Boiler Pressure

PatB

Please help with the strange settings. I have two steam boilers. The first boiler with lower pressure setting but actual high pressure; boiler 2 has high pressure setting, but actual low pressure. See the pictures. Are they OK to operate? Should I do anything? thanks.

Jamie Hall

What are these boilers powering? Without knowing that, can't really say.

HVACNUT

If the one boiler is actually making 20 psi, then it is not OK to operate. 
Call for service. Must have steam experience to service/evaluate/repair, whatever it takes.
Could be faulty gauges. Could  be clogged pig tails. Could be inoperable pressure relief valve. (Not good) settings on both are too high. Should be at .5 or as low as it can go. Under the cover, the white wheel should be set to 1. 
Where are you located? Did you try the link up ☝️there to see if someone is near you?

P.S. a combustion analysis on both couldn't hurt either. 

HVACNUT

Jamie Hall said:

What are these boilers powering? Without knowing that, can't really say.

Looks like residential to me.

Jamie Hall

That was my thinking, too, @HVACNUT , but I had to ask. If it's residential, as you say something is way out of whack.

PatB

Thanks, it is residential, I am in Bergen County, NJ. I got AJ Perri to serve the boilers two weeks ago.

pecmsg

PatB said:

Thanks, it is residential, I am in Bergen County, NJ. I got AJ Perri to serve the boilers two weeks ago.

Call AJ Perri back. 

PatB

pecmsg said:

PatB said:

Thanks, it is residential, I am in Bergen County, NJ. I got AJ Perri to serve the boilers two weeks ago.

Call AJ Perri back. 

thanks, I will. It has the list of 21 things to do when provides "tune up", I don't know how much it has done.
https://www.ajperri.com/heating/maintenance/tune-up

Jamie Hall

Well, 8 of those 21 are more or less relevant... did they leave you the results of the combustion analysis (Item 1)?

If they did Item 8, they clearly didn't understand anything about the correct setting of the pressuretrols, which leads me to wonder if they understand why they are there at all, or if they checked that the pigtails are clear. Which would...

oh well. Yeah, do get them back. And if they find something wrong, find someone else who actually understands steam heat...

PatB

It didn't give me anything, just a receipt. I don't think the technician actually did all of those listed. After the service, the boiler 1 stopped working. (the one with 20 psi) Another technician came and found out the pigtail was clogged. He cleaned out pigtail, then the boiler starts to work again. Then, I noticed the pressure... I recall it was 5ish last year....

thank you all, I scheduled a service recall with AJ Perri tomorrow.

Good night to all. I will report back tomorrow.

pecmsg

PatB said:

PatB said:

Thanks, it is residential, I am in Bergen County, NJ. I got AJ Perri to serve the boilers two weeks ago.

Call AJ Perri back. 

thanks, I will. It has the list of 21 things to do when provides "tune up", I don't know how much it has done. https://www.ajperri.com/heating/maintenance/tune-up

Perfect example of advertising BS. 

you could call them back but they’ll probably send another unknowing tech. 

Find a contractor that knows Steam. 

There’s a few on this site. 

JUGHNE

I never heard the word "steam" anywhere in that ad.

I bet they could give a fast quote to tear that old system and "upgrade" to to high end forced air system.

tim smith

Idea all, system may be full of water to 8 psi, fill valve leaking through. I could not see sight glass clear enough to see a water line.

PatB

The technician fixed the pressure. It turned out it was stuffed with mud, not it is better. I think.
What you think the problem is solved? thanks!

neilc

guessing tech cleaned the looped pipe under the Ptrols, your pigtail, they can get loaded up with gunk and clog, isolating the Ptrol pressure switch,

keep an eye on those pressure gages that they don't get above 2, 3, psi,
also watch the water level in the sightglass, that it doesn't bounce much, no more than an inch, 1/2 is better, none is best,

no way to skim?
those plugs to the right of the sightglass,

PatB

neilc said:

guessing tech cleaned the looped pipe under the Ptrols, your pigtail, they can get loaded up with gunk and clog, isolating the Ptrol pressure switch,

keep an eye on those pressure gages that they don't get above 2, 3, psi,
also watch the water level in the sightglass, that it doesn't bounce much, no more than an inch, 1/2 is better, none is best,

no way to skim?

Many thanks. Question, what do you mean "no way to skim? Those plugs right to the sightglass?"
thanks

neilc

part of installation and continued servicing after any pipe work,
the manual calls for Skimming, a slow overflow thru that plugged port to flow floating oils off the top of the boiler water,
unless you see another high port there with maybe a nipple and cap, this step may have been skipped, and can lead to a dirty boil because the skim oil makes it harder for steam to boil thru / break free,
and that's bounce in the sightglass, and a wetter steam.

PatB

neilc said:

part of installation and continued servicing after any pipe work,
the manual calls for Skimming, a slow overflow thru that plugged port to flow floating oils off the top of the boiler water,
unless you see another high port there with maybe a nipple and cap, this step may have been skipped, and can lead to a dirty boil because the skim oil makes it harder for steam to boil thru / break free,
and that's bounce in the sightglass, and a wetter steam.

thanks a lot, I really appreciate your explanation. Have a good night! Good holiday!