What to Do With an Afternoon and a Few Hundred Bucks?

Took apart the DHW Coil this am.

A before picture. Looks like it had leaks for the previous owner.
When I looked at the flange surface on the boiler side, I noticed there was a nub of steel (maybe welding spatter?) on the surface near the bottom. I'm guessing that is why the gasket didn't properly seal. In any case, I dressed it with a file and wire brush to remove rust from the sealing surface.

I used a little heat on the non-boiler surface of the flange, about 2" or so all the way around the flange. Didn't melt the gasket and it popped right off. It was really stuck before, even chisels and small hammer didn't budge them. Broke a few very rusty bolts, too. No big deal.

It did roughen the bolt holes of the gasket- maybe? Hard to tell because of the rust and previous leaks.

I had to use a fair amount of heat to remove the thread to sweat fittings and pipe from the coil. You can see part of the coil in the pic. Any benefit to cleaning this while it is out? It's a bit dark.

I'll borrow an idea from (sorry, don't remember who) and circulate something through the lines to clean the inside before connecting to our water supply. Just not sure about the outside....I hear acetone works, not sure about immersion vs wiping though?
Not worried about the rust, it's just surface rust. I'll clean it up and maybe hit it with some high temp paint at some point.

For now, I wanted to remove it, clean it up, and make sure it was all sealed up and prepped for use and future removal as necessary. Better to deal with it now than later while it is running (or leaking if I didn't tend to it).

I wanted to share this tip for holding the coil to remove the fittings. I installed one of the bolts in the flange, put 2 bricks on each side of the coil, sitting on wood to prevent damage. I used the black pipe wrench tightened on the flange as shown, above the bolt to hold the coil.

I used welding gloves and heated the fittings, holding the flange and pushing down on the pipe wrench with my right hand and using my left to push down on the smaller pipe wrench on the (hot) copper pipe fitting to remove it.

I'm on my way to pick up a new gasket. About 2hrs or so round trip with a few stops. Quoted $17 for new gasket, no reason not to get it and a few new bolts.

I plan to add 1/2" brass unions with very short nipples right at the coil so I can remove the back cover if it is every necessary, in addition to removal of coil for cleaning or what-not.

I didn't take pics of the return line plumbing yet. I'll take some and put them up when I get back, if anyone is still reading and interested in more pics?

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:I'll take some and put them up when I get back, if anyone is still reading and interested in more pics?

Suppertime

I came back with a new DHW Coil Gasket and new stainless bolts-washers-nuts.
I figure they're good for another 30 BTU's

I finished the return line. Here is the pic as promised.
In this next pic you can see where I tied in the Coal Boiler to the existing Oil Boiler and primary loop.
As you can see, my air scoop and bladder expansion tank are immediately after the tie in point and the pipe is at it's highest point there.

The pipe is 1-1/2" until about 4" before the tee. This allowed me to use 1-1/4" tee in the existing primary without soldering a bunch of adapters. I didn't have any 1-1/4 x 1-1/4 x 1-1/2 tees.

I used a slip coupler to break and join the copper pipe between the black pipe and the tee. It was easier to assemble this way.

The short pieces of thermostat wire are temporarily supporting the piping on this section. I was trying to get the solder and connections somewhat straight. This supply pipe is 1/4 bubble up towards the air scoop side.

I have an old but functional steel bladderless expansion tank to hang between the joists. Have to replace the one valve to use a siphon tube (Is that what it's called?) valve to allow me to drain air from the top of the tank without losing water from the bottom of the tank.

I still have to pipe in the autofill valve and fresh water supply line and the expansion tank before I can flood the primary system and test for leaks. I want to do it tonight, but have some obligations. Not sure if I can squeeze it in tonight or not...

BTW, when your torch is about to run out of MAPP gas, it doesn't heat properly and makes you feel like you forgot how to solder :R :LOL: As soon as I replaced the tank things were MUCH better.

FYI. My boiler does not have a LWCO well. I plan to use the "fill" port for my 4006B, after I use it to release most of the air from the boiler during initial fill.

Guess it's an older model? I was really tempted to drill and weld a new bung, but the MIG is at the garage. I'd like to have a LWCO and another bung for 4006B. I just didn't like the idea of placing it in the flow of the primary supply piping. Can't use a strap-on like a L6006 because of the black pipe.

Oh well. Just got called for supper.

