High Pressure

fxrgrunt

Good afternoon. So I skimmed today and fired up the boiler afterwards to boil the new water. I set the thermostat to 80 and just opened the windows so it would run good for over an hour. I noticed a few things that were odd. First after it was running for 45 mins to an hour with the cycle guard shutting it off once or twice I noticed the low pressure gauge creeping up to around 3 before the system shut down. Pressuretrol is set at .5 cut in and 1 cut out. I thought 3 was a little high and from what I understand shouldn't be happened but I don't know if it's because it was running so long with the temp set so high and windows open. The other thing that I believe is a contributing factor is on the antler I have with two Gorton 2s I heard a crackling noise which led me to believe water may have gotten trapped in there. I just had this antler off last week to install a second Gorton 2. I believe it may not have enough pitch letting water sit up in there. I don't have a lot of ceiling room to play with so I may try to put a T after the elbow and then two 90s and make a menorah. I've attached pictures. Let me know your thoughts. I just installed the low pressure gauge and don't know what was the actual running pressures last year but I do not remember it ever shutting down except for the cycle guard. Thanks.

Dan_NJ

I have the same pressuretol and basically it's highly inaccurate. I get cut out at a little over 2 psi, cut in around 1/4 psi and that's the best I can get out of it despite being set up like yours. It's off by 80% - a one psi differential is actually a 1.8 psi differential. Fortunately i don't regularly get to that ~2 psi cut out except very occasionally. The Cycle Guard helps keep it under control so I've kept that; I'm about 40% oversized.

Jamie Hall

Actually your pressuretrol is set at a 1.5 psi cutout -- that white dial is the differential (additive) from the cutou, not the pressure itself

That said... the comment above is correct -- they are not known for great accuracy (though they are actually remarkably precise -- a very different thing). Best way to set them is with a low pressure gauge to see what they really are doing.

I'm a bit concerned about your antler -- is the "horizontal" pipe to which the vents are attached ptiched to slope back to the system connection? If not, you will get water in there, however hard you try not to, and it will cause problems.

fxrgrunt

Jamie Hall said:

Actually your pressuretrol is set at a 1.5 psi cutout -- that white dial is the differential (additive) from the cutou, not the pressure itself That said... the comment above is correct -- they are not known for great accuracy (though they are actually remarkably precise -- a very different thing). Best way to set them is with a low pressure gauge to see what they really are doing. I'm a bit concerned about your antler -- is the "horizontal" pipe to which the vents are attached ptiched to slope back to the system connection? If not, you will get water in there, however hard you try not to, and it will cause problems.

Jamie,

The low pressure gauge was getting up to 3psi which I attached a picture to original post. That was after running for 45 mins or so which I set the Stat to 80 and opened my windows to boil out the new water. Not sure if my boiler will ever run that consistently to get to temp and actually hit that psi in normal use. 

As for the antler, the main is pitched but I think with how long the antler is and the weight that it is sagging on the end and just sitting level. I heard crackling in it today as if water was boiling. I don't have much room to create more pitch so I may just do a T off the main and two 90s to make a menorah. It might be my best option with the space I have.