Homemade boilers are often better than industrially manufactured ones.

This is due to the fact that not every design can be adjusted to the existing heating system, but it is quite easy to make a boiler from a cast-iron battery that matches it in its parameters.

Boiler structure feature

The requirements for boilers by private house owners are simple:

• He must be economical.
• Have a very high level of heat transfer.
• Not expensive.

Taking into account the fact that both gas boilers and the connection of a gas pipeline to a house cost a lot of money, and the subsequent payment for gas will also not bring savings, in many private houses devices that run on wood are installed. The most effective type of heaters is a water boiler, which can not only heat a small country house or summer cottage, but also supply it with hot water.

A home-made boiler made of cast iron batteries is an excellent alternative to industrial units, which are expensive and save little.

Its structure is such that a water boiler is built into an ordinary stove, which many times increases its heat transfer, thereby reducing waste on firewood, and warming up the room almost instantly.

Preparatory work

Finding old Soviet cast iron batteries is not a problem today. Dozens of them are demolished when residents of apartment buildings change their heating to more modern models, or when old buildings are demolished. The best option for making a structure will be M-140 cast iron radiators.

One battery section holds up to 1.5 liters of water. The number of sections directly depends on what area the heating boiler should heat from a cast-iron battery. For example, a house with an area of ​​100 m2 will require 12 sections with a total capacity of 18 liters and a size of 3 m2.

Before proceeding with the manufacture of the boiler, all sections of the radiator must be thoroughly rinsed from scale and dirt accumulated over many years of operation. To do this, you can pour inside a 6% hydrochloric acid solution and hold it there for a while until it eats away all deposits. After that, the solution is drained, and each section is thoroughly rinsed with water.

This procedure should be carried out slowly, in compliance with all precautions. Wear protective gloves on your hands and a respirator on your face. After all the sections have gone through the cleaning process, you can begin to assemble the boiler from the cast-iron battery with your own hands.

Assembling the structure

It is not difficult to assemble radiators together, but first you should purchase new intersectional gaskets or use an asbestos cord impregnated with graphite powder previously diluted in drying oil instead.

Since the temperature inside the boiler can exceed +600 degrees, it is worth taking care of the gaskets in advance. The tightness of the entire structure depends on their quality and strength.

The sequence for assembling radiators is as follows:

• Nipples equipped with right-hand and left-hand threads are screwed into each section.
• Asbestos cords are wound around them.
• The sections are connected in pairs by alternately tightening the nipples. It is important to make the same number of turns with the wrench, so as not to cause distortion.
• All sections of the cast iron radiator are connected in the same way.
• The return and supply pipes should be connected diagonally, closing the unused openings with plugs.

There should be a right-hand thread on one side of the riser, and a left-hand thread on the other. If this does not work, then you need to screw on the nipple, and on it a coupling with a drive.

Positioning the boiler in the furnace

It is important not only how the radiators will be assembled and connected to the heating system, but also their place in the stove. In order for the device to work for a long time and effectively, the boiler from a cast-iron heating battery (the video shows how to do this) should be installed not in the firebox, where wood or coal is burning, which means there is an open fire, but behind it in the smoke channel.

This will save the device and extend its service life, and heating by gases that are formed during fuel combustion is no worse than an open fire.

Cast iron is a rather brittle metal, so it will not withstand shocks, or excess pressure, or too high a temperature. When installing the boiler from the radiator into the furnace, you need to make sure that the pipe at the exit from it was perpendicular to the floor, and the return flow passed under the floor and the foundation of the structure.

After the boiler is installed, you can start laying the walls of the stove, having previously checked it for leaks. To do this, you need to run water through the system under pressure.

Furnace masonry

The stove can be built independently by following the sequence of actions.

• The first is the laying of the foundation of the structure, made of reinforced concrete.
• For masonry, the best solution would be a mixture of two portions of sand and a portion of clay. To mix them better, experienced builders recommend soaking the materials in water and leaving them overnight. During this period, they will mix well without additional efforts on the part of the owner.
• When the foundation is ready, it should be covered with waterproofing, for which roofing material can be used.
• A layer of mortar is placed on top of the waterproofing, the uniformity of which is best checked with a plumb line.
• The first masonry should form a blower, over which a grate is installed, separating it from the firebox. The grill is attached after 2-3 masonry above the blower.
• In the process of forming the furnace, a place is immediately prepared for the boiler from cast-iron batteries, taking into account the gaps between it and the outer wall of the stove. To do this, a side of bricks is laid around the perimeter, on which the corners are attached. It is on them that the boiler will be installed.
• When laying the masonry, you need to take care of the places where the supply and return pipes will come out in advance.
• The next stage is laying the chimney. During this work, special channels are formed to discharge fumes and combustion waste through them.

