New steam boiler problem

Salem

I have purchased a new steam boiler. It is only two months old. I have filled the tube to the water level noted by the plumber. When the heat is turned on two radiators leak water and there is a horrible banging sound in the pipes.
When i drop the water level a bit the leaking and banging subside and all is well. HOWEVER, The boiler is constantly losing water. The water bounces up and down in the tube. I keep having to refill it. I have an alarm that goes off when thr water level is low. And it is going off every day.

I am at a loss as this is a new boiler.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Fred

Pictures of the boiler and piping would help a lot. Where is the water leaking from on those two radiators? Is this a one pipe or two pipe system? Was thge boiler ever skimmed since it was installed? Need more details and pictures, please

JUGHNE

A new boiler is just like putting a new engine in an old car. There is a lot more involved than just the engine.
New boiler water line might be lower than old, this could put old wet return pipes that were under water and are now above the water line.
Installer could have set pressure control up to 9 PSI.
The high pressure could cause leaks to show up in old rads.

So a bunch of pictures would help.

BobC

It sounds like the boiler was not skimmed. Anytime a boiler is installed or the piping has been replaced oils get introduced and those oils have to be removed from the system by skimming the boiler.

There may be other issues but skimming is probably the first order of business.

Bob

EzzyT

where are you located?

Salem

I have attached photos.

I drained/skimmed the boiler a few times to get rid of the awful smell when the heat was turned on.

The radiators are leaking from the air valves.

It is a one pipe system

Thanks

Abracadabra

Skim the boiler properly.

EzzyT

the skimming port still has the plug in it so clearly no skimming was done

Fred

I don't see a skim port on that boiler. Is there one installed on the other side? How are you "skimming" it? Emptying the water out of the boiler, from a lower drain is not a skim. You have to slowly skim the oils off of the water surface from a skim port above the water line. Draining water from the bottom just lets the oils stick to the sides of the boiler block and when you refill the boiler, the oils rise to the surface again. I think a proper skim (maybe several) will fix your problem.

EzzyT

To properly skim a boiler can take up to 6-8 hours. Was the main venting upgraded?

Dave_154

Skim port is up and right from the glass tube. You can see jacket insulation around it.

Fred

@Dave , I see a plug there but it doesn't look like it was removed and a proper skim port installed.

Dave_154

Fred said:

@Dave , I see a plug there but it doesn't look like it was removed and a proper skim port installed.

True, I meant that is where the port should be.

nicholas bonham-carter

What is the plumber's explanation for the problems you have?--NBC

Salem

Thank you to all for your comments. I will call the plumber tomorrow and have him take a look and install a port. I will hopefully clean it out and solve my problem. Fingers crossed!

EzzyT

Clearly states in weil mclains manual on page 25 that skimming can take up to several hours just as noted on all manufactures literature. And they do say to remove the skim piping and plug the skim port.

Salem

It took them less than a day to install. I highly doubt they skimmed

EzzyT

If the plumber tries to tell you that steam cleaner is used instead of skimming the boiler then show him in the manual page 25 that boiler needs to be skimmed and a PH test need to be preformed

EzzyT

This is what Hatterasguy is talking about

Dave0176

EG-45 is a big boiler, 392 sq ft of steam and 150,000 BTU. Did the plumber actually measure every radiator and count the sections of all your radiators and get a proper EDR???? If the boiler is oversized that creates problems too.

Also your near boiler piping, although manufacturers manual correct, it is MINIMUM. Meaning it works per say Weil McLain, but it isn't the best.

Dave0176

Hatterasguy said:

It appears to be fully piped in 3".

If correct, that's more than sufficient for an EG-45. The steam velocity is less than 20 fps.

Nothing wrong with that installation.

We've seen a lot worse.

I guess, it's tough to tell pipe sizes from pictures, but whatever.

Charlie from wmass

Did anyone else see the dry returns tied together 5 feet up in the air?

nicholas bonham-carter

That would explain why dropping the water level brings temporary relief.--NBC

BobC

I couldn't quite make out what that copper pipe (behind one of the main takeoffs Picture #6) was doing but if they really are tying returns together above the water line that has to be corrected.

We need a picture from a different angle to see exactly what that pipe is doing.

Bob

JUGHNE

Also, does the water fill line connect above the water level? It connects to the equalizer drop but seems high. If fill valve came on during steaming would this be like a HLoop being too high.....above the water line.

Salem

A few more images if that helps. Thanks!

EzzyT

From those set of pictures we can see the main vents aren't big enough and need to be pipe higher off of the dry returns. And yes those dry returns are piped in together above the water level

Charlie from wmass

The pitch of all piping also needs confirmed. With the excessive use of nipples and fittings to connect the header to the system I suspect attention to the flow of the steam and condensate was not a major concern to the original installer.

Salem

The plumber will look at it this week. He said he skimmed it quite a bit originally but that it probably needs more skimming based on my description.

I will let you know how it works out.

I really appreciate everyone's insight and thoughts.

Abracadabra

Salem said:

The plumber will look at it this week. He said he skimmed it quite a bit originally but that it probably needs more skimming based on my description.



I will let you know how it works out.



I really appreciate everyone's insight and thoughts.

How exactly did he skim it? There's no skim port. Skimming takes hours over at a minimum a couple of days. Draining the water is not the same as skimming.