How do you TEST a steam radiator system?

JJ_4

told me to blow down while the boiler is firing...this way it checks the low water cut-off device operation (burner turns off when about 1/2 gal of water is drained) as well as removing gunk from it.

dcha

So how do you test it?

I have no strange knocking noises and such. I just want to gain some assurance that it's working properly.

I've drained the water and refilled the boiler (water's clear and I'll do it every week)
I've checked the pitch of the radiators
I've insulated all the mains
I've replaced old and clogged radiator vents

So how do I test its performance? Turn it on full blast and make sure all the radiators are uniformly hot? What else can I do?

dcha

ANYBODY PLEASE?

JJ_4

Someone else will have more to say...

but I don't think you should drain the whole boiler every week, just do a "blow-down" at the low water cut-off control (if that's what you have) every week or so. You want to do this when the boiler is firing and drain until the control shuts down the burner. When you stop draining the water should re-fill (mine does anyway),which you can see in the sight glass, and the burner will fire up again. This checks a critial safety device, gets gunk out of it, and exercises whatever it is that makes it work (I'm a home owner not a tech).

dcha

Thanks. I don't drain the whole thing. I just turn off the boiler after I've made sure all the water has returned to the boiler. Then I drain about one bucket (first the water is brown, then it turns clear). Then I refill with my manual feed to the halfway mark in the water level gauge. Then I turn the boiler back on. Is this not the proper "blow-down"?

Daniel_3

That's about it. Maintain proper PM's over time. If you do the above as you described and your happy with the comfort then your in good shape. Don't do too much draining of the boiler water since in your area you may have domestic water issues. Check the ph to see that it is around 7.5. You may need to balance the acidity or basic waulity of the water to ensure the life of the system, pipes, boiler sections, and all. If you have a skim tap on the boiler you can check the condition of the water upon firing. Read the instruction manual for these things.

Bruce Stevens

Not the properway to check

LWCO for operation you should drain water from a drain at the bottom of the boiler for that, however he is correct that blowing down while under pressure helps to move the dirt

Timco

Weekly you are supposed to drain off the LWCO valve by opening the handel that sits on an angle on the valve. The boilers will drop out and re-fill the LWCO and all will be fine...

Tim

Timco

Weekly you are supposed to drain off the LWCO valve by opening the handel that sits on an angle on the valve. The boilers will drop out and re-fill the LWCO and all will be fine...

Tim

tomd7735

Hi Tim

Some of the old McDonnell&Miller controls didn't have auto refill. Talking 40+ yrs ago. Most likely older. These were retrofits from coal fired boilers, which was all manual and didn't have LWCO's, only relief valves. So people were used to going down in the cellar to check ande fill the boiler every day, anyway. (My Grandfather comes to mind, but he brewed his own beer down there, too! ;>D)