After finishing laying the chimney, the entire stove must be checked for the quality of work, for which it is flooded.

It is never necessary to heat the stove if there is no heating medium in the boiler. This could damage the system. You can think over and build a structure that will work both as a heating system and as a stove for cooking.

After completing all the steps step by step, it is quite possible to build a furnace with a water boiler from cast iron batteries with your own hands.

When using household cast iron gas boilers, water often leaks. The reason most often lies in the violation of the operating mode. What are the “risk factors” for the occurrence of accidental damage? What should be the renovation?

Causes of damage to a cast-iron domestic boiler and replacement of defective sections

The technology for eliminating damage to the sections of a cast-iron heat exchanger is dictated by its design. NSrepair problemresolvedreplacement of the boiler section . The heat exchanger is a prefabricated structure. The elements are assembled into a single unit by means of accessories (conical connecting nipples).Violation of the integrity of one of the sections leads to the failure of the entire device. What are the causes of destructive deformations and heat exchanger leakage?

A little theory - what phenomena cause the destruction of the heat exchanger?

Cast iron heating devices are more durable than steel counterparts. Cast iron corrodes less in the aquatic environment. That's whygas boilers from this material almost do not rust. However, cast iron (as opposed to steel) is more sensitive to local temperature peaks. The preservation of the physical properties of the structure is negatively affected by the effect of cold water on the heated metal.

The listed situations arise when the service rules are violated:

Clogging of the device leads to overheating of individual small areas of the cast-iron surface.

Make-up for workinggas boiler cold coolant creates a temperature contrast.

Incorrect adjustment of the burner violates the overall thermal regime.

These phenomena lead to the appearance of the so-called. "Heat shock" of the metal. As a result, one or more elements are deformed relative to others or simply burst.

A common breakdown during operation is a leaking device. There may be several reasons for this: a microcrack in the body of the structure, drying of the sealing sealant. Then the need arisesreplacement of the cast iron boiler section ... For repairs, it is better to invite specialists from a service organization. Such companies carry out repairs on a regular basis. They have a professional tool for assembling the devices.

Stages of bringing the heat exchanger into working condition (Instruction)

The repair is carried out in stages. It begins with the diagnosis of the body of the structure and ends with testing and commissioning. Intermediate operations:

Dismantling of the casing and sectional disassembly;

And a screed of all elements;

Connecting the device to the heating system;

Installation of external cladding.

For diagnostics, the device is stopped. After cooling, dismantle the casing and the thermal insulation layer. The nature of the damage and the number of compartments to be replaced are determined visually. If the leak is caused by a microcrack, and the location of the defect cannot be immediately detected, the water pressure is increased to 2 kg and left for a day.

Splitting into sections is accurately done mechanically.

In this case, they try to hit only the defective element.

Followed byreplacement of sections of a cast iron boiler ... Neighboring damaged elements are inspected for timely detection of debris. They are washed or replaced with new ones. Sometimes the craftsmen decide to assemble the unit and then rinse it with water and chemical reagents.

Assembly of cast iron sections.

Before the screed, all contact surfaces of the elements with each other are thoroughly cleaned. The path of passage of the coolant is sealed with new nipples and lubricated with a special paste. Afterreplacement of the boiler section the smoke path is also sealed. To do this, cover the joints with mastic or pull them together with cords.

The screed is performed using a special tool.

It is very important to avoid skewing and to connect the sections precisely.

When replacing several elements, they are added to the assembled structure strictly one at a time.

In the next step, the device is connected to the system and needs to be pressurized. For this operation, it is supplied with the maximum pressure allowed by the manufacturer. For each model, this parameter is indicated in the passport.

Required without explicit violation of integrity. When the pressure of the coolant regularly drops in the device and it often has to be replenished with water. The reason for this behavior of the boiler is hidden in the appearance of microcracks in the furnace. At high temperatures, the liquid has time to evaporate and is removed with flue gases. Unstable work is a good reason to contact the service department.

