backwards boiler

bill_105

I came across a boiler that had it's circulator pumping out of the return. This had been going on for 30 years. The owner tells me the neighbors said the previous owner had heating guys there all the time. He had a heating guy just say the boiler needed replaced. We turned it around and it was like magic. The arrow on the volute was actually touching the jacket of the boiler. You could not see it. I'm thinking the zone valves got the worst of it. The lever on those Honeywells is trying to go in the direction of intended flow. But here the circulator said otherwise. What goes on in a boiler when this happens? He would manually open the zone valves and it mwould make some heat.We turned around the circulator and it really made heat. Ironically, He was pumping away for no good reason!