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Author: Subject: New to forum - Help testing boiler water
ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 9-1-2015 at 21:38


Did some more tests, apparently baking soda is a joke when it comes to pH?

Best I can tell, the stuff turns purple when the pH is an 8 or 9. At 7 it was still blue and the only way I could test this was backwards so far, kept adding vinegar until it turned blue while checking the pH occasionally.

Adding more of the tablet will bring it back to purple, but it ends up darker as well, I assume due t more of the pH indicator being added?

If I buy some ammonia, will that be what I need to confirm this?


Also took a picture of the tablets in their natural form.

[Edited on 1-10-2015 by ChrisJ]

IMAG3500.jpg - 733kB
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feacetech
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 00:45


dish wash powder has caustic
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aga
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 12:11


... Caustic Soda, aka Sodium Hydroxide = powerful Base.

Edit:

put the jug on a sheet of White paper - the liquid colour in the photos will be clearer !

[Edited on 10-1-2015 by aga]




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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 13:33


Quote: Originally posted by aga  
... Caustic Soda, aka Sodium Hydroxide = powerful Base.

Edit:

put the jug on a sheet of White paper - the liquid colour in the photos will be clearer !

[Edited on 10-1-2015 by aga]


Sorry, I didn't see your request before doing this test.

Using ammonia worked. I guess this means it's without a doubt a pH indicator?

The pictures in order are.

Before adding vinegar
After adding vinegar
After adding a little ammonia
After adding more ammonia.

Adding more ammonia made the color more vivid but not darker. I'm curious though, if adding these tablets "until the water turns violet". If you have a low pH, you would have to add more tablets but you would also be adding more of the chemicals that cause foaming. Isn't this a problem?




A1.jpg - 1012kBA2.jpg - 1.1MBA3.jpg - 1.1MBA4.jpg - 1MB
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 13:50


You got it !

Your experiment proves it.

Clearly a pH indicator is One component of the tablets.

The colours are pretty much what you see with red cabbage juice.




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feacetech
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 15:05


some of the other all in one treatment suggest that if treatment reserves are low, slowly adding small amounts of treatment over time (weeks) if large slug doses cause foaming.

But now you also know that you cant rely on the colour alone

Imagine your water was exceptionally Hard, you could quickly consume your phosphate reserves but the alkalinity of your system maybe fine, you may get caught thinking all is pink no worries!

[Edited on 10-1-2015 by feacetech]
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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 19:01


Quote: Originally posted by feacetech  
some of the other all in one treatment suggest that if treatment reserves are low, slowly adding small amounts of treatment over time (weeks) if large slug doses cause foaming.

But now you also know that you cant rely on the colour alone

Imagine your water was exceptionally Hard, you could quickly consume your phosphate reserves but the alkalinity of your system maybe fine, you may get caught thinking all is pink no worries!

[Edited on 10-1-2015 by feacetech]


What consumes the sodium nitrite? I'm going to assume oxygen?

So, sodium nitrite, does it prevent corrosion because it's an oxygen scavenger, or is it a totally separate thing?

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feacetech
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[*] posted on 10-1-2015 at 21:50


technically its a better metal passivator. It will consume some oxygen but nothing like a dedicated oxygen scavenger


it will be consumed by metal in the system and some O2
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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 09:53


Quote: Originally posted by feacetech  
technically its a better metal passivator. It will consume some oxygen but nothing like a dedicated oxygen scavenger


it will be consumed by metal in the system and some O2


So,
If I buy this, would it work in addition to what I'm already using?

10 lb Pail of Sodium Nitrite Food Grade 99+% Pure Granular Free Flowing Food Processing & Manufacturing


http://www.amazon.com/Nitrite-Granular-Flowing-Processing-Ma...


Or, in your opinion would I be better off getting rid of the Steamaster and switching to this as a corrosion inhibitor and oxygen scavenger?

Photographers' Formulary 10-1341 Sodium Sulfite - Anhydrous. 5-pounds

http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Formulary-10-1341-Sodium...
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 10:00


I haven't been keeping up with this thread, so I can't answer your question, but sodium nitrite from the same seller can be found directly on their website at a slightly lower cost here. I've ordered from Duda Diesel multiple times and never had an issue.
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 10:23


Quote: Originally posted by gdflp  
I haven't been keeping up with this thread, so I can't answer your question, but sodium nitrite from the same seller can be found directly on their website at a slightly lower cost here. I've ordered from Duda Diesel multiple times and never had an issue.



