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That week in Gary when the old boiler finally gave up
We were doing a full shutdown at the steel plant for a week, and on day three the main feedwater pump on the number 4 boiler just seized. The whole crew, including our foreman Jerry, had to pull a 16 hour shift to get the new rotor in and the casing sealed before morning. What made it stand out was finding a 1978 maintenance tag inside the housing, meaning it ran for over 40 years without a major teardown. Ever had a piece of equipment surprise you with how long it lasted?
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elizabethhart1mo ago
Wow, 40 years is crazy! Honestly though, that sounds like a maintenance nightmare waiting to happen. I'd be nervous running something that old without checking it more often.
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dixon.felix1mo agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, the maintenance nightmare part is real. My buddy ran a 38 year old furnace until last winter when the heat exchanger finally cracked. He said the repair guy showed him a hole you could fit a pencil through. What are you supposed to do when it finally gives out?
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