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Re: "Relatives"???
Hi @EBEBRATT-Ed , You're clearly a producer. Over sixteen thousand posts here, helping people out of trouble. Anything we all can do for you? … I'm serious. This is your community. 😇
Yours, Larry
Re: Where and How to Tie in Time Delay Relay
Where is the Dwyer Photohelic (primary pressure control) on the boiler wiring diagram? Is this a simple open/close set of contacts that turn the burner on and off based on steam pressure?
Your boiler's original LWCO appears to be of the probe type. The mechanical one was added after the fact, maybe to comply with a local code.
The ICM 203 should work just fine if connected this way.
In this configuration, the gas valve will operate as soon as there is 24VAC applied to the valve. When power to the valve is terminated, there will be a delay in the restarting of the gas valve according the the selected time on the dial. for example if you select 10 minutes, then the delay after the power is terminates will start and if you power the gas valve within the 10 minute delay, the gas valve will not open until the internal clock of the ICM 205 reaches 10 minutes.
Example 1: Call for heat (24 V. power) to the gas valve terminates at 12:00. The call for heat is reestablished at 12:03. The gas valve will not power up until 12:10. this is because the internal timer has not yet expired.
Example 2: Call for heat (24 V. power) to the gas valve terminates at 12:00. The call for heat is reestablished at 12:13. The gas valve will power up until 12:13. This is because the internal clock has expires at 12:10 and the power to the gas valve will open the valve at the time power is reestablished.
Is this the delay you are looking for?
Re: Short cycling boiler. I'm stumped.
You can purchase just the leaking probe, as long as the control still works.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Hydrolevel-45-214-EL1214-3-4-NPT-Standard-Ceramic-Probe-2-7-8-ID
As long as you are taking the plumbing apart to replace the Watts 1156F look at the intake of the Watts 9-D backflow preventer. There is a screen on the intake side union.
Re: Short cycling boiler. I'm stumped.
I still think that your short cycling is the SideShot. To prove this you can do a simple test. Take a TEMPORARY jumper wire and connect the O on the SideShot control to the Y on the SideShot control. This will stop the short cycling. of the burner.
This temporary jumper is not to stay on the control. It is for testing purposes only. Once you have determined that the proving switch is causing the short cycling, You must remove the jumper and determine why the proving switch is opening whenever the burner runs.
There are also other repairs that are required. Getting the short cycling resolved, does not eliminate the dangers that the other problems represent.
You probably want to get the new water feed valve and the new LWCO probe taken care of as soon as possible.
Re: LG Heat Pump frustration
@LRCCBJ unfortunately, it appears he had it installed 4 years ago so that argument isn't so simple…
KarlW
Re: new crown gas fired steam boilers - water needed every week
@redheadgenes wash any new sections of pipe you add with dish soap and rinse well prior to installation to remove any residual manufacturing oil. This will prevent issues with oil getting into your boiler water.
Waher
Re: "Relatives"???
Sorry for the rant but I couldn't sleep.
I feel for you. Similar circumstance with an ex.
Repeat after me:
No, sorry, I'm unable to help you with that.
LRCCBJ
Re: "Relatives"???
I feel ya Ed! I know the kind..run everything to failure...Pleasure first...They're extremely lucky to have you, but Stop feeling obligated. I had to tell my super handy father in law's (80) neighbors to "PLEASE CALL SOMEONE ELSE...HE'S RETIRED MANY YEARS NOW!"
Opa just can't say no himself and works for FREE for neighbors and most took full advantage of him. Don't feel funny..time they put some Whoopie $$$ in to the important stuff, like Their heat....especially in the winter! (Ed Holohan). Mad Dog
"Relatives"???
This guy isn't my relative but is my Girl Friends relative. So, I've got sucked into looking at his steamer ….again. I hate doing anything for this guy because it's like pulling teeth to get money out of him even for parts.
46 year old Dunkirk boiler oil fired Beckett AF with a tankless. In the past 8 years or so I have replaced the gauge glass and gg valves 1 trip, cleaned out a plugged pigtail 1 trip, replace the pressure control 1 trip and he tried to replace the cad cell control himself after he screwed up the wiring, I had to go fix that.
Now his house is falling apart. They fix nothing unless it breaks completely. They had mold issues because the roof leaked so bad, but they waited 10 years too late to fix that.
It's actually a rugged little boiler and if it had any maintenance, it would probably run forever but like many he buys oil from the cheapest place in town with no service dept. I have bitched him out for that already.
So you get the idea. They are constantly going on trips to FLA, cruises etc they both work so they got some money coming in, have 2 new cars and a huge flat screen TV…..you got the picture?
got a 550 underground tank and the boiler piping is all wrong, no header and no Hartford but the thing runs as quiet as a mouse and heats well…..go figure. Piping all covered in asbestos
Back when I was actually working, I said "lets rip this out and go to gas your going to have to deal with the oil tank someday, it will cost more the longer you wait". He said " the gas is in the street, but my wife is scared of gas.
Get this, when she needs gas put in her car, she has him take it to the gas station and fill it she won't do it.
So now it's Christmas and the outdoor temp here is 9 degrees. The wife has cats (which I am allergic to and can't stand) so they went to FLA…again for Xmas and to go on a cruise for their 40th anniversary. She has a woman that goes over to feed the cats and checks the boiler.
Today there calling me because there is no heat and the boiler is flooded. T stat set at 70 but the house was 48. The cat survived.
I never had this issue before. I checked the hand valve that feeds the boiler thinking the cat lady over filled it or didn't close the globe valve tight, but it was shut tight.
So I said well either the tankless coil has a hole in it or the hand valve is leaking by. So I started draining. There was so much water in the system the burner was off on pressure.
No place to drain water in the basement so I lugged 25 gallons up the cellar stairs before the water showed up in the sight glass. But the sight glass filled up fast, I drained again, and it filled up fast, I drained it again and it filled some but started to slow down. So, now I am scratching my head.
So the burner came on when the pressure dropped. Since they are not home anyhow, I valved off the tankless. Watched it run for a while and left.
Then after I got home and was trying to get to sleep I figured part of it out.
I suspect the two returns that drop down and ty together before going in the boiler are filled with sludge. When I drained the boiler to the sight glass level, and it refilled a couple of times it was water in the over filled returns seeping through the sludge. The returns are overhead.
But that does not explain the original flooding. Have to go back tomorrow and check. If it is gaining water the hand valve is leaking by because I shut the tankless off.
If it's the tankless is the issue I will suggest abandoning it, I am sure the bolts will never come out and that's not a winter job on a 46 yo boiler. Cap the tankless pipes and put in an electric water heater to get by till summer……..But summer of what year??
I am not going to do a tankless coil, a water heater or the boiler…..I'm done.
Sorry for the rant but I couldn't sleep.
EBEBRATT-Ed