How to clean the water/boiler on an old American Standard

nate70500

I have an old American Standard boiler A 34 M (oil to gas conversion) for my one pipe steam system. What is the best method to clean out the system? I think I'm having issues due to dirty water. When it runs I can see the water bouncing up and down a little in the sight glass (bounces about 1/4 in).

neilc

if the bounce is only that 1/4 inch,
you have nothing to worry about, there.

Does the water look dirty?
Do you see water / moisture washing down from the top of the glass? this might want for skimming if so.
There are no violent(extreme) level changes, correct?

are you warm ?
and a picture of your pressuretrol.

nate70500

The water in the sight glass does look dirty when the boiler fires up and it starts bouncing, has brown sediment in it. I don't see any moisture or water coming down the glass, the tops stays dry. There are no violent water level changes. I am warm. I can post a picture of my pressuretrol when I get home this afternoon.

neilc

let's add a picture floor to ceiling, of the boiler and piping,
and what you have for drains on or around the boiiler,

nate70500

I have a few pictures of the boiler and surrounding piping on my phone so here they are. I can take more if needed when I get home later.

neilc

sounds(looks) like sediments in the boiler and return,
flush a little water thru the LWCO, as you should be doing, weekly, (I see your bucket)
and from the blue drain on the return line,
refill slowly, to normal level,
do a little every day for a week,
see what it looks like.

Remember, it's only a 1/4 inch bounce, normal,
and you're warm.
don't over worry this.

old boiler, funny piping job,
you're saving moneys for a new one, right?

nate70500

Ok I've been flushing a little from the LWCO each week, but not the blue drain so I'll start doing that too. And yeah I've been saving since I bought the house since I know its an old boiler and probably won't last many more years. I've been lucky and only needed to have it fixed once in the 2 years I've owned the house (aside from a yearly servicing).Thanks for the help!

Hap_Hazzard

Try to arraange it so you only add water when the boiler is due to fire soon. Cold water contains dissolved oxygen, which causes rust to form, but when the water heats up, it drives away the oxygen.

nate70500

Hap_Hazzard said:

Try to arraange it so you only add water when the boiler is due to fire soon. Cold water contains dissolved oxygen, which causes rust to form, but when the water heats up, it drives away the oxygen.

Good tip thanks!!

JUGHNE

Also you need to flush the LWCO with the burner firing and confirm that the fire shuts off when the water level drops from the flushing. Perhaps you know that already.

nate70500

JUGHNE said:

Also you need to flush the LWCO with the burner firing and confirm that the fire shuts off when the water level drops from the flushing. Perhaps you know that already.

Yeah the burner cuts off when I start to drain it