#67 float type low water cut off getting stuck. What to do?

Joseph_4

I went to a customer today today to fix an old corroded boiler drain. Had to drain boiler. while filling boiler, i asked him if he tests his low water cut off which looks on the exterior in good shape but is 27 years old. He told me he doesn't test it, but remembers last season that boiler would be off sometimes on low water. So i decided to test with him there. It wasn't shutting boiler off. so i cleaned out a little through plug hole. Started to work. Then it got stuck in off position and boiler wouldn't fire. I opened 4 screws  with valve at bottom to gain large access hole, I see the inner walls were corroded, cleaned out as best as I could. Put back together and it still get stuck. Is there a point where you can no longer clean out a #67 properly and must replace. Or is there a definite way to clean out?



        

nicholas bonham-carter

LWCO cleanout

the easiest thing to do is a replacement, however if that cost is not to be undertaken lightly, the whole thing can be further dismantled, and cleaned. maybe if there is warm enough weather, the whole unit could be soaked clean; however some parts may be beyond resuscitation.

however, the float could be likely gummed up, or be punctured. the parts may take time to obtain, and the cost may be almost the same as a complete replacement, if not more! if the LWCO is replaced, the old unit could be kept around as a source of spare parts.--nbc