Suddenly wet steam?
McClain boiler from 1995. The bottom valve on my site glass had a small leak so I hired a plumber to clean the boiler and rebuild site glass. On the old glass the water level never fluctuated and there was never any condensation on the top of the glass. After the installation I noticed condensation and slight water level fluctuation. Also a little white foam. Could he have dirtied the boiler water somehow? Do I have wet steam now or possibly always had wet steam? New and old glass, new is obviously red valves…
panel so he can put a pipe on his wrench for more leverage.
Comments
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Closer pic, boiler not firing
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Anything’s possible—are you set up with a skim port?
the main vent situation isn’t good but is not related to this in my mind but definitely fix it asap. Yes open the wallNJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
Yes there is a skim port, why would boiler need to be skimmed after just a site glass install all of a sudden?
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you tell me 😅 or ask your guy what he did.
I have no knowledge of your water situation either before or after your guy worked on it.
but if you’re telling me you have suds coming down your gauge glass, I’m going to tell you to skim it.NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el2 -
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I'd have to see your boiler and piping to make a judgment about that. But the waterfall in your gauge glass would be not related to the near boiler piping to my mind and I'd skim it.
NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
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If they put a torch on the steam main that could have loosened up all sorts of stuff in the main. Might have used some sort of penetrating oil that got in the system too. Isn't the element in the vent filled with wax?0
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He is replacing a convector for me also but he didn’t install it yet. He used a lot of penetrating oil
on the supply valve to try and loosen and a bunch on that main vent that won’t come off. He also torched both a few times with MAP gas. The vent is right above the wet return. Thinking maybe he loosened some crap which got back to the boiler along with the penetrating oil.0 -
If it's behaving well and not being annoying I'd ignore it for a while until the install is done and things get washed out good. If it starts having issues skim it before then but you'll likely need to do it again a month from now, or even next season.
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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Boiler seems to be running normal. I won’t truly know until the main vent gets fixed. Will wait until all the work is done and see if it needs a skim after. I am assuming a brand new 60” convector and new piping may introduce more oils to system…0
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You'll know when it's too much.TwoTones said:Boiler seems to be running normal. I won’t truly know until the main vent gets fixed. Will wait until all the work is done and see if it needs a skim after. I am assuming a brand new 60” convector and new piping may introduce more oils to system…
It'll keep tripping the LWCO from the water being blown up into the mains.Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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Hammering, heating and maybe oil put "stuff" into the water.
But also you now have different "new" water in the boiler, that may be a factor.
(Different water chemistry)
I would wait awhile after things are done and then skim.0
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