Steam Radiator cracked. Can it still be saved.

Ielgazali

Hello everyone. I would really appreciate you insight on this issue i am having. while replacing the old brass pipes on my steam boiler, the nipple broke while trying to remove it from the radiaotr causing the radiator section to crack from the riser hook up as you can see in the photos. Can these cracks be somehow welded nd the boiler saved. its 14 years hold with no issues. i had a heavily corroded steel pipe that i was replacing and decided to convert to all steal instead of the brass. I have been maintening the boiler regularly since i bought the house 3 years ago. I can not offered a new boiler right now. Can you please help. I really appreciate it.

utica steam boiler .jpg

EBEBRATT-Ed

Not unless you can find a replacement section for that boiler. Post the model #.

But don't get your hopes up. It will be very difficult (nearly impossible) to convince an installer to install a new section on a 14-year-old boiler even though it might be done.

And with the amount of corrosion you have its probably time for a new boiler.

Ielgazali

Thank you for your quick reply.

EBEBRATT-Ed

As I said replacing a section is possible. When you separate the sections, they are connected by push nipples. The push nipples may stay in one section or the other so you may want push nipples on hand and there is usually ceramic rope to seal between the sections you will have to read the manual.

Difficult to find someone willing to do this as they would rather sell a new boiler.

The other alternative which may be the best choice depending on the condition of the burners, controls wiring etc is to buy the three sections already assembled and replace the entire block.

Either way, post your location and check "find a contractor " on this site.

mattmia2

You also need to address why it became that corroded in 14 years.

patrykrebisz

With cast iron car engines, cracks can be "welded" with pinning.

Essentially, pinning involves drilling holes in a crack, installing overlapping pins to fill the crack, then peening over the pins to seal and blend the surface.

(look it up on youtube)

mattmia2

before you get too carried away trying to fix a boiler in poor condition, have you figured out the edr of the connected radiation and compared it to the boiler size? is the boiler you're trying to fix even the rgoht boiler?

Ielgazali

I am not sure if the previous owners did maintenance on it or not. but i have been keeping up with the maintenance on it since i bought the house 3-4 years ago with no issues, flushes , upgrading the drain valve to full ports valves to get any gunk out and using sloutions such as way. I am no expert but i think its typical for asteam boiler to be in that shape after 14 years in service. mind you, the reason i t cracked is because i wanted to change the around the boiler pipes from brass to steel. the plumer that istall those pipes didnt use a dieltertic fitting between the steel nipples on the boier and the brass connections so one drain line corrodded real bad so i changed it and thought might as weel change all the pipes.

109A_5

Even without the cracks that tapping looks in pretty bad shape, and / or some of the old pipe is still in there.

Never seen dielectric fittings on a boiler.