Considering adding an auto-fill

eclark

My boiler has a manual fill valve only. I normally check the water levels every couple of days and add a little water every other week to top it off. I don't have a meter so I don't know exactly how much but it doesn't seem like a lot. It isn't losing enough to trip the LWCO over that two week period. And the water use is about the same now as it's been for the last 5 years since we've owned the house. I prefer to keep it simple so never thought about adding an auto-fill until now.

We're going to be out of town for 2 weeks a little later this winter and I'm thinking if something happened to go wrong and we get a leak, the house would freeze up. Barring a massive leak below the water line, would an auto fill help the boiler limp along until we get back?

BobC

It's good insurance against a slow leak coupled with a cold spell. When you get back from vacation I would valve the feeder off so you stay cognizant of any water loss.

When I had to travel for work I used to give a set of keys to neighbor so they could feed the cat and check on the boiler every few days. I would do the same for them when they were on vacation.

Bob

jumper

Live dangerously. Turn down thermostat,overfill the boiler -just a little bit- and enjoy your vacation.

eclark

@jumper I'm not worried about normal consumption I guess my concern would be developing a pinhole leak below the waterline or a sudden big hole in the block above the waterline. In either case, losing the boiler water long before I get back but hopefully the auto-feed could keep up enough to keep from freezing the house up. Boiler is a Burnham V3 (I think) from the early 90s or maybe a little older.

Jamie Hall

I'd add the auto feeder. Peace of mind. The only downside I can think of to an auto feeder is if you get complacent and stop checking the boiler from time to time. After all, if you don't like it you can always turn it off...

j a_2

Well first off the termongly auto feeder is misleading, it's really a back up to a low water cutoff...the auto feeder will most definitely lead to troubleble....I suggest a wifi thermostat, so you can momitor your homes tempature...It's the nature of a steam boiler, that calls for a look see fairly often during the cold months...No getting around it.......part of steam heated home ownership....thing....

jumper

j a said:

Well first off the termongly auto feeder is misleading, it's really a back up to a low water cutoff...the auto feeder will most definitely lead to troubleble....I suggest a wifi thermostat, so you can momitor your homes tempature...It's the nature of a steam boiler, that calls for a look see fairly often during the cold months...No getting around it.......part of steam heated home ownership....thing....

Yes. Why aren't low temperature alarms more common?

j a_2

They used to use light bulbs plugged in next a windw that would at least alert your neighbors there was an issue.....low temp triggered the bulb on....

Jamie Hall

The low temp alarm isn't the problem, really. They are available, in a wide variety of forms. The problem is what happens when the alarm goes off? @j a mentions the neighbours -- but very often there are none in sight. Even more often, they -- sadly but honestly -- aren't paying any attention. So who gets notified? You, in Florida? But what do you do? Call someone local, of course -- whom you have lined up ahead of time -- to check out the problem (my daughter and I do that for several absent homeowners in our area). But it may take time.

I am very happy to have a device on a heating system which will allow it to limp along until I can get over there, figure out the problem, and fix it or get a contractor who can fix it. For a steam system, an autofeeder on the boiler is part of that. For a hot water system, a connection to a live water supply is part of that.

Tonight it will be 4 below here. Saturday night. The places we care for have autofeeders. Makes me sleep better.

eclark

I've been reading bad reviews on the VXT water meter so I was thinking to get the McDonnell Miller WFE feeder and couple that with a meter. Does anyone have any feedback on that or a better idea? Any recommendations for a cheap water meter to couple with this? My boiler is fed from my hot water heater so all the bits need to be rated for domestic hot water temps.

eclark

Bumping this to see if anyone has any recommendations for feed / meter combinations. TIA!

KC_Jones

What have you been reading bad about the VXT? I have one on my current boiler and I had it's predecessor (no meter) on my previous boiler which lasted 32 years. Didn't have a minutes trouble with the old one and no problems with current on after 2 years.

eclark

The poor reviews were right here on HH.com over the last few years:
http://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/139729/hydrolevel-vxt-failures