Pressuretrol/ steam pressure gauge issues

Jake228

I've had to adjust my Pressuretrol up twice to get my boiler to come on in the last couple of months The second time I had to raise it quite a bit. I noticed my steam pressure gauge was reading higher( around 3-4) even though the system wasn't on for some time. Can you have pressure trapped in the system? This is an old single pipe system. I thought before I turned the system on this season that the gauge might be defective because it showed some pressure ( .5lb ?). The boiler wouldn't fire then and I called a contractor who stopped by and adjusted the Pressuretrol and said to adjust it further if needed. He said he hadn't seen one fail in 20 years.

BobC

Is the pressure gauge on the same pigtail as the pressuretrol? Those pigtails can get plugged up, they should be checked to make sure they are clear yearly and taken off and flushed every few years.

Bob

KC_Jones

BobC said:

Is the pressure gauge on the same pigtail as the pressuretrol? Those pigtails can get plugged up, they should be checked to make sure they are clear yearly and taken off and flushed every few years.

Bob

And if the contractor you called didn't do the above, then I would suggest you have a contractor that doesn't know what they are doing.

Checking the pigtail should be a first step for any contractor that has even a basic knowledge of steam.

Jamie Hall

Classic clogged pigtail or the port into the pressuretrol.

Jake228

The pressuretrol and gauge split off the same pigtail. I'll try disassembling the setup and cleaning or replacing the pigtail.
Thank you, never heard of it till today, when I found this forum and started googling stuff

Mike Cascio

Please post some pictures of the pressuretrol and wide shots of the boiler with piping. You may have some plugged main vents.

pecmsg

KC_Jones said:

BobC said:

Is the pressure gauge on the same pigtail as the pressuretrol? Those pigtails can get plugged up, they should be checked to make sure they are clear yearly and taken off and flushed every few years.

Bob

And if the contractor you called didn't do the above, then I would suggest you have a contractor that doesn't know what they are doing.

Checking the pigtail should be a first step for any contractor that has even a basic knowledge of steam.

Finding one with "Basic" knowledge is the problem!

Jake228

I traced the pipes out by hand earlier and couldn't find a main vent. Is possible it's only vented at the radiators?
Can't seem to load a picture right now.

The contractor I used earlier actually installs the occasional residential steam boiler but troubleshooting might be a different matter. According to the service notations left by various techs the pigtail was last cleaned about 5 years ago.

BobC

I'd be leery of a pigtail that had not been inspected for 5 years especially if that pressure gauge goes back to zero when cold and you have checked the pressuretrol is set correctly the front tab at 0.5 and the while dial inside the case set to one.

Bob