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Electrolysis in steel pipe?

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greg_47
greg_47 Member Posts: 9
in THE MAIN WALL
can you describe what the inside of the nipple looks like?
What is the PH of the system? is entrained air a issue with the system? ie no microbuble resorber of non barrier tubing. Is the steel nipples in the system less than 5% of the copper?

Comments

  • ArcticManiac
    ArcticManiac Member Posts: 2
    Electrolysis in steel pipe?

    I have a customer who has an issue with his piping system. Apparently every four years the nipples rot out or a perfarated (pin hole leaks). I suggested he may have Electrolysis. My question to you would be how would you diagnose it and what could cause this to happen to his pipes?
  • Rich Kontny_3
    Rich Kontny_3 Member Posts: 561
    Artic Man....

    Water quality and fluid velocity would be my first guesses.Many a nipple has been Swiss Cheesed by the wrong pump application.

    How is the weather??

    Rich K.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 26,584
    color of the fluid?

    generally if you have a lot of O2 ingress you will see a rust colored water. Typical of the old non barrier radiant tube jobs.

    ph would be easy to test but iron pipe should be able to handle a fairly wide range.

    Even similar metals, under the correct conditions can corrode due to electrolsis, look for current running through the pipes.

    Over sized pumps, un-reamed pipes can cause erosion corrosion also.

    Find a water treatment pro and send them a fluid sample first. Do some calcs on the required pump size.

    hr
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • ArcticManiac
    ArcticManiac Member Posts: 2
    Some answers

    Well thanks for the replys. I will check with him on the pump sizing. Also the PH of the water and color. Thanks for the advice and i will be back with the Info.

    The weather in Alaska still sucks right now. Its supposed to be spring but we keep getting snow!
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