Frequent make-up, underheating, burst heat exchanger section

In the lexicon of service engineers, "make-up" is the process of restoring the pressure of the coolant in the heating system. To understand how frequent replenishment negatively affects the operation of the equipment, it should be noted that the water contains hardness salts. Hard water is water that contains dissolved calcium and magnesium salts. When water is heated, salts form scale, and if the water has a high content of these salts, then a precipitate forms. These processes are harmful to heat exchangers, boilers, pipes or water heaters, since this disrupts the heat exchange process. Conclusion: the more make-up is done, the more hardness salts will enter the boiler and the heating system with water, which, when the coolant is heated, will settle on the inner walls of the boiler heat exchanger and pipes of the heating system. As a result, there is a high probability that the salt sediment will cause the failure of the heat exchanger sections (Fig. 1).

Let's consider a typical situation using the example of floor-standing boilers with a cast-iron heat exchanger: Eurobongas, Hola, Idea Bongioni. Some installers carry out the installation of the heating system in such a way that the heating system is fed into the return line of the heating system (ie, "into the return line") at a distance of less than 1 m from the boiler. This installation method can be called incorrect with full responsibility. In this case, the likelihood of failure of the heat exchanger sections increases. Here are some situations.

Imagine that the boiler has heated the heating medium to 80-90 ° C during the winter season. At this moment, for some reason, the pressure in the heating system drops. The boiler remains hot, and the owner of the boiler or the person in charge, in order to create operating pressure, feeds the heating system. In this case, the temperature of the incoming water is 5 ° C. Since the make-up is made "in return" and is located in the immediate vicinity of the boiler, cold water gets into the heated heat exchanger. A sharp temperature drop occurs, as a result of which cracks can form in the cast iron - the metal from which the heat exchanger sections are made. As a result, there is a high probability that the heat exchanger will burst and the coolant will leak.

For unknown reasons, there is a frequent drop in the pressure of the coolant in the heating system, respectively, and the system is often replenished. Depending on the level of water hardness, a new portion of calcium and magnesium salts enter the heat exchanger and the heating system, which are deposited on the walls of the heat exchanger and pipes. At a certain point during the operation of the equipment, due to the high thermal resistance of the scale layer, a temperature imbalance (temperature shock) can occur. As a result, the body of the heat exchanger overheats and it is destroyed. All these situations convince us that it is more logical to "feed" the heating system into the supply line, and also to exclude the likelihood of frequent feeding.

Due to the sharp temperature drop in the metal from which the heat exchanger sections are made, cracks form

Replacing sections in a floor standing boiler with a cast iron heat exchanger

If the failure of the heat exchanger does occur, then the replacement of its sections is inevitable. Let us consider, using a specific example of the Idea Bongioni boiler, step by step how to replace the heat exchanger sections.

1. Cut off the electricity, dismantle the casing, the gas block with the burner, the control panel, disconnect the chimney.
2. Locate (discover) the damaged section.
3. Drain the boiler and disconnect it from the system.
4. Place the boiler on a support so that the damaged section is suspended.
5. Remove the tie rods.
6. Dismantle the damaged section using a lever or gently tapping with a chisel and hammer.
7. Remove the connecting nipples.
8. Install the rest of the heat exchanger so that it is convenient to connect it to the new section, and if the heat exchanger is completely disassembled, then it is necessary to support the rear section on a special support (Fig. 2), and as a support you can use, for example, a wooden board.
9. Lubricate the new nipples with red lead grease and install in place of the dismantled ones (Fig. 2, item 1), carefully observing their correct position and pre-cleaning the seat.
10. Along the perimeter of the section, in special recesses, it is necessary to apply silicone. If silicone is not available, a 360 ° C high temperature automotive sealant can be used.
11. Place the first center section behind the rear section on the nipples, evenly and gently tapping the hammer with a wooden mallet.
12. Using a tightening tool, pull the sections together until they are fully connected (fig. 3).
13. Install the other two nipples and assemble the boiler in the same sequence.
14. After assembling all sections (the entire heat exchanger), perform a check tie with a tightening tool and install the tie rods (Fig. 4).
15. Conduct a final hydrotest of the heat exchanger.

