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Diagnosing possibly faulty low water valve?

Jells
Jells Member Posts: 576
in Strictly Steam
My boiler has needed to be reset 3 times since January. I was not present for the 1st 2, but last time I looked at the sight glass and the level was good, but then when it was running I could not see it at all. Could the low level be tripping the low water cutoff? If it's the fill valve how do I diagnose this? The unit is below, a Smith oil boiler with a Carlin gas burner.

Comments

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,334
    What did you reset? Is there a manual reset LWCO somewhere or did you have to reset the burner.
    When was the last time it was serviced? That burner needs some TLC and a combustion test.
  • Jells
    Jells Member Posts: 576
    I reset the burner by that red button on top. It's just dusty, the system was installed in oct 2012.
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    The low water cut off has nothing to do with the burner reset tripping ... The burner need to be serviced by someone who knows the Carlin conversion burner ...

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,279
    Pictures from farther back showing all piping and also the same picture but so we can read numbers on gray box and gauge.
    Thanks.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,334
    > @Jells said:
    > I reset the burner by that red button on top. It's just dusty, the system was installed in oct 2012.

    Resetting the burner is a burner problem, not low water.
    Has it been serviced since the installation?
    It's not just dusty on the outside. It probably looks worse in the inside. Need to clean the fan, burner tube, turbulator screen and a complete maintenance with a combustion analysis.
    Get the whole system serviced now and then annually.
    If the area is always that dusty, I would seriously look to see if Carlin offers an outdoor combustion air kit for your burner.
  • Jells
    Jells Member Posts: 576
    Ok, if that's what it needs. I guess I never thought about intake issues. Is there no filter? Anyway, I guess I need to find someone I trust, Jstar installed this but he's not doing this anymore. The best local guys here in Jersey City wanted to install a much bigger unit, Jstar actually did the numbers instead of just looking at the BTU's on the old one.
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    Just looking for the BTU's on the old one will not fly here :) Lazy salesmen

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Jells
    Jells Member Posts: 576
    Honestly Ed, I don't think he was lazy as much as just old school.
  • Jells
    Jells Member Posts: 576
    Here's the pics JUGHNE requested. It needed reset again yesterday. Seems to be getting worse.


  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,868
    As has been said, resetting the burner is a burner problem. Your burner is trying to tell you that it needs help, now. Like -- ASAP.

    Get a qualified tech in there to find what's amiss with it and fix it and properly adjust it -- before it either fails completely or does some really evil to your house.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,840
    @Dave0176 @EzzyT both work in NJ.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,334
    Also a qualified tech will lower the Pressurtrol to .5 cut in and 1 on the diff.
    And it needs a new pressure gauge (or something is really, really wrong).
    Aside from family, that boiler is the most important thing in your home. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Or don't. It will still take care of you. Just not in the same way.

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