Appreciate the tip, thanks!
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feacetech
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 13:03


I would add sodium sulphite as well as your tablets. Unlike Nirtite Sulphite only scvanges oxygen, but it does a better job reacts much faster the downside being no metal passivation.

If you can find catalysed sulphite that would be better, it increases the reaction rate signifcantly.

if you cant get catalysed sulphite i would run a reserve of 30-50 ppm sulphite. this maybe difficult to maintain in a small system testing would be the only way to get an idea of how much to add and how fast it is consumed.

be aware sulphite will rasie tds and once you reach 2000 ppm (conductivty in uS/cm * 2/3) i would blow down and make up untill it got lower. This wont be as bad as the TDS from the concentrated water but its good to keep it down.

Remeber if you pre boil (10-15mins) and treat your makeup before adding this will help.

I would find out from the supplier what ideal nitrite levels are, also monitor these levels.

I would consider changing treatment if you have steam side issues (corrosion, Acidic condensate, Fe in condensate) and find one with a volatile steam treatment included. The makers of your tablets have another product with a steam treament included.

[Edited on 12-1-2015 by feacetech]

[Edited on 12-1-2015 by feacetech]
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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 13:12


Quote: Originally posted by feacetech  
I would add sodium sulphite as well as your tablets. Unlike Nirtite Sulphite only scvanges oxygen, but it does a better job reacts much faster the downside being no metal passivation.

If you can find catalysed sulphite that would be better, it increases the reaction rate signifcantly.

if you cant get catalysed sulphite i would run a reserve of 30-50 ppm sulphite. this maybe difficult to maintain in a small system testing would be the only way to get an idea of how much to add and how fast it is consumed.

be aware sulphite will rasie tds and once you reach 2000 ppm (conductivty in uS/cm * 2/3) i would blow down and make up untill it got lower. This wont be as bad as the TDS from the concentrated water but its good to keep it down.

Remeber if you pre boil (10-15mins) and treat your makeup before adding this will help.

I would find out from the supplier what ideal nitrite levels are, also monitor these levels.

I would consider changing treatment if you have steam side issues (corrosion, Acidic condensate, Fe in condensate) and find one with a volatile steam treatment included. The makers of your tablets have another product with a steam treament included.


My concern with this is the entire system breaths in and out of the house. Every time I make steam moist air gets pushed out of all of the vents, bringing any smells with it.

Would steam side protection cause any problems with this?


Sadly, Rectorseal seems to be ignoring my second email just as well as they ignored the first.

I may have to switch to Rhomar or another company that actually provides information and support on their product.
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feacetech
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 13:26


I wouldnt use steam side protection then your helath is more important than some pipes and valves
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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 13:28


Quote: Originally posted by feacetech  
I wouldnt use steam side protection then your helath is more important than some pipes and valves



All of the other previous stuff should be fine though correct?

Sodium sulfate, nitrite etc.
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feacetech
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 13:43


Yea they are all non volatile.

Is ther any way you can stop the venting of steam and the resulting intake of atmosphere when the pressure drops?
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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 12-1-2015 at 14:21


Quote: Originally posted by feacetech  
Yea they are all non volatile.

Is ther any way you can stop the venting of steam and the resulting intake of atmosphere when the pressure drops?


Not so much on a single pipe system.
There are some two pipe systems that run in a vacuum, but single pipe you end up with balancing problems

This is a simplified drawing of how my system works.
Of course piping lengths are different as are radiator sizes and I have two separate mains rather than one, but this gives the overall idea of a single pipe steam system.



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ChrisJ
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[*] posted on 14-1-2015 at 18:30


So,

Something that is really weird, at least to me, happened.

I had a 5 gallon bucket with maybe a gallon of boiler water in it. It was purple when it started but I went and looked tonight and it's blue. It's been down there for a few weeks now.

What could cause the pH of a bucket of water sitting out in the open to drop several points? It's been cold down there and unfortunately plenty of fresh airflow due to bad drafts. I think it's down to around 50F there now.

Did treatment settle down out of the water causing it's pH to drop, or did something else likely take place?


[Edited on 1-15-2015 by ChrisJ]
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feacetech
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[*] posted on 14-1-2015 at 23:42


possibly CO2 absorption

the idea was to boil water for 10-15mins to drive off O2

then add treatment then add water while its hot before it cools and absorbs gasses again
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