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weird behavior this season

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delcrossv
delcrossv Member Posts: 742
edited January 2 in Strictly Steam
Last couple of years I referbed my MIL's old Weil Mclain one pipe system, new mains vents etc. ran great. 3oz pressure , like a clock.

This year, did the usual flush and add some 8 way, and the pressure is really high, and the water level is all over the place. Mainly the boiler is filling. Replaced the electric valve and the manual fill so no new water there.

2 questions: I think one of the tenants and their rad valves partially closed and I'm trapping condensate (I'll check that this weekend) Plausible?

Second, what's with the pressure? Do Big Mouths require maintenance? System is running close to 1psi! :#

Vent setup:


Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.

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  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,739
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    delcrossv said:



    2 questions: I think one of the tenants and their rad valves partially closed and I'm trapping condensate (I'll check that this weekend) Plausible?

    Yes it is. If it is closed enough, but still slightly open, it can allow steam flow, and the surface tension can cause water to back up. I learned this during my own learning curve with steam. Usually you can hear this at the radiator when the system is running. Will sound like steam percolating through the trapped water.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,381
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    How much 8 way did you put in? Enough is fine -- but much more can cause a surging.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
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    Jamie Hall said:

    How much 8 way did you put in? Enough is fine -- but much more can cause a surging.

    Not much, water is pink, not purple like for a cleaning.
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
    edited January 2
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    The high pressure is worrysome. Can someone post the process for "timing the burner" to get cu ft to btus? Just want to verify the burner gas pressure isn't too high- regulator is a 60 year old Maxtrol.

    Nevermind, found it! :)

    Any other reasons the pressure should be so high?
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,574
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    Bad pressure control, pigtail plugged , plugged vents etc.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
    edited January 2
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    EBEBRATT-Ed said:

    Bad pressure control, pigtail plugged , plugged vents etc.

    Plugged vents after 2 seasons? I'll pull them and take a look. Pigtail and pressuretrol seem okay as the gauges are reading. Do Big Mouths fail closed?
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,708
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    What do you mean "mainly the boiler is filling"?
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
    edited January 3
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    ethicalpaul said:

    What do you mean "mainly the boiler is filling"?

    over a few cycles the boiler has more water in it than it started with. I do have a suspicion on that (see above) as it can't come from anywhere else
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,708
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    I'm a little confused about your suspicion...the only place water can come into a boiler is via its connection to the water supply...is it still filling after you disabled the auto-feeder?
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • pedmec
    pedmec Member Posts: 979
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    did you remove the chemical from the boiler? Water chemistry could be playing games with your water line. What kind of water feeder are you using?
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
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    pedmec said:

    did you remove the chemical from the boiler? Water chemistry could be playing games with your water line. What kind of water feeder are you using?

    Not enough 8 way to make a difference based on prior years
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
    ethicalpaul
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
    edited January 3
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    ethicalpaul said:

    I'm a little confused about your suspicion...the only place water can come into a boiler is via its connection to the water supply...is it still filling after you disabled the auto-feeder?

    Condensate is getting trapped in one or more partly closed radiators, level drops during cycle, autofeed puts some in, wash, rinse, repeat.

    I'm not there during the week to monitor so the autofeeder stays on for now.

    FYI it's a McDonnel Miller 61, so no delay like with a Hydrolevel. And before anyone asks , I checked it- clean and not sticking.
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,479
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    This is how to clock a gas meter, make sure other gas appliances are off before doing this so that boiler is the appliamce your measuring.
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    delcrossv
  • Neild5
    Neild5 Member Posts: 167
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    delcrossv said:
    Bad pressure control, pigtail plugged , plugged vents etc.
    Plugged vents after 2 seasons? I'll pull them and take a look. Pigtail and pressuretrol seem okay as the gauges are reading. Do Big Mouths fail closed?
    Any vent can fail closed if a rust particle gets in it and blocks the vent.  I have had 3 failures on my 10, the original seal melted, I replaced with hi temperature silicone Owings and haven't had any problems. 

    delcrossvethicalpaul
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 742
    edited January 8
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    OK, went down there yesterday and opened all the radiators in all the apartments. about half were closed because it was about 80+ degrees in every apartment except my MIL's who, in a fit of frugality decided to turn off most of her radiators. Unfortunately, the building thermostat is in HER apartment. :#
    The results were just what one would expect.

    After opening all the emitters, I took about 20 gallons of excess condensate out of the system.

    Sheesh, I neglected the Oma factor. 🙄🙄🙄
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
    CLamb

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