Mending a water jacket

[Bunker]

Had 3 boilers in the last 10 days with rusted leaking jackets. Saw one today, nice lady, husband just left her, gotta sell the house etc so I'd like to save her some money if poss.
I use a local weld shop for all sorts of things so thought I might drag her old TRO down there and have them weld a new corner on. Anyone ever done similar? I can't see any reason why not to do it, they'll only charge about £30. I don't need the work so not bothered about losing the bigger job.
I realise of course it might not last forever but will give it some extra life.

 

[SimonG]

Careful with that bunker. Old metal thats corroded through. Could end up with more holes than shell. What about draining it and some of that liquid metal?

As I always say 'no good deed goes unpunished'.

I also wouldnt be leaving any documentation.

 

[Bunker]

Wise words Simon. I've done alot if welding but this I'd get the pros to do. It's all on the strict understanding that its experimental and might not work.
Definitely no paperwork

 

[Best]

A lot of the jackets are more rotten than they look - usually I find they are leaking from a back corner on, or near the diagonal weld.
I got several fixed & most of them lasted for years, but some of these were leaking due to bad welding suddenly letting water past.
You might be okay if the boiler is outside where it won't do much harm if it bursts later, but I often found it was a thankless job.

 

[WHPES]

Chances are the steel will be depleted in other areas to the bit you are repairing so it will just leak again from somewhere else and you will get the blame. If it's an old TRO it will probably be at least a quarter of a century old so past its use by date.

The only water jacket I ever successfully managed to repair was on a Bosky boiler in a farm kitchen, which if it leaked again would run away and not into the house.

I bet all your leaking boilers were on open vented systems?

 

[Bunker]

I bet all your leaking boilers were on open vented systems?

Yes, why would that make a difference?

 

[WHPES]

Probably had an overflow at some time and lost all the inhibitor, or water level set too high and lost water through expansion to be replenished by fresh, or overpumping oxygenating the water. Sealed system you know if you have a problem as the pressure goes down.

 

[Best]

Open vent systems seem to always corrode to some extent. They loose water through evaporation, plus they absorb air when cold & release it when heating. Also they tend to absorb air from expansion tank or vents when running.
Welding done poorly is also an issue.

 

[Johnnyboy]

Yes it can be done, the guy I had do it put a plate over as couldn't get a good weld near. Just make sure you pressure test on once done before putting it back in, I did it while it was on his bench. 3 years later still good.

 

[TAKdriver]

Had 3 boilers in the last 10 days with rusted leaking jackets. Saw one today, nice lady, husband just left her, gotta sell the house etc so I'd like to save her some money if poss.
I use a local weld shop for all sorts of things so thought I might drag her old TRO down there and have them weld a new corner on. Anyone ever done similar? I can't see any reason why not to do it, they'll only charge about £30. I don't need the work so not bothered about losing the bigger job.
I realise of course it might not last forever but will give it some extra life.

Were they by any chance he same make of boiler ? We've just had a 7 yr old Rhino with a leaking jacket.