your boiler. If not, it's time for a new one.

If you do try the bolt extractors, be prepared in advance to buy a new boiler in case you screw it up and ruin the threads, or can't get the old bolt shanks out. If you do succeed in getting the shanks out but damage the hole threads in the process, you still may be able to clean the threads up with a tap of the proper size and pitch.

Watch some YouTube videos first on drilling the bolt shanks and then using the bolt extractors. It takes some technique and there's a chance of breaking the drill bit and/or the extractor off in the shank. Then you made the problem worse. The key with drilling the shanks is to use a new, sharp, metal-cutting drill bit, go very slow at low RPM's and make the cut metal come out in continuous spirals, and use cutting fluid or WD-40 to keep the bit cool. If you drill too fast you'll smoke the bit and make it dull without cutting. I also like to start with a small bit, like 1/8", and drill a pilot hole in the shank. The smaller bit will cut faster. Then step up to the correct bit size for the extractor you're using. The pilot hole you just drilled will keep the larger bit from wandering, and will also make it cut faster.

To remove the bolts with the heads still on them, whack the bolt heads several times with a 2-pound sledge. Then use an impact wrench on them. Shocking the bolt heads first with a sledge helps break the corrosion bond on the threads and makes it less likely you'll twist the bolt heads off.

I say go for it. You're going to need a new boiler anyway unless you or someone else with plenty of time and patience can get those headless bolt shanks extracted.

WMno57

PeterKennedy9180 said:

What is this part called

Tankless coil blockoff plate

EBEBRATT-Ed

I have also have had success if the metal around the holes has enough meat on them you can sometimes go up 1 size in the bolt diameter. Like 3/8" diameter sept up to a 7/16 bolts. With the correct size tap and drill of course

Mad Dog_2

Ya gotta give it a shot.  They often look alot worse than they are..nothing a wirewheel & a grinder can't clean up  mad Dog 

ethicalpaul

Do it in the spring

PeterKennedy9180

Thank you all for your comments - very helpful -now that I know it can be done, I have some options. Seems like it's worth a try to repair it. I would like to wait until spring to do it like 'ethicalpaul' advises but will it hold through the winter? I still do not know the function of this tankless coil blockoff plate, and if it requires a gasket or some other component once it's removed.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yes there is a gasket behind the cover plate. You can probably buy one but could make one if in a pinch

ethicalpaul

The function is to take the place of the tankless coil plate for when there's no tankless coil. It's just a plate that is covering a hole. It will probably hold another season...how many seasons has it been dripping?

jesmed1

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

Yes there is a gasket behind the cover plate. You can probably buy one but could make one if in a pinch

You'll probably find that the flange the gasket sits on is pitted and rusted from the leak. The pitting might prevent a new gasket from sealing. You may have to use an auto-type liquid "form-a-gasket" to get a good seal after you clean the surface well first.

Mad Dog_2

I love that work.  Old timers repaired everything until it disintegrated. Depression Babies....Mad Dog 🐕 

PeterKennedy9180

Thanks again for your comments. This forum is great and with all your advice this project seems very doable. I just bought the tankless coil plate from supplyhouse.com. Came with the gasket and bolts. I will install it in the spring as it is not dripping but just damp looking. I think it will hold another while. As advised I will look to see if there is any pitting and rust. If so I will grind it off and worst case scenario install a form-a-gasket.

jesmed1

Meanwhile here's a guy doing almost the same thing. You might want to follow his progress.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/193010/replacing-badly-rusted-tankless-coil-on-weil-mclain-eg-45-nsfw#latest