I can't get my dielectric union off

[Steerpike]

I drained the boiler and turned off the gas and unplugged it. Once the DU stopped leaking water I took a plumbers wrench to it. It just will not budge! Is it soldered? Do I need a torch? Should I saw it off? What is an ez saw?

Hey, if anyone can give a little advice I would really appreciate it...thanks!

Here is the culprit

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. Yikes.

It's not soldered.

I would try to clean in up with a wire brush so you can apply some sort of penetrating solvent like WD-40. Let it sit overnight - perhaps re-apply periodically.


In the mean time, I would post the same question here:

http://www.plbg.com/forum/list.php?1

There are several pro plumbers at the ready to give you a pretty quick answer.

[Steerpike]

2. Hassin!

Thank you so much sir! Plus I just found that it is not "code" anymore...so I will replace this with brass...dielectric unions suck!

[Warpy]

3. Sorry, but that doesn't look like a homeowner job

Corrosion isn't just bad, it's extreme. They might just need to saw things apart and rethread the stubs to get something to work.

[Steerpike]

4. yeah

I could do that...just a ez saw...or a recipricating saw with "metal" blades...it does look pretty bad! When it leaks it causes mineral build up and corrosion. The DU is supposed to prevent the two different metals from forming a battery-like current that will attract minerals etc...but these "unions" always seem to fail and cause leaks...which leads to the very same thing they purport to prevent...or something like that...

[NNN0LHI]

7. You were reading my mind Warpy

That is not a job for an amateur. I am not an amateur and I would still call in someone that really knew what they were doing for that job.

Good advice.

Don

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

5. wd40

spray it up good. do it more than once. spray it let it penetrate for an hour and spray it up again.And you will need more than one wrench.

[Paper Roses]

6. Yikes, every time I see this post, I cringe.- I try to keep up with

this old house and even minor corrosion scares me(like joints in the pipes under the kitchen sink. You know, that bluish whitish corrosion where the disposal pipes(brass) join the drain,
If I had to tackle your project, I'd faint. Dielectric joint---sounds like something from outer space. Can you tell this old timer what it is?

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

8. It is a union between two pipe joints

what you call a joiner_________ ___ _______
pipe union pipe


The ends of the pipe of course are threaded. the union connects up the two threaded ends . you can go into it at the union by disconnecting it first than removing it in two pieces. half connects to one pipe the other to the other. When the union is removed ,from there you use your wrench's to disassemble the piping. Remove/replace.

Otherwise it's hack saw or sawsall !
or if it's copper you use your cutters.