Best Of
Re: Boiler Heat Gauge Inquiry
The temperature rise after shutdown isn't that uncommon, if the circulating pumps shut off at the same time. This is particularly true of older, heavier boilers which have a lot of cast iron which gets nice and hot.
This is not to say that the aquastat may not be functioning properly! But if the temperature rise is after the burner and pumps shut down, it may be more or less normal. The solution is a post firing purge with the pump — but that may be more trouble than it's worth.
Re: new crown gas fired steam boilers - water needed every week
As I have been heard to say… one drip every 10 seconds is a gallon a day.
Re: new crown gas fired steam boilers - water needed every week
Well they should have put checking/replacing any bad vents in their boiler install quote, are you sure they didn't?
To see if vents are working, you set up a long call for heat, like make the system have to gain like 5 degrees. Then you run around to all the radiators to see if they are filling with steam. That tells you the vent is letting air out like it should.
Then you keep running around to all the radiators until they start to completely fill up with steam all the way to the vent. When steam gets to a vent and makes it "steam hot" the vent should close and not allow any steam to escape. You can hold a spoon in front of the little hole in the vent to see if it's letting out steam.
Also check the valve (note the difference between a steam vent, and the radiator's valve that has a handle on it) to see if it is leaking, hissing, or dripping.
You don't want to see any hissing, fogging of the spoon, or dripping anywhere because you should only be having to add like a gallon per month to these boilers.
Re: new crown gas fired steam boilers - water needed every week
Small steam leaks add up fast! I had a leak in between two sections of one of my radiators. It didn't leak enough to drip, it was at the top of the push nipple on the bottom of the radiator but it would bubble a bit.
For the longest time I dismissed it because I thought it was too minor to make a difference….all the while I was adding make up water weekly. I fixed that leak and guess what…I top the boiler off once a month maybe.
Set the thermostat up high to get the system full of steam and a little pressure. Use a small mirror and move it around all the joints, valves, vents, etc. You will see little wisps of fog on the glass of the mirror if steam is leaking. Sometimes leaks are so minor you can't see or hear them….but they are there.
Re: Boiler Heat Gauge Inquiry
You are saying the pressure went to 250, do you mean the temperature?
Re: Boiler Heat Gauge Inquiry
I would check the aquastat. See what the high limit is set for, typically it's set for 180⁰. If the boiler is overheating past the high limit setting I would remove the aquastat and make sure the temperature sensor is fully inserted in the immersion well. If the sensor is fully inserted and the problem persists I would replace the aquastat. It's not a common thing but I have had some older aquastats go bad and cause overheating. I would install a modern digital aquastat like the Hydrolevel 3250 or Resideo L7224U.
Re: 2 pipe with traps on rads. Where to set metering valve?
The work fine on a conventional two pipe system. Just adjust the metering section to suit the system working pressure, that's all.
Re: 2 pipe with traps on rads. Where to set metering valve?
That's one of those questions… how big is a box? The metering orifice should generally be set so that the radiator is about 80 to 90 percent hot at the end of a long run. Then you can control the heat in the space by reducing the throttling valve (the accessible handle) to what you want.
Be aware that the above is pressure sensitive, and any adjustments should be made when the system is operating at its normal pressure — usually no more than a few ounces. Not that the valves can't be used on higher pressure systems — they can — but the orifice will be set smaller.
Re: 2-pipe Radiator Experiments, parts 1, 2, and now 3 with insane reverse pitch!!
Venting and steam velocity may have an influence.
Um, wrong link ? Maybe this one.



