Can one weld a Steel Hot Pressure Washer Coil?

[dougtrr2]

After watching the welder struggle to weld a leak on my wood fired boiler, I am skeptical about the chance of success on this. But in any case, after welding it up figure out a way to pressure test it for leaks. I am thinking of 100 PSI of air and submerging the entire unit. Even a small pinhole would be the opening for failure again.

Good luck.

Doug in SW IA

 

[fried1765]

What an owner does to his own stuff is far different to what a welding shop would do. A reputable welding shop would not touch it. They do not want a call back on an iffy job like this one. 30 years old? Even at 15 years it has outlived its economic life. I seriously doubt the it withstands 2000 PSI steam. You are talking superheated steam, you would not see the steam coming out of the leak. I would be surprised that tubing is schd 80, looks more like a lot thinner tubing. Sched 80 will not withstand 2000 PSI.

Welding; I doubt you can get it clean enough to TIG it. I would opt for an O/A welder with a #0 or #1 tip. Thin tube then go down to a #00 if I was going to try it.

What was it used for? Hot water/steam cleaner? Time to buy a new one, or get the replacement coil, and hope for the best on the other components. What would a whole new system cost compared to fixing?

You have an economic decision to make.

Ron

"superheated steam"???

I thought this was a pressure washer .......as in the thread title above.
Hot pressure washers make ... hot water....not .... "steam"!

 

[Industrial Toys]

A new electric unit up here could cost six grand easily. Probably many used units have coil and pump issues. There is an outfit in the States that makes new coils out of schedule 80 pipe. You can get stainless at over twice the price.

 

[yomax4]

Still comes down to the integrity of the pipe. If it can be cleaned and is in good shape and only cracked due to frost, Weld it.. If it's corroded, Throw it in the scrap pile.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Spoke with the manufacturer of the coils. Very friendly and helpful. They weld (and repair old coils) with 6011 rod. Says it's mostly an issue of location of the damage and access. Sounds promising. Going out to cut the can off the coil and take a look.

 

[stuckmotor]

I grew up hearing how my grandmother's aunt's husband was scalded to to death in a steam engine accident. Please be careful.

 

[WranglerX]

You realize once you start welding on it, it will become a never ending process.... $700 is pretty cheap compared to the hours of frustration spent tracking down every little defect in a 30 year old part... Also at steam pressures.... I'm pretty sure $700 is a cheap life insurance policy.... Yes I'm sure you can do it, but I am also sure you shouldn't...

Dale

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think I prettty much destroyed the thing and never found the internal hole. That can on the end was so brittle, I thought it was cast at first.

Safety with hot water, yes. I have an antique steam genny that friends gave me and they did roll a new coil for it on their huge lathe. But I am scared of that thing, which is why I want a hot water pressure washer. You can't turn the lance off and once I set it down, it moved, and caught me in the shoulder, wearing a T-Shirt. Instantly, no more skin!

 

[Industrial Toys]

At a loss now. I would not have bought this thing for a grand and I will have more than that into , plus a bunch of time when I'm done. If I quit now, I got a $100.00 hands-on, Hot Water Pressure washer education.

I am also very discouraged how difficult this thing is to get the water out of it for freezing protection and have no warm place to keep it. That factors big into my decision whether to repair it. They rent for $139/day and even the rental place says that this time of year is iffy for freezing. When I consider rental, the price of a coil seems worth it. Like half a dozen rentals. Sometimes I just can't get used to everything costing so much.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe I shouldn't have gone nuts with the zip disk. But it seemed like I would not get that can off there without destroying it. At first I was sure the coils ended where the can began, but they go right to the end. It got to a point, where I just wanted to get it open to find the big hole!