Boiler tube bundles in Omaha, new vs. reconditioned, worth it?

I stopped by a fabricator out near Omaha last month to check out a tube bundle they were prepping for a power plant job. The price difference between new and reconditioned was around $40k, and honestly the reconditioned ones looked solid, but the welds on the new ones were cleaner. I've seen reconditioned bundles last 6 years before a leak, but new ones can go 12 plus with the right water treatment. Is the extra upfront cost worth the double lifespan, or do you guys gamble on the cheaper route and just plan for a swap? What's your experience with reconditioned bundles in high pressure service?

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wren_brown29d ago

...look, if your water treatment is solid and your chemistry stays in line, a reconditioned bundle is basically the same steel doing the same job. That $40k difference buys you a LOT of replacement gaskets and a couple spare tubes down the road. And honestly, a leak at year 6 is just an excuse to do a full inspection and catch stuff you'd miss otherwise. I'd take the gamble every time if the budget's tight.

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