Hartford Loop

bean

Is the Hartford Loop needed on a boiler that has an automatic water feeder on it ? I was told the Hartford Loop is not needed if an automatic water feeder is used.

STEAM DOCTOR

YES. Someone out there does not understand the function of the Hartford Loop. A Hartford Loop is there as a backup to a malfunctioning low water cut off. The automatic feeder is useless if low water cutoff is malfunctioning.

bean

Can the feeder not provide some feed of water while the burner fires?

Jamie Hall

bean said:

Can the feeder not provide some feed of water while the burner fires?

Many do. Most do. But... feeding water has nothing to do with the Hartford loop.

Many, if not most, systems have at least some piping which is below the water line of the boiler, in the wet returns. If that piping springs a leak -- and it has been known to happen -- the Hartford loop will prevent that leak from draining the boiler.

Now ideally the low water cutoff will turn the boiler off if the water gets too low. Ideally the automatic feeder, if it's on and working properly, will feed before the low water cut off activates.

But isn't it nice to know that a simple arrangement of a short nipple, some pipe, a few elbows and a T will eliminates the threat from a leak in the returns? Cheap insurance.

Nothing;s perfect, and there is no such thing as a completely goof proof system. One can improve one's odds with redundancy, though (you do put double low water cut offs and double pressure controls on all your installs, don't you? I hope?) -- particularly if one of the redundant safeties is completely passive, like a Hartford loop...

Danny Scully

It could @bean, but the boiler could also be cherry red hot at that moments and explode...for the few extra fittings it’s well worth it. The only time it isn’t “necessary” is counterflow systems and systems with only dry returns, but again it’s well worth it for the few extra dollars. To answer your question specifically though, no an automatic water feeder is not a substitute for a Hartford loop. Are you a contractor @bean?