Cutting Barrel Steel Pipework For new cylinder

[JackK]

I have a hot water cylinder which has low carbon steel pipework to it - I have tried to add some pictures

I need to replace the cylinder because it is leaking and I am not able to find anyone who is comfortable to work on this this because it is barrel steel - Has anyone worked on this kind of system before?

1) It i try and put some stillstons on it am I likely to get the nut to crack and the thread to remain intact? This looks like heavy duty commercial pipework so I am nervous but I need to get this reduced to copper so I can replace the cylinder - I have found a shop which has black iron fittings that can thread onto a 2inch pipe and reduce it but it depends on geting the but off in tact

2) If I have to cut the steel pipework without a thread can I use a Priomfit compression nut? Are these leak proof and reliable for water?

 

[cross thread]

The unions should undo, heat will help and or tap with a hammer

 

[JackK]

How likely is it the steel pipe cracks below when i am exerting force to undo the nut ? I will heat it and use stillsons of bottom of the union but will this crack or twist up the pipework? If the pipe splits how do you fix it as I cant solder onto steep so thats why i looked at primofit optoins

 

[cross thread]

Never managed to split a steel pipe yet

 

[Exedon]

Unless you have a identical cylinder made you have a fair bit of pipework adapting to do.
That's possibly a cross flow cylinder (pic from further away would help)
Without a decent blow lamp and at least 2 pairs of say 18in stilson type grips your going to struggle.

 

[JackK]

I am comfortable to do pipework in copper quite easily and can solder fine - Heres a pic of the front of the cylinder - I have stillsons and a blow torch but I dont feel comfortable doing it and no plumber wants to do it - Probably because its not straightfoward and a lot of grief

Never heard of a cross flow cylinder - Normally cylinders will have hot out at the top / cold in on the bottom left - Flow on right / Return on left or at bottom which is pretty much what I have

Any advice much appreciated

 

[Exedon]

Pic of bottom right side and pipework please.

 

[JackK]

Here is a better pic

 

[Exedon]

OK so which is cold feed from tank? One on right?

 

[JackK]

Its the bottom right hand side - The cylinder has flow on top right, cold water in on bottom right and return on bottom left with hot water draw off on top of the cylinder

 

[Exedon]

As I said that's a cross flow
Standard format is both connections to boiler on same side.
Despite the motorised valve on flow you could well have gravity circulation to cylinder.
If that is case new cylinder would need a gravity coil . Most cylinders now are for fully pumped only.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would suggest you have a complete new system fitted, lets face it, you have got your monies worth out of it.

Andy

 

[JackK]

Thank you. That makes sense. Any way of knowing whether that’s the case before I get the cylinder off

 

[fixitflav]

Its the bottom right hand side - The cylinder has flow on top right, cold water in on bottom right and return on bottom left with hot water draw off on top of the cylinder

Somebody has already changed one of the pipes to copper - the one with the auto valve. Just needs more of the same!
As you're going to replace the cylinder you only need to adapt from iron to copper at one point of each of the other 3 pipes. The one at the bottom left might be a bit awkward, perhaps you can access the pipe further back, and do it there.

 

[JackK]

The one pipe that has been converted to copper has been onto a threaded joint. My question was using a promo fit if I can’t get the nut off and I lose the thread