Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Water Hammer in steam pipe above boiler shuts boiler off when steam begins to go up in steam pipe

Options
jovo37
jovo37 Member Posts: 10
in Strictly Steam
Hello, thank you in advance for taking time out and looking at my issue. I have a 1 year old Weil Mcclein steam boiler. I recently just started hearing a water hammer in the steam pipe above the boiler when the steam starts to go up into the pipes for the radiators. The hammer just started after a month of use. It will bang for a few seconds, and when it does the Boiler will shut off, when this happens I shut heat off and put it back on using the thermostat and it resumes and seems to run fine after that. What could my issues be? Thank you.

Comments

  • psb75
    psb75 Member Posts: 835
    Options
    You'll get quick answers if you supply good pictures of the piping above and around your boiler. Mo' pictures and information = mo' bettah answers.
  • jovo37
    jovo37 Member Posts: 10
    Options
    Photos of near boiler piping
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,704
    Options
    My opinion is that due to incorrect boiler piping (it’s quite incorrect) the boiler is throwing a lot of water into your main and triggering a low water condition stopping the firing cycle.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
    Hap_HazzardSTEAM DOCTORGrallertkcopp
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    Options
    Where's the equalizer?
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
    ethicalpaul
  • jovo37
    jovo37 Member Posts: 10
    Options
    Is it difficult to repipe it correctly for a competent plumber
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,425
    Options
    Where are you located @jovo37?
  • jovo37
    jovo37 Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2019
    Options
    Brooklyn ny @Danny Scully
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    edited November 2019
    Options
    It is piped so wrong but hammer occurs when water is pooled somewhere, typically in the area where the hammer originates. If this is a one year old boiler, I'd have someone with real steam knowledge come in and pipe it correctly. Get your Owner/Installation manual out and look at the manufacture's recommended minimum piping configuration.
    Has the boiler ever been skimmed? What is the Pressuretrol set at?
  • jovo37
    jovo37 Member Posts: 10
    Options
    Pressuretrol set at 1.5, it’s been skimmed in the past
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    Options
    jovo37 said:

    Pressuretrol set at 1.5, it’s been skimmed in the past

    The scale on the front of the Pressuretrol should be set to .5 PSI and the white wheel (Differential) inside the unit should be set to "1" for a total Cut-Out pressure of 1.5 PSI.
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,973
    edited November 2019
    Options
    > @jovo37 said:
    > Is it difficult to repipe it correctly for a competent plumber

    Certainly can be done. Not a small job. Is there anywaythat you can get the original installer back and have him repipe correctly? The current piping is an abomination.
    ethicalpaul
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,062
    Options
    Water thrown up into piping....auto feeder comes on and shoots cold water into the top of hot boiler....could it flash to steam raising the pressure and shutting down by pressure control??
    Just a theory.....

    Or water leaves and LWCO shuts boiler down, auto feeder might come on....but eventually the boiler would be over filled/flooded.
    Then pressure control would shut down quickly.

    The entire install reminds me of the Larry, Moe and Joe plumbing show.
    Could we get a picture of the side of the boiler where the gas pipe is. The returns must be all there.
  • mikeg2015
    mikeg2015 Member Posts: 1,194
    Options
    > @jovo37 said:
    > Is it difficult to repipe it correctly for a competent plumber

    At a glance it should be hard to convert to a drop header. It should go up off the boiler elbow hard 180 defeats to plot down then right angle towards the two mains. Connect those with tees then 90 over to the equalizer

    Most plumbers won’t touch boilers and just have no experience. But yes they can do the pipe fitting work.

    Knowing HOW and knowing WHAT to do are completely different things.
  • jovo37
    jovo37 Member Posts: 10
    Options
    Competent Plumber after calling electrician friend came needed another skimming and changed angle a pipe on the return.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,704
    Options
    jovo37 said:

    Competent Plumber after calling electrician friend came needed another skimming and changed angle a pipe on the return.

    Did Competent Plumber have anything to say about your near-boiler piping?
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    Options
    ethicalpaul said:

    Did Competent Plumber have anything to say about your near-boiler piping?


    :D
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
    ethicalpaul

Categories