when to flush/when to add water ?

coelcanth

how often do you drain sludge from the boiler ?
do you also add makeup water at this time to bring it back up to the normal waterline ?
i am trying to find the balance of keeping a clean boiler while avoiding to add fresh oxidizing water excessively..

if you don't have a meter, how do you keep track of water usage throughout the season ?
the manual for my boiler says normal usage is something like 2 gallons per year (or .2 per month), but if you are flushing the bottom of the boiler often, it seems like you'd hit that limit..

with the probe type lwco, can i just check on things once a month and add water at that time ?

KC_Jones

Personally I wouldn't do anything throughout the year, just add water as needed. I only flush mine out every other year. That being said I run water treatment and my wet returns are copper (my wet return water looks like drinking water). Boiler is starting it's 5th year and I get very little sludge in the bottom and it's only in the boiler, returns are clean.

You have no idea how much you are adding without a meter, I would highly suggest adding one if you don't have it. The meter really is a useful diagnostic tool. If water usage is excessive you will know very quickly and start looking for problems.

The more you drain the more fresh the more sludge IMHO.