added to much water to the glass site on a old gas fired steam boiler.

kimmr84

help. I added to much waster to the glass site on the front of my old gas steam boiler. when I turned it on it squrted water out of the steam whistle things on the radiator upstairs just one. is this going to hurt he boiler? what can I do.

Fred

How much water did you add to the boiler? Can you see the water line in the sight glass? If not, Drain the water in the boiler down to the normal water level (where you normally keep it). I'm not sure you added enough water to fill it that high. Does this boiler have a auto water feeder on it that may be leaking or is the manual water valve not shut off? Check those things. Once you get the water back down to normal level, start the boiler again. You may have washed some crud into some of the vents and they may need to be washed out. chack them after you start the boiler. Also, have someone check the pitch on that one radiator. It may be that it is pitched the wrong way and holding some water in it. I'm assuming this is a single pipe system (pipe only on one side of the radiator and vent on the opposite end. If so, the radiator should have a slight pitch back towards the pipe.

kimmr84

ok this what know I have a glass site on the front of the boiler and when it get to low I turn the lever on and add water to a line. well I didn't have my glasses on and I added water just pulled the lever down and then right back up and I did it again and again. I couldn't tell if it was empty or full. that's kinda it. I had been measuring the water that I have gotten out so far and its 3 1/2 cups it cant be to much more over fill I think. this yes it is a one pipe. and water only came out one radiator. it is the first one that gets hot then the heat comes on. should I turn it on again. I am hoping I see line on the glass site soon. is this something that might happen

Fred

The water level in that sight glass should never be more than 3/4 full. If you are keeping it higher than that, it's too much but a few cups of water won't make water shoot out of a radiator. Get the water level down to the 3/4 level, make sure the water shut-off valve is completely closed, Make sure that radiator is tilted slightly back towards the pipe end of the radiator (you may need help with that) You can use a checker or a couple quarters under the legs of the radiator on the vent end to give it the pitch it might need. Once you get the water level down, you can turn the boiler and that radiator back on.

Jamie Hall

And it may take more than a few cups of water... those older cast iron boilers can hold a surprising amount! Patience and keep going until you get the water line right.

ChrisJ

I'm sure it didn't hurt the boiler.
However, it may have damaged the vent on the radiator (whistle thing) and could plug the pressuretrol in theory but probably not.

Drain the water out until its about right, or, if you go too far add more to bring it up to the right level.

Be cautious when you run it the first time and just keep an eye on the vents. If you find any leak steam replace them.

Curious, the vents on the radiators (the whistle things). They don't actually whistle, do they?

Steamhead

Might be time to have a pro look your system over. Where are you located?

kimmr84

i had water coming out of the little steam releaser on the radiator in one room and it stopped now its doing it in another room. i have been waiting for the water in te glass to go down i only over filled it a little but it has sprayed over a bucket so far have to shut it down to stop it

kimmr84

the one in the kitchen is almost whistling the others are fine. oe was spitting water it stopped now another is spitting water. do you think that one will stop. should i run it again?

kimmr84

ok i didn't realize i had a few replies oh great. ok im gonna run it again and fill another bucket and im in Connecticut

Fred

It sounds like the water valve that you use to fill the boiler may not be shutting off. There shouldn't be that much water in the system if you just filled it a little bit. Do you also heat your hot water for the house through that boiler? Something is leaking and you need to find out what that is. It is either the valve you use to fill the boiler or, if you have a Hot water coil in the boiler to heat the hot water for the house, that coil may be leaking inside the boiler. Do not turn the boiler back on until the water level is down to the normal line and you figure out what is leaking. It may be wise to have a service person come out and go over this issue with you.

vaporvac

I'm reading it that ho just spaced on how much water was added and hasn't emptied enough yet. I don't understand what "im going to run it again." means, though. You need to empty the boiler until you see the line 1/2 up the glass tube. It will continue spitting until you do this. It could be gallons, not cups if it's gone up the mains, which it apparently has. I had this accidentally happen last year and I could believe how long it took to drain.

Jamie Hall

kimmr84 said:

ok i didn't realize i had a few replies oh great. ok im gonna run it again and fill another bucket and im in Connecticut

If you are in Connecticut, you could do far worse than contacting either Bob Bona or Charles Garrity -- both of them are on the Wall. Charles' telephone is 413-841 6726. I can't seem to find Bob's. They're both really good at this stuff.

Steamhead

Jamie Hall said:

kimmr84 said:

ok i didn't realize i had a few replies oh great. ok im gonna run it again and fill another bucket and im in Connecticut

If you are in Connecticut, you could do far worse than contacting either Bob Bona or Charles Garrity -- both of them are on the Wall. Charles' telephone is 413-841 6726. I can't seem to find Bob's. They're both really good at this stuff.

I'll second that.

ChrisJ

Mr Garrity has my vote as well.
He's a good man.

kimmr84

i don't think did this from adding to much water. when I add water I do a little I look at it. it was at the top. now this is squirting we are on now like 3 gallons of water out and the glass site still has not com down where I can see a site line. could there have n a clog or something to begin with.

Fred

Not a clog. You would have had problems with water logged radiators before the boiler over filled. As I have said earlier, you have either a bad water valve or Hot water coil (if you have one in that boiler) letting water continue to enter the boiler and over fill it. Do as others have suggested and call Mr. Garrity at 413-841-6726 and get this fixed or you are going to do damage to your home, the floors and anything under those radiators, like the ceilings under a second floor radiator. How are you draining the water from the boiler? It sounds like you are using a very small drain, like the one at the bottom of the sight glass. There is a regular faucet on the boiler that you should be able to open and drain water into a bucket very quickly. Just be sure to be careful that the boiler water isn't boiling hot. Make that call.