"Make-up" is the process of restoring the pressure of the coolant in the heating system

How to get rid of the smell of carbon monoxide in a room

Subject to normal operating conditions of floor-standing equipment, there are no problems with the boiler. In the process of scheduled maintenance, the intersection space may not even be inspected by a service engineer. But the operating conditions can change, especially if the rules for supply and exhaust ventilation are violated. If it does not meet the standards or is absent altogether, then the air exchange in the room where the boiler is installed is disrupted.

At the same time, the oxygen content decreases, which leads to poor-quality gas combustion in the boiler, in which an increased amount of carbon is released.

The composition of the flue gases changes, and as a result, slags (a mixture of carbon and dust) are deposited in the intersection space. This process is lengthy. In some cases, as practice shows, it can take place for a year, or even more. The first sign of slag formation is the smell of carbon monoxide in the room. Defining such a problem is fairly straightforward. To do this, it is necessary to remove the upper panels of the casing, under which (in the front and rear of the boiler) two inspection hatches will be clearly visible, each of which is fastened with four screws.

By opening one of these hatches, we will gain access to the intersection space.

Visually, you can determine in what state the intersection space is and whether it needs to be cleaned. If the intersection space is clogged with slag, it is necessary to start the cleaning process. For this it is necessary to dismantle the second hatch, as well as the boiler burner. For cleaning, you will need a special brush (in the absence of a brush, you can use a thin metal rod), a vacuum cleaner, a flashlight, thick cardboard. After dismantling the hatches and the burner, place a thick cardboard inside the boiler instead of the burner. During the cleaning process, most of the slag will fall onto this cardboard.

After installing the cardboard using a brush (rod) and a vacuum cleaner, remove the slag from the inter-section space. The flashlight will come in handy while cleaning. It is best to place it at the bottom of the boiler so that it illuminates the firebox. After cleaning the intersection space, carefully remove the cardboard with slag, dispose of it and evaluate the quality of work. Finally, after finishing work, reassemble the dismantled parts of the boiler and test the equipment.

Checking the sanitary water flow

Imagine that at the facility you are faced with a situation where the boiler - in our example, the Habitat boiler - does not switch to DHW mode due to a weak water flow. At the same time, the flow in the cold water tap is quite high. You have made sure that the water is supplied to the boiler under the required pressure, and from the mixer it comes out in a thin stream. What is the reason? In the deposits of hardness salts in the heat exchanger? Or some external factor?

To check the flow directly at the boiler outlet, it is necessary to dismantle the hot water outlet pipe from the boiler. According to the rules, in this case, the participation of the installation organization is necessary. But there is an opportunity to do it on your own. To do this, close the valve on the cold water supply pipe to the boiler, then dismantle the hot water outlet pipe from the heat exchanger (there is an NTS sensor for the DHW circuit on it). This tube must be turned so that its other end, which is screwed with a union nut to the DHW group, turns horizontally to the right by 180 ° (Fig. 5). In doing so, it will come out of the boiler. This tube must be fixed in the heat exchanger again. Then place a container for water under the pipe and open the valve on the cold water supply pipe to the boiler.

In this case, you will see with which flow the water for hot water supply comes out of the boiler. Knowing the water pressure or the flow at the boiler inlet, you will be able to draw the appropriate conclusions. For example, at the inlet to the boiler, the water pressure and its flow correspond to the requirements specified in the technical characteristics of the equipment, and at the outlet of the boiler, the water pressure drops and the flow decreases sharply. This means that, most likely, the bithermal heat exchanger is covered with salt deposits.

If the pressure and water flow at the inlet and outlet of the boiler does not change, it is necessary to look for external causes of a weak water flow through the mixer. The entire process described should be carried out with the sanitary water flow regulator fully open in the boiler.

The KLIMATIK company provides services for the maintenance and repair of cast iron boilers KChM, Universal as well as cast iron boilers of foreign manufacturers - VIESSMANN, BUDERUS, PROTHERM, DAKON, VIADRUS, MORA and others. Deep knowledge and vast experience of our employees working on this equipment, the availability of professional tools, original consumables and spare parts allow us to be confident in the quality of work.

Replacement of sections in boilers KChM, Universal-RT

Replacement of heat exchanger sections of boilers VIESSMANN, BUDERUS, PROTHERM, DAKON, MORA, etc.

Repair of boilers Universal-6M, Universal-5M.

