Changing sight glass

daveamir

Very sorry to bother guys in process of changing my sight glass, but the knobs that I have to turn to shut off the water supply to the sight glass won't budge any ideas?? Thanks i attached a pic

daveamir

Here's the pic

KC_Jones

Judging from the condition of your sight glass I would guess there hasn't been any maintenance for a long time and those valves are stuck with crud. You may need to drain the boiler, then remove the valves completely and clean them out. I would suggest cleaning out your LWCO at the same time.

When was the last time you had the boiler serviced? How often do you blow down the LWCO? It appears to have an extra valve on it, what is that about?

BobC

That valve has probably not been turned in a decade and is frozen like the shutoff valves under my bathroom sink. If you do use force to turn it that valve may now leak.

You may have to replace the sight glass assembly and that may not come out easily. If it were me, I would drain enough water out of the boiler till the sight glass is completely empty - make sure the boiler is switched off and any auto feed is off also.

Then replace the gauge glass, rubber gaskets and slip washers. Tighten up the bonnet nuts (gently), refill the boiler and run it up to steam so you get rid of any oxygen in the freshly added water,

Bob

daveamir

Thanks I've had the house 2 years no service yet just getting interested in steam heat and proper care I think i will change it the way you guys mentioned, how do I blow down the LWCO and how often do I do that,. Thanks for the advice , also I installed the big mouth on my main vent last night and my main gear very very fast amazing

KC_Jones

daveamir said:

how do I blow down the LWCO and how often do I do that,.

I don't have that style, but it is my understanding it should be done weekly or bi weekly all season long.

Do you even know if it is functioning at this point? The extra valve on the bottom of it makes me suspicious.

Someone else with more knowledge on that style LWCO will comment.

daveamir

It's just an extra valve to make sure water doesn't leak from what the plumber told me

ratio

Sometimes that means that the first valve does leak.

Alan Welch

Looks like a m/m #67 low water cutoff with boiler drain. Put a bucket under drain , open drain. Then lift yellow handle above drain and water should flow out of drain. If burner is running it should shut off., If it doesn't keep draining until no water visible in glass gauge. If still doesn't shut off refill ----you need to have serviced ASAP.

daveamir

It shut off !! at least that is working

Fred

Blow it down weekly during the heating season. Drain water until it runs clean. It may take a gallon or so until you get it flushed out, after a while, it will only take about a quart before it runs clean. That MM#67 should be taken apart and cleaned out at least once every couple years (they recommend annually but every two years is fine as long as you test it periodically and make sure it shuts the burner down).

daveamir

Thanks, btw fixed the sight glass thanks for all your help guys