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Burnham pressuretrol

My burnham boiler has 2 pressuretrol why is that , it shuts down before the house get warn . Then I have to reset

Comments

  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Pressure

    Is this residential or commercial living space? What is the pressure set for?
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,709
    Many boilers

    have two pressuretrols; not a bad idea at all.  And usually one of them is manual reset.  If I read your post correctly, it is the manual reset one which is shutting the boiler off -- and that shouldn't happen.  The manual reset one is a safety device, in case something goes wrong with the regular pressuretrol.



    So...



    We conclude, tentatively, that something is amiss with the regular pressuretrol, or its settings, or the manual reset one's settings (the fact that the system shuts off before the place gets warm is a different problem.  Patience).



    First, a quick check.  The regular pressuretrol should be set so that the cutoff is no higher than 1.5 psi, with a 1 psi differential.  Some pressuretrols are additive (the differential is added to the main to get the cutoff) and some subtractive; you'll have to figure out what you have).  The manual reset pressuretrol should be set no higher than 5 psi.



    Second, The pressuretrols are connected to the boiler with pigtails.  It is quite possible that they are clogged.  They should be removed (with the boiler off and cold!) and cleaned out and blown through to make sure they are open.  Also check the openings into the boiler itself.



    Unlikely, unless someone has been playing games, but check the wiring -- the pressuretrols should be in series with the low water cut outs, never in parallel with the LWCOs or each other.



    Pressuretrols do fail, but rather rarely.



    Now...



    You say the system shuts down on the manual pressuretrol before it gets warm.  Not good.  This could mean very seriously inadequate main venting.  It could be that the manual pressuretrol is mis-set.  Need more info.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
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