Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Pressuretrol Question

Hal
Hal Member Posts: 55
Peerless oil fired boiler.

Honeywell PA404A pressuretrol.

Differential set to 1.



The problem:

<strong>The boiler does not start until the cut-in is cranked up to 5 or so.</strong>



Thanks in advance for any replies.

Comments

  • pressuretrol problem

    could the waterline  accidentally be high enough to pre-pressurize the pressuretrol?

    otherwise, it must be faulty. consider replacing it with a vaporstat/low-pressure gauge. set to maintain from 2-8 ounces.--nbc
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,849
    That baby

    is seriously out of whack.  You may be able to adjust it.  Might be better to replace it.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Hal
    Hal Member Posts: 55
    I was afraid of that...

    Thanks for the prompt replies.



    If the settings appear to be correct, what adjustment are you suggesting?

    I am electrically and mechanically competent.



    I am prepared to replace it as soon as necessary, but would consider a fix that is within my competence level until I can get a reliable professional to replace it.



    Hal
  • crash2009
    crash2009 Member Posts: 1,484
    Pressuretrol

    Here are a couple threads that may be of interest to you. 

    Replacement might be more reliable and safer. 

    1 is how they work http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/133195/How-does-pressuretol-work

    2 is how to test http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/132867/How-do-you-test-Pressuretrol
  • Hal
    Hal Member Posts: 55
    Thanks...

    I'll get it replaced.



    Thanks to all.
  • sphen
    sphen Member Posts: 9
    clog

    the pigtail leading to the pressuretrol could be clogged up no? i would check that first before replacing the pressuretrol - seems to me it is a pretty simple unit and there isnt much to go bad?
  • jpf321
    jpf321 Member Posts: 1,568
    i 2nd that ..

    unscrew pressuretrol from pigtail (curly pipe) and unscrew curly pipe from boiler .. be gentle .. the last thing you need is the curly pipe breaking off and getting stuck in the boiler .. even force, no jerkiness .. once pigtail removed .. clean by any means necessary ... pipe cleaners bottle brushes, etc.



    before you unscrew the pigtail, you could try blowing in the pigtail .. blow hard .. once you clear the water in the pigtail through blowing, it should blow freely .. if not .. continue unscrewing and cleaning
    1-pipe Homeowner - Queens, NYC

    NEW: SlantFin Intrepid TR-30 + Tankless + Riello 40-F5 @ 0.85gph | OLD: Fitzgibbons 402 boiler + Beckett "SR" Oil Gun @ 1.75gph

    installed: 0-20oz/si gauge | vaporstat | hour-meter | gortons on all rads | 1pc G#2 + 1pc G#1 on each of 2 mains

    Connected EDR load: 371 sf venting load: 2.95cfm vent capacity: 4.62cfm
    my NEW system pics | my OLD system pics
  • Hal
    Hal Member Posts: 55
    I can do that.

    I will reply with results.
  • Hal
    Hal Member Posts: 55
    edited December 2010
    Problem apparently solved.

    Well that seemed to work.



    In fact I didn't have to remove the pigtail:

    There is a horizontal fitting that comes from the boiler to a tee that the pigtail is mounted on. That horizontal pipe is fitted with a clean-out cap.

    With the boiler off and the pressure presumably at or near zero, removing the clean-out cap resulted in a slight release of pressure evident as a little bubbling hiss.



    I used a piece of stiff wire to poke through the clog that was in the horizontal fitting to the boiler. The clog appeared to be in the horizontal fitting and close to the boiler. I did not remove or clean the pigtail itself. The clog looked like gloppy black paint (oil, right?)



    I recapped the clean-out, and reset the cut-in to 2.5, then called for heat.

    Voila! The boiler started. Thanks for the help. We appear to be back to normal.



    sphen and jpf321, please name a charity and I will make a donation.



    Hal
  • jpf321
    jpf321 Member Posts: 1,568
    thanks...after working on their stream heat last spring

    thanks...after working on their stream heat last spring I got to know a few of these guys really well. I know they could use a splash of green every now and again.



    it says send donations to Larchmont, NY...

    http://www.franciscanfriars.com/contacts/index.htm

    (...there's brother mariano next to the tall redhead in the texas picture.)



    but first let's make sure you run a few days before calling your system fixed.
    1-pipe Homeowner - Queens, NYC

    NEW: SlantFin Intrepid TR-30 + Tankless + Riello 40-F5 @ 0.85gph | OLD: Fitzgibbons 402 boiler + Beckett "SR" Oil Gun @ 1.75gph

    installed: 0-20oz/si gauge | vaporstat | hour-meter | gortons on all rads | 1pc G#2 + 1pc G#1 on each of 2 mains

    Connected EDR load: 371 sf venting load: 2.95cfm vent capacity: 4.62cfm
    my NEW system pics | my OLD system pics
  • Hal
    Hal Member Posts: 55
    A Good Cause

    It's done.



    Merry Christmas to you and yours.



    And thanks again.
This discussion has been closed.