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Honeywell L8148J Aquastat bulb seized.

Twilt
Member Posts: 1
in Gas Heating
Can anyone tell me how to remove the bulb from the well. Mine is seized. The conductive compound appears to have hardened. I have tried to dig it out and not making much headway. Right now I am soaking it in WD40.
These aquastats are really garbage. My boiler is 20 years old and this is the fourth one I have had to install. (maybe more) The first two I had serviceman install, but it came to the point that I knew the symptoms so I did it myself. Saved a service call and the markup on the part.
These aquastats are really garbage. My boiler is 20 years old and this is the fourth one I have had to install. (maybe more) The first two I had serviceman install, but it came to the point that I knew the symptoms so I did it myself. Saved a service call and the markup on the part.
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Comments
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If the bulb has seized, what else can you do? Replace the well, no?
Aquastats aren't garbage, you just have to deal with them. As the French say, "Get over eet.".8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour
Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab0 -
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You could try some heat, maybe it will melt the paste, but you should replace the well.
In my almost 30 years I've probably replaced 2 dozen aquastats, and never the same one twice.
I think something else is going on-bad install, bad ground, bad voltage (spikes or shorts) or the well is limed up inside the boiler and not sensing temperature correctly.
You didn't say why it failed.There was an error rendering this rich post.
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That is also the reason that the heat conductive past is not recommended to be used. The stuff hardens and the probe is stuck. I don't think it makes very much difference at all by using it, so you are better off not.
And yes, you are either going to have to drill it out, which won't get it all out, or replace the well.
Rick1 -
Agreed, after killing myself trying to get a probe out of a well with the paste it in I never used it, ever.0
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Just thought I would add a late comment here as I just went through this exact problem. Firstly, heat and WD40 don't work. The compound is really thick but WILL release if you use enough pressure. What I did was to use a thin flat blade screwdriver to loosen to carefully loosen the compound to about halfway down the thermostat. Don't twist the blade, just push it down firmly all around. Then, cut the copper wire off the bottom of the L8148 unit leaving it as long as possible. Wrap the wire around a long stiff metal bar. Place a 1" piece of wood under the end of the bar, then slowly and carefully use the leverage of the bar to pull the thermostat out. Good luck!
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