Steam pipe leak under pressure in the big storm ha ha

newgirl · January 26

hello all you wonderful people out there. I am new to learning about my old old old steam system. The boiler is very old and needs to be replaced but the problem is that after a a petro service tech was out here right before the big storm sat night. He got the heat gping, then 45 mins after he left I heard a BAD sound( tons of steam hissing out of the tiny hole in the pipe). I turned off the switch to the oil and the bad noise stopped cuz the steam stopped. My question is what are my options both short and long term. I’m now scared there are other areas that will open under pressure.

Could this have been caused by boiler pressure set too high?

the leak was out of the pipe you can see to the right.

here is a better pic

CFH · January 26

The pipe is old and needs to be replaced. It is steel pipe and can handle a few pounds of pressure.

STEAM DOCTOR · January 26

There are many temporary fixes that can be tried, that should get you through the heating season. Epoxy, rubber, duct tape....

Grallert · January 26

It doesn't look like the pressure is set too high but it's unknown if the pressure regulator? ( I haven't seen that type before) is working. The leak is on the condensate return line and can be temporarily patched with some JBweld a piece of rubber sheet and a couple of hose clamps. Can you show us more pictures of the boiler from a few steps back encompassing the boiler and is piping?

EBEBRATT-Ed · January 26

as @Grallert mentioned some rubber gasket material and some gear clamps (automotive radiator hose clamps) will stop the leak for now.

Any auto parts store or a decent hardware store can help you out. Big Box not so much. That's a White Rogers pressure control looks to be set at 1.5 psi.

pedmec · January 26

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Wal-rich-2206022-2-Hinged-Steel-Pipe-Clamp?srsltid=AfmBOoozy648zAqAmLc5eqSyW-4785AZVUr0NaWYO_aa5M0fDOQw5p5D

this is what I use for temporary fix

mattmia2 · January 26

those black iron wet returns are always filled with water and after 3/4 of a century or so rust out and need replacement. you can see someone already replaced some of them with copper.

pecmsg · January 26

Id like to see a picture of the boiler piping from a little further away

tim smith · January 26

Piece of high temp silicon rubber gasket mat (red silicone rubber) and tractor tractor clamp placed right over the hole and cinch down fairly snug as others have said. Auto parts store. Should get you by until you can get fixed. Be careful, have it off when putting gasket & clamp on.

Jamie Hall · January 26

One other thought… on an old iron wet return like that, where there is one leak, others aren't far behind. Plan to replace the whole length when you can. Copper is fine.

109A_5 · 12:55AM

Two things that concern me.

" I heard a BAD sound( tons of steam hissing out of the tiny hole in the pipe). "

Why is there steam coming out of what looks like a wet return ? Is the water level correct in the boiler ?

Is the LWCO (Low Water Cut Off) functional ? Why does one of the screws look loose.

Jamie Hall · 2:00AM

All good concerns. Steam should not be coming out of a wet return.

What pressure does the boiler cut out at?

is the water level in the boiler sight tube?

You can test that LWCO. With the boiler running, open the valve on the pipe coming out of the bottom of it (have a bucket under it!). The boiler should shut off. Close the valve, and the boiler should come back on.

Is there a wire under that loose screw? If not, not to worry. If there is, though… wonder where it goes? And if there is, you can turn off the power to the boiler and tighten it.

archibald tuttle · 2:05AM

@109A_5 you beat me too it. why steam out of wet return?

maybe it was spritz of hot water that steamed a bit upon release?

as an aside, generally speaking a 30 pound pressure gauge is about useless in figuring out what's happening. it looks like the control is set for a pound and a half. i'd get a good size 3 or 4" 5 lb gauge that can handle 15 on the over. i just set up my first digihelic as @ethicalpaul uses i believe. the williamson GSA125 boiler i'm getting ready to two stage runs at 2.5 inches of WC (so less than 1/10th of a PSI!) with the gas turned down to about 3.5" WC(almost perfect parity ;- ). the newer digihelics have a 6lb limit which isn't normally a problem (not range, the range is 50" WC or about 2 lbs, limit) although the older ones can handle 30 which is well over the blowoff.

but off hand it doesn't seem to exhibit other symptoms of too high pressure if it is steaming radiators, not surging lots of water that knocks in the pipes, at least you don't mention anything wrong except the leak which, as the guys properly point out is common even at low pressure in old wet returns.

ethicalpaul · 2:13AM

(I use a lower-tech, strictly mechanical low-pressure switch also from Dwyer, the 1800 series)

Steam pipe leak under pressure in the big storm ha ha

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