Don't ignore warning signs

[greggn]

I run a CCVM ...

Earlier this week I did a strip run and midway through I noticed excessive cavitation/bubbles in the RC outlet hose. The run completed successfully so I made a mental note to tighten-up the hose clamps, which I did, before starting the spirit run.

That spirit run started with excessive bubbles in the hose. A short while later all coolant flow to the RC stopped. I immediately shut down power. To troubleshoot, I swapped the inlet/outlet hoses to see whether the problem was in the hose or the quick-disconnects on the RC.

Almost immediately a drop formed along the inlet side of the RC. Then more. I've got a hairline crack in the CCST (external to the column, near the connection end).

Lesson learned: I never should have begun that spirit run knowing there was an issue ... regardless of how small and insignificant I thought the problem.

BTW, my CCST is over 4 years old and is used almost weekly. I treat it with kid gloves but this demonstrates that CSST is intended to be flexible for installations but is not impervious to constant handling. Going forward, I'll be pressure testing my RC on a periodic basis.

[Bushman]

The good news is you were constantly monitoring your runs before something bad happened. Thanks for sharing your experience and sounds like you went through steps to process the problem.

[Yummyrum]

Thanks for sharing greggn.

You are probably not the first and won’t be the last to have something on the way out give you a warning sign .

Glad you figured it out and all ended well .

I have to say i have always been sceptical of CCST . It always screamed metal fatigue to me but seemed to have proved me wrong .

I certainly hope this isn’t the beginning if a whole lot of CCVM failings .
Oh well , maybe thanks to your experience , it’s time for folk to get another length of CCST as an expendable maintenance measure .

[Rrmuf]

Thanks for sharing!!!! I don't really know what CSST is but understand the implications of the failure.
A good lesson on what can go wrong, and the need to be ever-present!

[still_stirrin]

… I don't really know what CSST is ….

Corrugated stainless steel tubing.

CSST

942E77EC-8DF0-4505-9317-3E4446362162.jpeg (25.91 KiB) Viewed 2089 times

[Rrmuf]

Thanks SS. So this is used for in-column RCs?

[8Ball]

Thanks for sharing!!!! I don't really know what CSST is but understand the implications of the failure.
A good lesson on what can go wrong, and the need to be ever-present!

+1

My experience is limited to having run only a basic, small copper pot with a riser & Liebig. Lots of terms and rigs mentioned here that are not pot still related don’t fully register to me at times. Thanks for asking

[still_stirrin]

Thanks SS. So this is used for in-column RCs?

Yes. Here: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=41579&hilit=dad300#p7104768

ss

[Rrmuf]

Thanks SS. Crystal clear.