Original Crane Boiler "Internal Syphon Gauge" not functional. Is this okay?

drfronkonstein

So the boiler has been working perfectly fine, but I've noticed for the three years I've owned this house that this gauge has not worked. It's stuck; not leaking or anything, just stuck at this pressure point. Is this gauge something that would be really useful to me?

See my original discussion on the boiler here: https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/161480/age-of-this-crane-boiler

See some pictures of the gauge here: https://imgur.com/gallery/1FTABJm

Thoughts? Should I get a new gauge? What should I look for? Should I send this one out to get rebuilt? I'm also pretty handy myself... I've never rebuilt a gauge but I think I could! Would be neat to see the original one functioning. Don't also want to waste my time if the gauge really just isn't necessary.

Thank you,

Vincent

Jamie Hall

Well... a pressure gauge is a nice thing to have...

So I'd be inclined to get one and tie it in to the system somewhere handy. They're cheap, and if you're reasonably clever you can find somewhere which reads usefully.

Then I'd set about seeing why that original gauge doesn't work. Take if off the boiler (and plug the opening!) so you can work on it. Could just be a plugged up pipe or tubing inside, or simply just so old that the linkages and gearing (sometimes) and shafts are stuck (PB Blaster, soak, then a liberal dose of brake cleaner can do wonders there). Or... of course something might be broken, which is sad -- but unlikely.

Have fun!

ted_p

Jamie Hall said:

Well... a pressure gauge is a nice thing to have...

So I'd be inclined to get one and tie it in to the system somewhere handy. They're cheap, and if you're reasonably clever you can find somewhere which reads usefully.......

I agree. One thing I'd add though, is that you'd be better off with something like a 0-3 psi gauge.



The low pressures that a home heating boiler typically should operate at would barely register on that old 30 psi gauge in your picture, even if it did work.

Your readings would be closer to mid-scale on a 0-3psi gauge, and you'd have much better resolution. Here's one on Amazon for less than $28:




Kodiak Controls KC25-3# Low Pressure Gauge 3 PSI

Ted

JUGHNE

IIWM, I would just add the 0-3 gauge on a tee under the pressure control, but above the pigtail,.....also cleaning or replace the pigtail and the opening into the boiler.
Did the 0-30 ever show any pressure?
You could just leave it as code requires that range of gauge, even though it is usually worthless for resi steam boilers.

Shalom

Got one of those too. It goes up to 6PSI when the header is barely warm. PSE&G who have a service contract on this boiler said they can't get it off without breaking something, and can't get the part to replace it with even if they did get it off. (edit: the boiler was installed in 1963 and this is probably the original part.)

mattmia2

Are you sure it is bad and it isn't just that it isn't quite zeroed and the boiler isn't building pressure because it matche the edr of the system closely (or the system or boiler has a leak)