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Posted by Gern Blanston on May 24, 2002 at 09:43:02:
Can anyone help me determine the cause of a cracked head on a 2 yr old Raypack fin-coil watertube hot water supply boiler? Small boiler, 23 sq ft htg surface.
The repair co. said it was freeze damage (occurred on 10 deg day) but the plant operators adamantly state that the boiler was in service at 180 deg with circulating pumps in operation when the head cracked.
The boiler is near an uninsulated exterior wall, but no other pipes, tubes, or other adjacent water piping were affected. There is also a large, noisy, vibrating air compressor nearby which cycles on & off constantly.
Is it possible that there were thermal stresses on the head due to cold air/hot water? Aggravated by the vibration? The boiler is insured, but the ins. policy has an exclusion for freeze damage. I'd like to help them, but the repair co. threw away the damaged head.
What do you think?
1. Freeze
2. Thermal stress
3. Manufacturing flaw
I'd appreciate your opinions.
Gern Blanston,
Insurance Weasel