Cast iron boilers Universal-6M, Universal-5M are repaired in the same way as all sectional cast-iron boilers. The repair of boilers of this type is complicated by the presence of heavy refractory brick lining and the massiveness of the boiler sections. Our company has extensive experience in the repair of boilers of this type. Replacement of sections in boilers Universal-6M will be carried out by our specialists in the shortest possible time and at a high professional level. The availability of specialized assembly tools and original spare parts allows us to guarantee the high quality of repair work for Universal-6M boilers.

In what case is it necessary to replace a section of a cast iron boiler?

Over time, the heat exchanger wears out, corrosion and scale do their job. However, its complete replacement of the heat exchanger is impractical, since individual sections usually fail, then the replacement of the cast-iron section of the boiler, in which a crack appears, is required. Repair of the section does not give the desired effect - due to constant temperature expansion of cast iron, the welded seam collapses after a short time.

In some cases, a crack can only be detected during boiler diagnostics. Therefore, for a certain time, the technique is used with the presence of a crack, which increases the destruction. Moreover, if you do not want the boiler to fail completely, then the problem must be solved immediately after detection.

The cost of replacing a section of a cast iron boiler

The cost of replacing a section of a cast-iron boiler depends on the model of your equipment, its capacity, and the complexity of the work performed. The final price can be determined only after a visual inspection of the place of work by the master.

Is it possible to independently replace a section of a cast iron boiler?

Some equipment owners are trying to replace the section of the cast-iron boiler on their own. However, here they face a number of problems:

• How to disconnect a damaged section of a cast iron boiler from a package of sections.
• How to seal the joints between the sections to be installed.
• How not to damage adjacent sections and the package of sections as a whole.
• How to do the whole range of work without a special tool.
• How correctly, without distortions and overvoltage of the entire heat exchanger, pull off the package of sections.

Self-repair of a cast-iron sectional heat exchanger is quite problematic - as a rule, there is no necessary tool, there are no skills for such work. Despite the seeming simplicity of the process, there are frequent cases of damage to a new section due to improper installation, as well as damage to adjacent, previously whole sections. As a result, self-repair results in even higher costs than the involvement of a specialized installation organization.

Fast, high quality, reliable. With a guarantee!

We guarantee prompt and high-quality performance of the entire cycle of work on the replacement of sections on your boiler. The vast experience of carrying out belt work on cast-iron boilers of various capacities allows us to assert that the work will be performed efficiently and on time! The assembly team will independently deliver all the necessary spare parts and consumables to your site - and this will not in any way affect the cost of work, no additional payment for delivery.
After assembly and pressure testing of the heat exchanger, if no heavy lining device is required (Universal-6M boilers and similar ones), the boiler will be ready for normal operation. For the work performed, a guarantee from 6 to 12 months is provided, depending on the manufacturer of the boiler.

Despite the relative reliability, experts note several of the most common causes of heating unit failures. The most common is a coolant leak caused by a crack in one of the heat exchanger sections. The repair consists in the complete replacement of the deformed section.

Reasons for the appearance of a crack:

• critical overheating due to the accumulation of deposits inside the section;
• large temperature difference in supply and return, causing thermal shock;
• incorrect burner settings;
• manufacturing defects.

The owner of a cast-iron boiler should be alerted by the regular drop in pressure in the system. These signs can also indicate the formation of microcracks on the walls of the boiler.

Repair of cast iron boilers

Often restoration work requires preliminary disconnection of the equipment from the general heating system. This requires:

• close the valves;
• drain and pump out water;
• disconnect the flanges;
• remove fittings and headset;
• remove the cover (if any).

The work on cleaning or replacing sections begins with hanging the cast iron boiler. The further process of diagnostics, cleaning, replacement, pressure testing, flushing should be carried out with the help of special devices by experienced craftsmen.

Only specialists will be able to correctly install the removed equipment back, align new sections with plumb lines and levels, adjust the operation of burners and other important components. Incorrect assembly and adjustment of the heating system can create an emergency.

Entrust your business to professionals

We provide repair services for cast iron boilers of any manufacturer. For this, our company has all the necessary conditions:

• experienced qualified certified personnel;
• certification and permits from supervisory authorities;
• necessary tools, fixtures and equipment;
• spare parts and consumables for the repair of heating boilers.

All together this makes it possible to perform work quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. Immediately after placing an order, we leave at the address indicated in it and return the cast iron boiler to working condition.