Cycle guard won't inertrmintent test?

sullyj

Hello. I have checked around this sight and found a lot of helpful information and some books I need to purchase. I am hoping someone can help me with this issue.

My house is 130 years olld and about once a year one of the pipes develops a small leak and boiler will shut off due to low water. A yellow light willbturn on on cycle guard LWCO to alert me that it needs water. I fix the leak and refill with water and the yellow light will turn off and the green light will turn on and run a interminent water test and it will fire up.

A small leaked developed this morning. Yellow light was on. I fixed the leak refilled with water yellow light went off but green light did not go on and did not run test or fire up.

Any suggestions how to fix this ?

nicholas bonham-carter

Have you cut off the power to the boiler, as the cycle guard may need a reboot.
What is the nature of the leaks you have? My system is also of that age, with no leaks.--NBC

sullyj

I have tried shutting off the power and did not work. They are very small holes that pop up on a section of about 10' pipe.

sullyj

When I do cut the power and turn back on the both yellow and green light flash once.

BobC

Has the probe been cleaned recently?

Bob

sullyj

No. Can you tell me how to do that?

BobC

The probe has to be unscrewed from the boiler block, disconnect the wire going to the probe and make sure the power is off and any automatc fill is disabled first. Make sure you lower the water level in the boiler BELOW the probe BEFORE removing it or you will have water everywhere.

Next clean the prove with a scrufty pad or something like that. When you put the probe back do not cover the threads with teflon tape, the base of the probe has to ground to the boiler. Fill the boiler to the proper level and then turn the power back on, if the Cyclegard does not work at that point it probably has to be replaced (perhaps with a Safgard).

Bob

vaporvac

Is there a reset button? Just a thought. also, are we talking iron pipe? It's very unusual to get much leaking.

sullyj

BobC. Thanks for the info. I got to the probe but I could not unscrew it. I had a 4 foot pipe attached to the wrench and it would not budge. That probe is on there tight! It is not suppose to get to cold here tonight. I will try again tomorrow morning.

sullyj

Vaporvac. There is not a reset button that I know of. I think they are steel pipes...? Attached is photo. The holes are very small and form on the bottom of pipes. The pipes are covered in insulation and wrapped with duct tape. I think the rust forms when the insulation get wet and I won't notice the leak for a couple weeks.

Fred

Is this an old dirt floor, rubble stone walled basement that is very, very damp? looks like rust through may be from outside in rather than inside out.

sullyj

Fred. The basement is field stone walls and half of the basement floor is dirt floor. The rusted pipes are above the dirt floor.

Fred

sullyj said:

Fred. The basement is field stone walls and half of the basement floor is dirt floor. The rusted pipes are above the dirt floor.

That's what I figured. As you replace that pipe (even if you don't), you may want to consider a vapor barrier of some type.

sullyj

Thanks Fred.

sullyj

I installed new probe and new safgard 450 LWCO and still same results. With power off I fill with water turn it on and low water light flashes and then nothing. I let out water below probe low water light comes on. I fill with water light goes off but boiler will not fire. Any other suggestions?

Abracadabra

I must admit I don't use the cyclegard lwco but doesn't green mean it's performing a level test and amber off means water is above the probe? If both lights are off, sounds like everything is normal.

sullyj

Yes. I think the probe is working now and sensing the low water but it won't fire. Any suggestions?

Abracadabra

Check for power at P2 terminal

sullyj

Yes, there is power.

Abracadabra

Then it's another limit control that's preventing the burner from firing

sullyj

Any ideas what is could be and how to fix it?

Fred

Tap the Pressuretrol and see if it kicks the boiler on. When was the last time the Pigtail (looped pipe) that the Pressuretrol iss mounted on was taken off and cleaned. It may be plugged and holding pressure between the loop and the pigtail.

sullyj

I tapped it and it did not work. I had the boiler devices last summer but I don't know if they cleaned the pigtail. Thanks.

sullyj

I should of mentioned also that is a Peerless Boiler series 63/64. It was installed 8 years ago.

Fred

Jumper the two wires on the Pressuretrol and see if the boiler fires. If it does, the problem is either the Pressuretrol or a clogged pigtail.
Is this a standing pilot burner? Is the pilot light lit?

sullyj

I tried jumping and it did not work. It does not have a standing pilot. Thanks.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Shut off the power at your circuit breaker or fuse. Trace the wiring through the shut off switch and through all limit controls to the boiler control. Check and tighten all connections on the hot wire (usually but not always black), the white wire and the ground wire. Make sure your low water cut off is wired correctly. If everything looks ok, turn on the power, start at the beginning and check for power at each control until you find the problem. Also check the low voltage wiring and bypass the thermostat with a jumper (temporally) and see if it starts.

Fred

When you put the new probe in, did you install it using teflon tape? That probe has to ground against the boiler block. If you used teflon tape, it won't ground.

sullyj

Fred. I did not use any tape. Thanks.

unclejohn

That system should have a Tstat, pressure control, LWCO and that's normally it. Is there power to the spark igniter? What are you using for a power tester?

JUGHNE

Is there a motorized vent damper?

sullyj

JUGHNE. yes there is.

JUGHNE

Vent damper must open before boiler can fire. The end of the shaft might be exposed so you can see the position of the damper. Some suggest to wiggle the Molex connectors on the cable for the vent damper.
As the vent rotates 90 degrees it activates a switch to start firing of boiler. It MUST be open to avoid CO gas poisoning!

Some may be rotated manually.....some may not.
If you post a picture of it somebody here would be familiar with it.

sullyj

My wife could got cold and tired of me trying to fix it. While I was at work yesterday she called a repair man. He replaced the presuretrol and now it's working. Thank you everyone for all your help.