Expansion tank.
Doubled and extra strapping. Removed some duct work.

Replaced the standard tank valve with a vented valve (has the tube that sticks into the tank to drain water to fixed level while admitting air.

I'm looking to flood and leak test tonight. Hopefully no mops needed!

Okay, wet test went...okay...

Here's an updated pic showing the expansion tank plumbed in and the extra valve I tee'd into the line going from the boiler to the expansion tank. Thought I might have to use it to fill the boiler, since my pump has IFC and isn't hooked up yet, so flange valves off.
The good.

No solder leaks
No boiler leaks
No union leaks
No NPT leaks (using GRRIP Pipe dope)
Got up to 10 psi cold- no boiler firing, just lines

The bad.
My large, reused 1-1/2" ball valve has a small leak through the stem. I may have to rebuild it or replace it.
I only had to tighten the stem nut on the boiler drain valve to stop that drip. It's good now.
I *think* I put my check valve in backwards

Here it is...anyone know for sure? Supply flows to the Right in the pic.
There aren't any arrows on it and I don't remember when I looked inside.

When I opened the 1-1/2" valve, water flowed backwards into the boiler. Either it is backwards or defective.

If anyone knows for sure before I take it apart again, please let me know! The cap is very tight, more likely to remove it from the line and look instead of pulling the cap.

It's late, it's cold, I'm not really able to concentrate. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Enjoy the pics!

Check valve install direction.

Yep, I'm an idiot. Valve is backwards.

Here's a mfr diagram of a similar valve for anyone interested. Hinge swings away into the valve body



Flipping a valve around on the bench, it's easy to get it flipped by mistake. Ask me how I know.

How do you know ? Things like this help to keep us humble,you are not alone with doing something simple the wrong way.

windyhill4.2 wrote:How do you know ? Things like this help to keep us humble,you are not alone with doing something simple the wrong way.

True. Very true. Lol.

At least it is something simple to fix.

Big. Giant. Update.

Check valve reversed to *proper* direction, LoL.

Ball valve stem nut tightened.

Boiler dressed up and ready for the ball Green sheet metal needed straightened and some attention. Pretty, ain't she?
Here she is from the other side.
And one of the stove pipe. What a mess!
Pieces, parts, straps, etc.

But here she is, FIRST FIRE!!!
Only one zone active at the moment. Others to come online tomorrow! Some splitting, some frozen/broken, some new zones.

One problem is the triple aquastat (honeywell) low reads about 20 degrees lower than the top mounted gauge

Guessed at barometric damper setting. CO detectors in basement and bedroom floor.

Tired, but not so cold

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:One problem is the triple aquastat (honeywell) low reads about 20 degrees lower than the top mounted gauge

hmmmm. Is the bypass loop active?

Rob R. wrote:

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:One problem is the triple aquastat (honeywell) low reads about 20 degrees lower than the top mounted gauge

hmmmm. Is the bypass loop active?

Yes and no. I have a valve and closed it while working out airlocks. I don't remember if it was open this am or closed.

I didn't have any heat paste, so I'll get some and make sure I'm getting good bulb contact. I didn't remove the well, though I did for the 4006B and cleaned it. Probably should have done that, too.

Maybe I'll isolate the boiler and drain it down a bit and remove and clean the well inside and out when I pull the aquastat. Can't hurt

I'll take some pics of what I find. The inside of the fire chamber was pretty rusty from sitting. Surface rust and light scale.

I just checked the bypass loop. the valve was about 2/3 open. It just seemed like that loop was very hot. That water should have been going though my primary, right?

I've never really wrapped my heat around the bypass loop thing. I get what it does at idle and overheat (4006b call), but the circulation of hot water during standard calls for heat seems like a waste of heat and slowing down of the primary circulation flow.

I did read another one of your posts about the bypass and stratification possibly accounting for a difference in temp from gauge on top and aquastat. I can see that at idle, but while actively circulating?

Maybe I'm just not grasping it?

Okay, I've been very busy waiting patiently

Adjust, wait, observe, evaluate, doloop as required.

First, opened 1" bypass loop in my 1-1/2" supply all the way. Still missing a part of the understanding there, but I appreciate the advice and took it.

Let top gauge run up to 160F and turned my LOW TEMP on my triple aquastat (Honeywell L8124A) down to 150F until the primary circulator turned off. Used fine pencil to write "-10F" above that setting. I can live with a difference if it is fixed.

