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Grant Boiler Leakage Problems?

  • 16-11-2025 11:41AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭


    Been reading more than one report of the above leaking in less than 5 years.

    How important is it to keep the return temperature at 40C or above?.

    Is it true that the leakage occurs in the primary heat exchanger and if so why since the gases leaving this section and entering the secondary should be well above the flue gas due point?

    Is the secondary section stainless?.



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,220 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    No, it has some type of alloy parts and plenty of mild steel that isn’t able to handle condensate that is too acidic.

    My understanding is very low return temps make the condensate more acidic and it rots the boiler faster. It can even upset the combustion a little where you have very cold water coming back on the return.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭jimf


    are you sure your not talking about the turbulator tubes



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,220 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    I’m talking about the whole secondary heat exchanger arrangement, including the spiral turbulators



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭jimf


    cant agree with you re heat exchanger not been stainless it has to be stainless



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,220 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    Parts of it are, the parts that they designate are ordinarily in contact with acidic condensate, but not all it. The turbulators on the secondary heat exchanger are some kind of alloy. The primary heat exchanger is mild steel, hence the concern with a low temperature return - condensing will start to occur in the primary heat exchanger and promote rapid corrosion.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭John.G


    Can't find it now but yes, I read that the Vortex primary HEX is mild steel, the secondary, condensing HEX is stainless with aluminium (alloy?) turbulators which I presume may corrode but will hardly cause a water leak. Grant stated in the link I read that the return water temperature must not fall below 40C to prevent corrosion to the "boiler jacket" which I take it to mean the mild steel primary section. Don't know are they talking about jacket internal corrosion or one would think, external corrosion if the flue gases are below the dew point. Hard to see external corrosion, surely the flue gases leaving the primary are up around 200 or even 300C, somewhere around what one gets froim a non condensing boiler like my own Firebird @ 330/350C, even if the return water was as low as 25/30C, those flue gases shouldn't remotely be any where near the dew point.

    @jimf did say that he has measured the primary HEX leaving gas temperatur by inserting the analyser probe in between the two exchangers, but I can't remember his readings?, also, just how much condensing is actually going on at all on these oil fired boilers as I think again, jimf said something I think in the range 85C to 110C for the boiler leaving flue gas temperatures.



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