Lwco disaster avoided

Jim_X

Realized I hadn't done a blown down on my new boiler since November this morning. Heat has been fine, with no concerns. Glad I checked! 

Auto feeder hadn't kicked on at all, so I was thinking maybe I had finally stopped all the leaks....but no. 4 gallons blown out and the lwco was not on. Water wasn't too bad, pretty clear at 4 gallons. Shut the boiler off, turned the thermostat down, ND turned the boiler back on. Voila, lwco is lit. It wait 2 mins and adds 2 gallons. 2 more mins and 2 more gallons and it's off again. 

ethicalpaul

What kind of LWCO do you have? Probe or float?

Define "4 gallons blown out"

Jim_X

@ethicalpaul 99% sure it's a probe. Basically is did a blow down. 2 gallons out and the water was below the site glass. Lwco did not come on. Two more gallons and still not on. 

Jim_X

@ethicalpaul safeguard with autofeed

KC_Jones

You don't do blowdowns when you have a probe LWCO like you have.

Once a year you can pull it and clean it if it's getting cruddy, but beyond that there really isn't anything to do.

ethicalpaul

So by "blow down" you mean "opened drain"? Just making sure I understand the terms you are using.

Was the thermostat calling for heat at this time? Depending on the wiring the LWCO might not activate unless the boiler is firing.

Or I've seen my old boiler would keep thinking the water was higher due to the boiling action splashing water onto the probe. This is why I like my Cyclegard which shuts down the boiler to test the water level at rest.

Jim_X

@ethicalpaul yes. Opened the drain, got some gunk out. Boiler was running, as I was told to do it under pressure to get crude out. @KC_Jones if that's the case then I'll leave it alone and have one less chore to worry about. There was still water in the sight glass, but lower than where my old lwco would turn on. 

EdTheHeaterMan

Like your Profile Pic. was your old man "one of the most feared furnace fighters in Northern Indiana."

Blow downs are usually done with a float type LWCO. Can you post a pic of your LWCO or at least the model number? We are all wondering where you performed the "Blow Down"? take a picture of that valve or whatever it is that you "Blow down"

Jim_X

@EdTheHeaterMan I opened the drain. As I've been informed I don't need to do this with the probe...just visual inspection and once a year physical check I guess

EdTheHeaterMan

@Jim_X understood about boiler drain and not actually a blow down. But you didn't answer the more important question... Was your Dad the most feared furnace fighter?

ChrisJ

EdTheHeaterMan said:

@Jim_X understood about boiler drain and not actually a blow down. But you didn't answer the more important question... Was your Dad the most feared furnace fighter?

My dad never really touched the furnace, never had to.

However, he was an expert at weaving tapestries of obscenities................Still is, actually.