Water Level Sensor problem on OLD Burnham Jubilee

Steve Lokietz

Ed, thanks so much for what you've shared in your response. A couple of questions:

Would you please provide more information on how I am supposed to maintain the water level - that is, how do I determine what the level should be, and how can I determine if it is at that level?

Can you suggest how I might find someone who really understands the old Jubilee, or whose other experience would allow them to accurately determine what is going on?

In regard to the sensor location, there seems to be a fixed place where it was intended to be installed - there is an opening of about 2 or 3 inches diameter where a sort of metal cylinder screws in, and the end of the cylinder facing the front of the boiler has a housing in which the sensor is placed.

Thanks again -
Steve

Steve Lokietz

Water Level Sensor problem on OLD Burnham Jubilee

Hi, I'm having what seems like an unfixable problem with a very old Burnham Jubilee (probably from the 60's, I can provide a photo if it would be helpful) oil boiler (please forgive me if anything doesn't make sense, I know very little about these things, and I'm reporting things as best as I understand them, based upon the service rep's explanations). About a year ago, the water level went into overflow, and the fuel oil company said the water level sensor needed replacement. That was done and I was told that should take care of the problem. A few weeks ago, it happened again. The service rep said that gunk coming loose from the heating pipes and radiators was accumulating on the sensor and preventing it from sensing the water level (the house and its pipes and radiators are pretty old), and since the overflow started when I was out of town for a few days, the continued flow of electricity to the sensor burned it out and the sensor had to be replaced. After that was done there was still a problem because (according to the service rep) the housing to which the sensor is connected was too clogged with gunk and could not be cleaned up, so that was replaced. Then everything appeared to work again ok. But today, less than a month later, the water overflowed again. Another piece of info - when it overflowed last month, the rep said that the buildup of gunk might have been avoided if I had drained the boiler every couple of weeks (after the sensor was replace last year). But although it took a year before the sensor that was installed last year got clogged up and had to be replaced this year, this time it was less than a month before the sensor failed. ====>> I would appreciate any suggestions as to what I could do or have checked that might allow me to get more life out of this boiler ----- or do I just need to "face the music" and accept that the only real solution is to replace the boiler????? thanks! Steve

Toddid Goldsmith's

Boiler flooding

Steve is this a steam boiler? Can you describe what feeds the water? Plugged returns?

Steve Lokietz

what I understand as of now

Hi Todd,

Thanks so much for the reply. Yes, I think you would say it's a steam boiler, i.e. heat is steam heat via radiators. I don't know terminology, there is a water pipe coming in from the regular house plumbing and there is some sort of device (in-line with the pipe) with a big red button that pops up to stop the water flow (I assume that device is controlled by the sensor), and also there is a manual turn valve between that device and the boiler itself. If a photo would help please let me know. Thanks! Steve

Long Beach Ed

Several things can be wrong. If this sensor was recently installed and never worked right, it was probably installed in the wrong location. That's a very common problem.

The feeder is a safety device, and should only feed water if you allow the boiler to run dangerously low. The water level is supposed to be maintained weekly by you, not the feeder.

The sensor can be fouled, but that would cause it not to feed. If the boiler has a tankless coil in it, that could be leaking. Or the returns can be hopelessly clogged.

The feeder may be piped wrong. Most I see are. The wrong type valve may be used or it may not have a strainer. It may be fed with hot water, which would cause gook to form in the valve.

The Jubilee is one hardy and fairly efficient boiler. I would get someone who knows something about steam to look at the feeder. It's obvious that your present technician doesn't know what he's looking at.

Long Beach Ed

Should Be Marked

The proper water level should be marked on the jacket. If it's not, it should be about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way from the top of the sight glass. Burnham's Jubilee 200 literature shows the Normal Water Line to be 36" from the floor.

The Low Water Cutoff tap specified by Burnham is in the middle of the front of the boiler, right above the oil burner. It's a 2-1/2" hole that's almost on line with the bottom of the sight glass.

Sounds like you've got the cutoff in the right place. But as long as you keep the water level from going that low, it should never feed water. It's an emergency control. The cutoff originally supplied with the boiler had an internal float that would first close a feed switch that opened the feeder valve, then shut off the boiler if the float continued to drop.

If you find yourself adding water more than perhaps once a week, the Jubilee may have reached the end of its life. While many of those boilers are still around -- I have one from the 1960's in a three-family rental -- they were also notorious for rotting out at the waterlines. Steam and water could then leak into the boiler and disappear up the stack.

There's a spot on this site that lists steam heating experts. Some of those posting here are the best in the industry. I hope you can find someone to help. Beware, most contractors I've run into locally know nothing about steam but pretend they know it all.

Steve Lokietz

Thank you again, Ed. I think my best approach is to find an expert to take the place of my guesswork! I'll keep you posted on what I learn. Steve