Automatic feeder not stopping

heater40

I have a steam gas furnace and it has an automatic feeder however when all the valves are open the feeder just keeps putting in water and doesn't stop. How can I fix this?

Steamhead

Call a pro to fix or replace the feeder. Where are you located?

pecmsg

heater40 said:

I have a steam gas furnace and it has an automatic feeder however when all the valves are open the feeder just keeps putting in water and doesn't stop. How can I fix this?

Are you loosing water or is it overfilling?

Jamie Hall

For the moment, close the manual valve on that line. If there is one... as there should be. Then look for why the feeder is feeding. Is it stuck open? They can be. Is the low water device which sends it the signal to feed stuck in a feeding position or malfunctioning? It happens. Only until you find out what was amiss to keep it feeding will you be able to fix the problem -- you might get lucky throwing parts at it, but it's much cheaper, usually, to find the problem and just fix that.

Oh -- if you do turn off the water, be sure to keep an eye on the boiler water level. It's just possible that it's the messenger, and the problem is actually a serious leak somewhere...

KC_Jones

All valves open. Are you sure you don't have the manual bypass open as well? There is supposed to be a bypass to manual fill around the feeder, and if that valve is also open then you will feed continuously, but it won't be through the actual feeder.

SteamingatMohawk

If there is a bypass valve and it is shut, it is possible that either the feeder or the bypass or both are leaking, but this would be at a fairly slow rate, not like when either valve is fully open.

Make sure both valves are shut and watch the gage glass water level. If it goes up, one of the valves is leaking and needs repair.

If this is the case, there may be another valve either before of after the feeder/bypass arrangement that can be shut to stop the flow.

heater40

Is there one of these valves that should be open or closed?

heater40

Hello I think the feeder is fine just had one of the valves closed. So the one on the top and bottom are open and the one on the left is closed. Is this the way it should be?

Jamie Hall

heater40 said:

Hello I think the feeder is fine just had one of the valves closed. So the one on the top and bottom are open and the one on the left is closed. Is this the way it should be?

Yes. The two above and below the feeder weren't all the way open in the picture -- or if they were, the handles are on crooked. They should be all the way open. Unless there is a very good reason not to do it, the handles of a ball valve should always be installed so they are parallel with the pipe when open, and a right angles when closed.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yes. the one on the left is to bypass the feeder. You only use that to manually fill the boiler