Steam Pressure

Owen

If you are steaming from 1/2# to 2# and occasionally the pressure drops to 0, what exactly happens? Say it goes to 0 while the power head burner purges before re-firing and goes back to 2# within 5 minutes. Is that starting from scratch to make steam? Is it more advantageous to never ley it go to 0 ever while heat is required (they go to 0 at night and only start making steam again in the early AM. They [7 boilers] do run just enough to maintain 180º at night.)

I've been told if it goes to 0 you are making steam that requires the full 970 BTU to begin making steam again. But it requires 970 BTUs per pound of water/steam anyway to maintain steam doesn't it?

nicholas bonham-carter

short-cycling

i think you are describing short-cycling where the boiler keeps on having to stop and start which is wasteful of fuel.

this could be caused by inadequate main [not radiator] venting. while the air is being squeezed out of the vents, the pressure goes up to the cutout poit, and stops the boiler. it could also be the thermostat anticipating too much, and needs adjustment. what has changed since this started? is the waterline steady?--nbc

Hap_Hazzard

Do you have a Hydrolevel CycleGard LWCO?

The CycleGards are designed to shut down at regular intervals so it can get an accurate reading if the water is foaming.



If you discontinue heating, the vapor pressure will fall as the boiler cools, and if it falls to a point where steam is condensing as fast as it's being evolved, the pressure will be zero, but the boiler will still be making steam.