Auto Water Feed on Oil Boiler

Empire_2

When filling a steam boiler, espically on a cold stat you will find that the water inside is sent out to radiators and naturally the water feed comes on. If it does this enough, It will give you headaches. You must monitor the fill line and give the water time to come back when first firing after initial fill. If you allow the feed valve to keep filling, and after the condensate comes back, you have an over filled boiler. The fill line is a refferance, cold it will be slightly above the line but when you fire the boiler you should notice that the water level drops to the same line and maintains the level thats what you want.

Paul K

Auto Water Feed

I recently purchased a home with a 2 year old Weil Mclan steam oil boiler and had my plumber put a auto water feed on it. The water feeder is adding too much water about 2-3 inches above the fill line on the boiler. He has come back and turned the timer down a couple of times so it does not add as much water when it hits the low water cutoff. The last time he was at the house he said he never has seen anything like this. When the boiler is overfilled water hammer starts which my tenants have never heard before. Any advice would be helpful.

Paul K

Al Letellier_9

boiler feeder

Ask the plumber this question: Why is the feeder adding water? If the system is leak free and the vents are working correctly, there should be little need to add water. What kind of feeder did he install, and is it properly set? from your description, he installed an electronic feeder. Make sure the directions are followed closely for setting feed rate and time delay. But check those vents !!!

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ed wallace

auto waterfeeder

have your plumber check the low water cut off it might have sediment in it that is causing the float to hang up i saw this today on a job turned off auto feeder till i can get a float assembly

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bob young

Could be a sluggish return

Paul K

Responses

Thanks all for your responses. The plumber installed o Honeywell Auto Feeder. And with regard to water level in the glass tube. The water in the tube fluctuates quite a bit when making steam. So thanks for the input.


Paul K

Dale

overfeed

Is there a pressure reducing water valve, prv, ahead of the feeder? The time delay between the feeder and the water can put in quite a bit of water at 60 psi house pressure but work much better at 12psi. Remember the boiler will only have a few pounds on it for steam. Another benefit of the prv is that the feeder life should be extended.

Barbarossa

If the waterline is surging when steaming you might blowdown and treat.