treatment chemical for steam boiler

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1822548#Comment_1822548

Draining the water and replacing it fixed the issue.

What caused it?

Oh and that's 4.5" WC.

ethicalpaul

We have learned I can't read that gauge 😅

What caused it? Something else in your water I would guess, since I have shown way too much 8-way not causing anything.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1822599#Comment_1822599

8 way isn't the same as Steamaster.

And what in my city water? If it's in mine, it could very well be in someone else's.

ethicalpaul

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1822711#Comment_1822711

what I’m saying is that pH alone doesn’t cause surging. I had insanely high pH (with municipal water) with zero surging.

Please frame your arguments against that position.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1822716#Comment_1822716

Oh,

I already know that from the people on the chemistry forum telling me high pH won't cause surging.

No argument on that subject.

angelotrivelli

OP here with update.

I have been flushing my boiler every week, just a quart or two. The water is now clear and ph has remained at 12. I have heard it refill a couple times this winter, nothing too alarming.

Just wanted to thank the folks on this forum for helping me out!

ethicalpaul

Nice! Some free opinions for you:

• Now you can stop regularly draining your boiler. Let it hold its water until like next fall.
• Don't let your auto-filler restore your makeup water. You should be doing that manually. If you let your water level get low enough for the LWCO to trigger, that is too low.
  • That low water level means that hot combustion gases are in contact with the "dry" parts of your boiler sections, above the (too low) water line. You are missing out on efficiency—those mid parts of the sections should have water against them so that they stay cooler, which will allow more heat transfer between them and the combustion gases.
  • In addition to efficiency, I believe it is also better to keep the water level higher so that the sections aren't so hot to reduce section corrosion being accelerated by that high heat.
  • By refilling manually you will have a much better knowledge of your water usage and be aware of leaks