Turned my Differential to 15F. That should let my hot boiler heat to my HI TEMP setting and fall to 160F with circulator on, then circulator stays off until boiler recovers to 175F (15F Diff).

Set my HI TEMP to 180F, which should fire boiler any time there is a call for heat until boiler temp reaches 180F, then fire stops, circulator runs until LOW TEMP triggered at 160F. DoLoop until all calls for heat satisfied.

Set 4006B overheat safety to 200F. IF it every trips, boiler will turn off firing but override and run primary circulator until it cools. Don't remember my differential on it, but as long as it isn't greater than 20F, shouldn't interfere with HI TEMP of triple aquastat.

Draft not yet set, guessed on fan openings and baro. Seems close enough until I can hook up my Dwyer.

Here's a pic of coal bed at idle.
Here's a pic of coal bed while firing.
I tinkered with feed adjustments to get about 2" of ash on end of bed, per install manual. Then waited. Then adjusted. Then waited. etc LOL. The pic is where I stopped adjusting and has been at this setting for about an hour, so figure it is about right.

I'll have to turn off stoker and count number of turns so I can repeat it.

I plan to add the kitchen/dining room zone this eve after separating it from the gun room and repairing any previously split/frozen piping.

My basement is a cozy 60F and the KA-6 is quietly humming to itself. We are REALLY going to like this!

Looking at oil tanks. 2 of the 3 will go away very soon.

Enjoy the pics!

Well, good news and bad news.

First the bad.

I called to get Blaschak buckwheat and waited on the call that their scheduled delivery arrived. Icy here, driver bailed, who knows, but none until next Monday

I *thought* I had some anthracite stashed away from a different stove in large trash cans. Sort of. I took the lids off and they are about double the size of buckwheat. It fed for a little while, then pretty much jammed up the hopper.

It didn't burn as well, think the air had trouble getting up through the bigger chunks. Shut down boiler Tuesday eve, didn't want to break anything. Have to scoop out the hopper.

Now for the good news.

I have a ton of Reading buckwheat coming in the am. It's a fair amount more expensive, but will buy me time to get coal bin, coal vac, additional zones, etc. going.

The other supplier had Blaschak rice, but the way the buckwheat burnt, I figured it was better to stick with buckwheat than brand.

The hopper is only about 1/3 full. I only added about a bucket and a half of the larger coal to try it out.

I replumbed to separate the Kitchen/Dining Room zone from the (future) Gun Room zone and fixed all the leaks. One balancing gate valve is a little drippy, but I tightened the packing nut a bit and will let it warm up before draining and replacing if necessary.

I was able to bleed that zone and cold circulate it. Pretty easy to wet now that the primary is flooded. Much less air. I closed my return ball valve and connected the zone drain valve to a garden hose, closed the balancing valve on one side of the split tee supply and opened the flange valve on the supply side of the circulator and let it all flood in reverse.

Then bled air at baseboard and checked everything for leaks. Then opened the other (out) side flange valve and actuated the circulator, letting it build water and push it through the (half) zone and out the drain. I started with drain wide open, then cut it way back to get things moving.

Eventually closed drain and opened return valve, making sure I could feel water circulating supply and return of the zone, then opened the other half of the zone and bled air at baseboard again.

I had valves on both supply and return of both boilers closed during this time to hopefully keep air in just the secondary loop and mostly that zone. Without the primary circulator running, it was able to flow from return backwards to supply because of the closely spaced tees. That won't happen when the primary is flowing

If all goes well with the delivery in the am, I'll have a fire going by about 10 am and hopefully keep it going until...May or so

Success!

Cleared jams, removed the too large coal, got a ton of Reading buckwheat, filled hopper, filled extra bucket and metal bushel ash pan to keep inside for refills and lit off the fire at 10am

The boiler was very cold, below 50F. It's now 11:40am and she was up to 165F and feeding one zone. Kicked off the low temp (triple aquastat) set at 160F and this newly activated Kitchen/Dining Room zone baseboards are getting hot, so we have circulation!

I know the baseboard will do much better as it hits 180F, but 160-165F was decent, just fewer BTUs per foot.

I will have to watch the coal bed for a while until the new coal is exclusive in the feed.

Feel like I'm writing in a diary But maybe my experiences can help someone else, or at least enjoy (or poke fun at) all the pics!