Big job started today

Unknown

This was a Weil Mclain 88 , 5 section water boiler . The super had to add water daily to keep the 2 Phase 3 indirects going until we could start the job - the kiss of death for a boiler on life support . I gotta remember to get some drop lights going before the pics .

Unknown

The header

with 5 expansion tanks - most of em were full of water .

Unknown

In sections

We just found a nice , cozy spot to park the old boiler . Thatll come out last , after we get the hot water back on .

Unknown

How far we got

There was just 3 of us today , and I still cant believe we got this far in one day . We had to take each section down 2 opposing rolling stairs , made a turn at the landing , then another turn , 4 steps down to the subbasement where the boiler is . Im getting the feeling noone makes a cellar entrance easy access anymore .

Vernon P. James

What did it die of?

It doesn't look that old what killed it? Cast failure or leaking rubber seals between the cast?

Unknown

It was leaking O rings

between a few sections , which corroded the cast quite a bit . The guy in charge of the mecahnicals started a few months ago , and he said he inherited the boiler this way . It looks like it was leaking for quite a while . Suprisingly - no leaks around the 2 - 12 GPM coils . My partner was able to get them both out easily for mungo . The old Weil was installed in 1988 .

Vernon P. James

rubber seals

Bet that if the sections were put together with ancient cast iron nipple technology instead of rubber seals the boiler would have lasted longer than 14 years even with abuse. I am sure this job will be another example of your good work.

ScottMP

Room To Move

Hey Ron, nice to see you get a job where you can stand up !!

Sounds like the stairs wer'nt very much fun, but the chance to work, not sitting on a bucket must be a welcome change. I know you'll make this one shine.

Looks like lack of maintence was a big factor here also. I know those o-rings can be a killer, but if some one had looked at this boiler "once in a while" ....

Can't wait to see the completed job.

Scott

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Unknown

Day 2

And once again , sorry about the lighting . The 3 of us were able to complete the job , except to change a bronze circ and remove the old beast . Were gonna go back tomorrow to finish up , and Im going to take some more pics - with light this time .

Unknown

Question about the Carlin

We ran power to the burner , and couldnt figure out why it wouldnt run - then we realized it needed separate power and neutral to the relay on the upper right of the burner . Im not an expert on big burners . I was wondering why the relay is needed ?

Unknown

The new super of the buildings

looks like hes on top of things at this complex . I think hes gonna keep this system going good . I think my flash on the camera is starting to fade out - but I will take some more pics tomorrow with some lights shining . Thanks Scott .

Unknown

Even Peerless switched

from push nipples to gaskets with this boiler . It cuts our installation time by 1/2 with the gaskets . I hope they last as long as push nipples would. But these gaskets are shaped like the ones that came in the old HEO boilers. They got more meat to them than the Weil rings . Thank you Vernon.

JIM F.

air scoop??

why not put 18" off the elbow to the taco scoop. taco also makes a high vent 3/4" i think the 400 or 418. cant recall. 1 is 1/8 and the other is 3/4. using the 3/4 would be better than bushing it down. back breaking work i bet getting those down the statrs. at 31 years old i'm just finding out what ropes,pullys,chain faults,pipes and the best invention "the wheel" could save that thing we call a back!!
nice job!!!
jim f.
milford, ct.

Kevin Coppinger

As usual...

Nice work Ron. I hope some warrantee $ is still valid.That boiler was just a teenager. I am surprised to see no Riello. I know that Carlin has really stepped up the quality. How did you work out the hot water. I see two coils and two phase 3's. As far as rings go I suprised to hear that peerless is using them. Is that just on that boiler? Try to use a Halogen light for the pictures they work great. Can't wait to see the finished job in toto!kpc ps. How did the extrol manifold come down...did they not know that they are available in 90 and 120 sizes?

