One pipe steam-29psi last two hours

Chuckg72

I'm fairly sure my automatic feeder failed two days ago.----- Steam boiler would not stay on for long.   After discovering this wonderful website I was able to use glass tube and manual overide valve to feed boiler water.  

However, (again thanks to this website) I noticed my psi is at a constant 29psi, my burners have not turned off in last two hours - (house was 59 degrees).  I also noticed my relief valve is rated at 15 psi-(has never popped or leaked).  My house just heated up at a normal rate from 59 degrees to 68 degrees. 

How do I troubleshoot a possible faulty gauge and/or pressure relief valve. 

I have a 120,000 btu peerless boiler installed in 1991.

jpf321

please send pics

if you could please send some pictures of your controls and boiler from several angles and closeups .. this may be useful.



and also tell us what the gauge reads about 30minutes after the boiler STOPS running. 

Jamie Hall

Either

the gauge is wonky or the pressure relief isn't working.  Either way, you need to get it fixed!  My first guess would be that the gauge is off; either the gauge itself is bad or the pigtail leading to it is plugged.  Could be either one.



If it's a bad relief valve, you have a very serious safety problem, and one which might better be left to a pro., unless you are real handy with plumbing and threads and have a way to check the valve -- and a source for a good new one if it is bad (not the local big box store, please...).



Did the boiler shut off on pressure at any time while the temperature was rising?  It almost certainly should have (although sometimes not).



What is the pressure control set at (should be less than 2 psi cutout)?



Just off the top of my head.  We really need some more info. here...

Chuckg72

pics

The gauge slowly decreases from 29psi to around 8 psi in the first 30 minutes.

Thanks for your help.  pics are attached

Chuckg72

troubleshoot gauge /relief valve

cut in is set to 1 psi.

Boiler shuts itself down Only for low water. not high pressure.

Gauge shows solid 29 psi every time, takes about 10 minutes to go from 5 psi to 29psi when boiler starts.  When boiler turns off goies from 29 psi to 8 psi in about 30 minutes.

A Side power vent was added aftermarket about 6 years ago to bypass chimney -Dont think this should matter.

I am landlord and can change pressure relief valve but no way to test it that I know of.

If there are any specific steps you can recommend to

a) clean feeder........ITT  WF2-24

b) trouble shoot / test relief valve

c) troubleshoot / test gauge

d) Once a week I always open low cutoff  to get rid of rust but that is it.  We have fairly hard water and am wondering if the feeder could be plugged and whether air vents are clogged thereby causing the high pressure.

I will hire a professional when I am at my limit.  Just not a lot of steam specialists here in Buffalo NY so I want to be well informed first.

Except for that gauge/relief valve and feeder the boiler has been very reliable and consistent.  Even right now it seems to be working well like it always has. Our gas bills have always been low  --surprising for 2500 sq ft house built in 1899  - although well insulated with replacement windows

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chuck

jpf321

i would start....

i would start with a new gauge test .. and i would mount the gauge on a pigtail... what this will entail is a trip to your local plumbing house.



you will need

a 1/4" street elbow Male on 1end Female on the other ..

a 1/4 brass straight pigtail (2 male ends) ..

a 1/4" coupling ..

a new 1/4" bottom mount gauge 0-30psi ..

and a roll of teflon tape

all in should be under $20 ..  .. ( i'm recommending a 0-30 gauge as a quickly available testing tool .. usually folks here on the wall reco a low pressure gauge 0-3psi, but those are harder to come by locally.)



turn off your boiler

make sure water level is below gauge mount

put some teflon on your MALE end street nipple ..

remove current gauge

screw in street elbow to current gauge hole on boiler..

put some teflon on your brass pigtail (both ends) .. screw that into FEMALE street elbow.

screw your 1/4" coupling onto pigtail

put some teflon on your new bottom mount gauge and screw into coupling..

reset water level if you had to drop it

turn on boiler ..

watch new gauge...and take a few more pics of boiler as a whole from a few different angles so that we can see the near boiler piping arrangement

report back. :-)



it also looks like that 1 vent that you found (if it's the only one) is likely too small. measure your mains in both length and diameter and report back.