Weird problem,any pointers from the pros

alex_11

What I have been observing is that it is taking fresh water all the time.There is NO automatic feeder.I have a manual valve that I have to OPEN,to have water in the boiler.This valve is NOT leaking.

What I see is that the boiler water line rises to the top every few days.I drain it and again it fills up;

This is a one pipe steam system heating 1600 sq ft.System is currently off because of summer.Boiler is old but works fine and runs on oil.

Where this water is coming from,and how can I stop the boiler from overfilling and flooding(is it likely or am I too concerned for no reason.my basement is finished and furnished)

Also the glass guage shows NO rust in the water.

PLEASE help me.Thank you.

heatboy

Tankless coil attached?



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Bruce Stevens

You either

have the manual valve leaking by or if there is a tankless coil in the boiler it maybe leaking.

alex_11

This is an old boiler,with one pipe steam system.Where to look for the coil?

The boiler use to generate hot water,but not anymore.I see that there are three VALVES coming out of the BOILER,but they are not connected to any water inlet.All THREE values are capped.

Any other place the boiler is taking water form other than the inlet valve.


This boiler is atleast 50+ yrs old and is likely a coal fired boiler that was converted to oil.

PLEASE help.I am a novice and all your help will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Brad White

Ockham's Razor

Hi Alex. I know you said that you have a number of piped connections to your boiler including some capped ones going to what we believe to be an obsolete immersion coil for DHW. You also said that you have one manual valve which is emphatically NOT leaking. Edit: More accurately 'not seating as noted below. A far better way to say this.

Unless there is another undiscovered pipe connection introducing cold water to your system then all that remains (paired away by Ockham's Razor) remains the "Not Leaking Valve".

I respectfully submit that your leakage rate (through the open seat) may be low enough not to register to your senses. If you cut and capped that line, see what happens or not.

If you DO cut and cap the one introducing line to the system and it still fills with water, call the news media and the local archdiocese. With foreign and air travel in general, folks will pay you really good money to see this compared to the cost of a trip to Lourdes.

Gimpy Greg_4

terms (of endearment)

What we have here is a failure to communicate.
The homeowner says the manual feed valve is NOT
leaking, because a leak drips water on the floor.
I believe his valve is not SEATING to provide a 100% positive shutoff. Same thing happened to my son at
the end of this past heating season. He has a 2 pipe
system and called me early evening to ask why his supply pipe to the second floor would have water hammer. My reply
"I dunno, in a vertical pipe !" Well late that night the
water hammer was in the second floor radiators and the anvil chorus was dramatic. The tech drained the system,
replaced the valve, did the annual service and all was well
first thing in the morning, surprised no pipes sagged to
provide further problems. The feed valve was not leaking,
but not seating either. Any upstream shutoff may help determine the answer.
My final word(s): "after reading this I want everyone to get up off their chair to check if their seat is leaking."
Wishing you constricted sphincters,
Greg

Big Ed

Alex

Being a tech the first thing I would do is replace the old feed valve with a ball valve. Since there is no other way in as you have stated...

If I wanted to check a valve I would cut the pipe between the valve and the boiler and look for leakage...

After that......

Some times people shut off radiators at the valves.They tend to fill up with water during the heating season .Then drain back in spring...Since it's summer and a small system....

I would look for Gremlins. Other people in the household have other Ideas ? Don't laugh and say no too fast I seen it all..Son wants to do what Dad does. Wife was taught to fill it up to the top ,husban was taught 1/3 up (the proper way). Seanile Uncle Burt trying to be usefull , A disgruntal tenant .... ect

Chris_82

obviously there is a leak, find it and fix it.