Unknown

I read the

instructions that come with the Taco - it didnt say anything about 18 inches . They have 2 tappings on the top - one is 1/8 inch , the other is 1 1/4 inch . I used a 1/8 air vent , and a 1 1/4 inch long nipple , reducer coupling and a 3/4 inch air vent . Plenty of room to trap some air to eliminate . Im gonna shed some light on it tommorow so its a little clearer.

I know what you mean about saving your back . Im 33 and ready to retire . We got my partner Brian who is 27 and throws himself into these big boilers like I used to when I was 18 . Maybe he might wise up before his body is ruined , my own body being a case in point . Thanks Jim .

Heres a brighter pic of the header - still dark though.

Unknown

You know

I didnt even think to check on the warantee . Its gonna be pretty hard to get now - we had to bust up all the sections to get the boiler out . But we have 2 more identical jobs going in the next 2 Mondays in a row . The next 2 are leaking just like this one . Same boilers .

We lucked out on the hot water . It was already piped for the coil to preheat the indirects , the coil to be used instead of the indirects , or adding its capacity in conjuction with the indirects , or shut down altogether .

I dont know whos idea it was to setup 5 Extrols . We used this standup Extrol , as well as the standup domestic expansion . They work great - the boiler heated to 180 and the pressure only went to 18 psi . The pic is dark again - this place just swallows light . I had a drop light shining right at the tanks , and the flash on the camera didnt help either . Gotta get the halogen lights like you said . Thank you Kevin .

Unknown

Lighter pic of the header

kevin

ron...

Slick set up w/ the stand up. I think I see a ball valve AND a boiler drain on the line from the boiler. Some service guy will thank you someday...ever replace them when their wasn't either in line...the water just kept coming and coming...kpc

JIM F.

drains

i also like the drain on the tanks..good idea...hope you dont mind me using that idea on my projects.nice work
jim f.
hey any more info on the 18" before scoop??

kevin

generally..

speaking 18" is a good rule of thumb before traditional air scoops. I know that American recommends this... the more the better, within reason. 18" is not always practical. kpc

J.C.A.

Ron Jr.

Did you get an answer for the device you asked about ? Looks like a kind of timer relay , can't tell where it goes to ,or comes from in the picture . Chris.

Unknown

These big burners are all new for me

I never got to tinker with them when we did the big work in the city . I was always on piping detail . I read the Carlin Book and they have a name for it , but I forgot . The contact in that relay powers the motor , and is somehow wired in with the soloenoid valves and the high fire linkage . This big stuff is tricky .

Cosmo

Your right on, but if 18\" not available you could also...

I had a job using 2 1/2" supply and return mains, space in the boiler room was extremely limited. So I came up with this idea....instead of using up a space of ten pipe diameters (recommended by the air scoop manuf.) I increased the pipe size to 3 1/2 inches, and used a 3 1/2" air scoop. There was only 12" between the elbow and the air scoop, instead of the recommended 25". I am not an engineer, but my feeling is that by increasing the pipe, the flowrate decreased and the water passed through the air scoop slower, giving it a better chance of catching the air bubbles and reducing the effect of turbulence in the pipe. I think it worked out okay, it helps when you also "pump away"....I dont hear any bubbles in the system after purging and letting it run a little. I would be inerested to see what M. E. thinks of this...
Casmo

kevin

you know..

what they say neccesity being the mother of invention...kpc

Unknown

Dont mind at all

Seemed kinda funny looking without drains on em . Although I did bump into them a few times and they didnt seem to be holding much water .

Not sure about the airscoop . We were on the job all day while the 3 heating circs and the indirect was running , and the 2 vents spit out air periodically . Seemed to be working fine . Were gonna find out Monday if every one of the 36 apartments had good heat - were having a little nightly coldspell for the past few days .

Unknown

Now that sounds like a good idea

The tapping on top of these boilers is 4 inch , and all the headers in these complexes are 3 inch . I think Im gonna use your trick and get a 4 inch airscoop and bush it down after - better safe than bubbly . Thanks Casmo .