Proper Boiler Water Level

mculik5

I have a Weil McLain PEG-35 boiler. The manual states the following about proper water line:



- Proper water line is 23 13/16" from floor

- Proper water line is 2" above top of Hartford loop elbow

- Proper water line is about halfway up the sight glass



In my case, 2" above the top of Hartford loop elbow is about 1/8" from the top of the sight glass, and 30 3/16" from the floor.



My boiler is raised off the floor with concrete blocks, so I imagine that "from floor" heights will vary by installation. For what it's worth, my boiler is about 6" above the floor.

The distance from the bottom edge of the boiler housing to 2" above the top of the Hartford loop elbow is 24 1/2".



Is this a lousy install? Where should my waterline be for optimum efficiency/safety?



Thanks!

Jamie Hall

Define floor...

what Weil-McLain means by floor is whatever the bottom of the boiler is sitting on -- in this case, the top of the concrete blocks -- not the surrounding basement floor.



As a general rule -- and it applies here -- the optimum water level in one of those boilers is between half and two thirds of the way up the sight glass.  It can run a little higher when cold, but shouldn't be much higher.  Set it there and don't worry about it.



It would seem that your Hartford loop is installed a little high -- but that won't hurt anything.

mculik5

OK, thanks.

Thanks for the info. A lot of what I read talked about the 2" difference between the water line and the top of the Hartford loop, so I thought that was a big deal. As a result, I filled mine way up.



Looks like I'll be draining some water tonight.



Can't say enough good things about the folks on this forum. Thanks.

ChrisJ

Pictures

It is always best to include pictures so everyone can see how the boiler is piped before commenting on an install. If the hartford loop is installed too high it may cause hammering.



I run my EG-45 as Jamie said right around half way up the gauge glass. When I fill I go slightly above half way and I refill when it is slightly below half.



The EG-45 and PEG-35 are the same in regards to water level.

Blaine

line too high?

My boiler has a water level line that is almost to the top of the glass. I always read about people filling 1/2 to 3/4 to the top of the glass so I go two inches or so below the line. I figure since there is also a minimum line that the manufacturer probably meant this to be a maximum line and just worded it poorley.

ChrisJ

Depends

It all depends on the boiler.



Most Burnhams for example call for 3/4" up and should be kept in that general area.

Blaine

thanks!

thanks! i found the manual for my PENNCO 16 Series on line and it says "halfway". i guess either the factory or the installers put the line on the casing to high because its almost at the top.



"Filling System With Water

Steam heating systems boiler is partially filled with water.

Fill boiler to correct level for proper system operation.

Correct water level is about halfway up glass water level

gauge as marked on boiler jacket."

ChrisJ

Not sure

about that brand but on my Weil-Mclain I had to install the stickers my self so probably whoever installed it did it wrong.



You'll likely save some money running it at the correct level.

Toymotorhead

Halfway.

On my Weil McLain PEG-40 (which has some slightly messed up near boiler plumbing) it seems to be happiest with the water level at half way down the sight glass or a little lower. Too high and the water level gets very unstable.



Just my $.02

Richard.

Blaine

on second thought

i raised the water level back up to the indicator on the site glass. when i dropped the water level to half the boiler ran very noisy. i could actually hear the water boiling through the pipes if that makes any sense? kind of like soup can telephones. perhaps thats why the line was there in the first place.

BobC

Hartford loop

Where is the top of the hartford loop in reference to the water line?



If the hartford loop is much closer than 2" from the waterline that might account for strange noises. Measure up from the blocks the boiler is sitting on to the top of the hartford loop and compare it to the waterline.



Bob

Blaine

If this is in fact it in the picture

Then it is opposite the site glass with the top of the pipe an inch or so above the fill line demarcation. I think I have another issue though. I noticed last night that the water level in the glass had dropped significantly. I thought maybe some of the water was trapped in the system and would return so I let it cool a bit. The level didn't come back so I added what I thought to be a significant amount of water. Probably 2 inches in the glass. This morning I wake up and the water level had dropped again maybe an inch or so. I'm waiting now for it to cool to see if it comes back but I fear I may have a leak.