M & M make up water valve

billschillin

This was posted on "the wall" before I realized there was a "steam" forum.  Sorry for the duplication, you can kill the thread on the wall if need be.



I am posting this to any hydronics engineers or boiler mechanics out there.  I have a McDONNEL & MILLER  #47 waterfeeder on my Burnham steam boiler.  I bought a new valve cartridge and strainer for the make up valve only to discover that I have the older valve housing.   As you probably know, the older one does not have a replaceable valve cartridge whereas the newer one does.  I'm strapped for additional cash and cannot afford to go out and buy the whole assembly  ( ie: valve ****'y #  SA47-101-102 ) especially since I already have the valve cartridge anyway.  What I am hoping is that one of you has replaced a M&M #47 or 47-2 water feeder and may have the valve body w/ hex shaped port ( which uses a cartridge valve ) in your scrap pile.  I only need the cast iron body with the upper plate and cantilever/plunger ****'y.  I won't need the valve itself since I have one.  I would like to acquire one if any one can help.  I can make arrangements for UPS shipping if needed.



I have been maintaining this boiler myself.  It is 18 years old and the make up water valve finally gave out ( the boiler was over filling).  Upon disassembly of the valve I discovered that the smaller diaphragm had a hole in it. ( this thing is made inside very much like the old brass ball cocks in toilets ) If I could find new diaphragms for this I would just replace them but I don't think anyone bothers to repair them anymore ( just like automobile fuel pumps ).  I got a new valve cartridge and strainer kit only to find that my boiler is too old and came with a non-cartridge valve.  The only difference I can see is in the cast iron housing that the valve lives in. The plate with the plunger and cantilever at the top of the housing may or may not be the same.  In the pictures it looks the same but I don't know if the plunger is the same length which is why I included it in my request. 



On another topic, same boiler: Since the make up valve has been out of service, I have become aware that I am using an inordinate amount of water. ( water has to be added to restore the level after appx every hour of run time or the low water cut-off activates.)    I do not see any evidence of return condensate leaking and there are no vents at the radiators.  Uses a 'BOSTON LOOP' return having a single vent in the line near  the boiler at the top of a riser coming up from the lower portion of the Boston Loop. This is a basement boiler opperating at 'very' low pressure ( steam rises ).  Anyone have any suggestions regarding the water usage? ( At this point I am speculating that it is going up the chimney possibly via a bad section nipple or crack in a section ????  but that is just a guess at this point)  

Any help will be greatly appreciated



Thank you



Bill Sinclair

                         

nicholas bonham-carter

where is the water?

how long will it take the boiler to stop on the lwco, if no water is added?

since you are mechanically inclined, you could check for a boiler leak, by allowing the boiler to cool,and then  overfilling it to the height above the top of the section, and observing the interior for drips over the period of a couple of hours, or so. also watch your chimney for signs of white steam.

if you see nothing, then suspect a vent not closing somewhere, or a bad packing nut on a steam valve.

i hope it's the latter.-nbc

billschillin

addendum

When overfilled, I have water trickling down the back wall of the combustion chamber. So I guess my suspicion of a bad nipple or a cracked section is confirmed.  There are no vents at the radiators and no signs of leakage around the valve stems and I have not found any evidence of any leaking pipes.  Looks like I have some expensive work ahead of me.  By the way I made mention of a Boston Loop but I meant a Hartford Loop. 

billschillin

addendum