steam boiler ph

terry_6

I don't think there's any "dirt" left in the system as water line is very stable (at lower ph). I can set up a skim on this boiler but it's a lot of work as I'll have to use the sight glass line as the skim port and there isn't any easy place to blow off the steam. If you think that's the only way to stabilize the system I'll do it but if there's an easier way that might work (pool chemicals?) I'd like to try that first. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

terry_6

boiler ph

I recently cleaned a boiler with caustic soda and tsp. It works much better than before but even though I've drained the boiler 5-6 times in the past week the ph still goes way high. Initial fill is at 7.5 but within a day it's up to 13-14. I thought this was residual cleaner in the system but I would have thought by now it would have been flushed out. Any ideas on how to stabilize the ph???

John@Reliable

Draining the boiler isn't

really going to help, you need to skim the boiler, to get rid of surface stuff. This "stuff" will stick to sides of boiler when you drain it,and on refill it's right back on surface.Hope this helps John@Reliable

Unknown

Can you flush out the returns ?

We install a valve and a drain on the return piping and flush the whole sytem out under steam pressure , while its isolated from the boiler . How is the PH of the water coming into the house ?

You dont have to skim the boiler under steam pressure though . We run the boiler up on steam , turn it off and let it go to 0 PSI , then skim the boiler - at a minimum , any 3/4 tapping up at least the level of the sight glass should do the trick .

terry_6

I've already put a valve and drain on each of the returns and flushed. Ph into boiler is 7.5
I could skim using the top or bottom of the sight glass. Top would have to be under pressure unless I flooded the system; bottom would just drain. What do you think?

Unknown

How did you flush the returns ?

We like to use the steam pressure to our advantage - steam cleaning the returns usually takes a good 3 or 4 hours after a new install . If the sight glass is the only way to skim the boiler I would use the higher port - pull out the valve and fill till water comes out . Let it drain then fill again , repeat a few times . Im not sure how well a 1/2 inch hole is gonna skim a steam boiler though . Good luck .