sight glass water dirty while boiler is running.

sz9

3 yr old single pipe system with new copper return from main, system has been skimmed and flushed several times. water in sight glass is clear before boiler fires up but cannot get rid of discolored water while boiler is running . also not sure about pressure setting. pics attached. cut off at 2,5 psi note one main radiator is removed and main is caped off at the moment for renovation in living room.

Jamie Hall

That water doesn't look that bad. If it's not surging I wouldn't worry about it.

The required - to 30 psi gauges are none too accurate at low pressures. What is the pressuretrol set to? If you really want to find out the pressure, add a 0 to 3 psi gauge — you can mount it on the same pigtail with a T, 2 elbows, and a few nipples…

ethicalpaul

The more you flush and fill it, the more it will rust, the more brown water it will create. If it's not surging, then just let it run this season. The water doesn't care if it's a little brown.

You can drain a little out of it next fall until it runs clear. But you really want to minimize adding water except as needed due to evaporation during the heating season.

The pressuretrol is set correctly:

Is this a very tiny house? This small boiler shouldn't be very oversized so the pressure really shouldn't be rising that much unless it's coming from a deep setback I would think.

Do you have main venting?

The piping is good, congratulations on that, it's rather rare. I'm not sure why they made that leg on the wet return but it's not hurting anything. Maybe some attempt to keep the boiler cleaner.

luketheplumber

Might want to consider treating that water. I've used 8 way and steam clean mostly with great results.

SlamDunk

I just removed a return line below the water line. At first, the water pouring out was pitch black (microbial growth). Then it was like chocolate milk (rust). About two gallons.

Do you include the return lines in the flush? It might help for awhile but steel in a steamsystem is perpetually rusting and end up in the in lowest points of the returns.

sz9

yes flush the return and boiler, lowest drain, get about a gallon of black water from each then clear water. deep setback ? what does that mean, total of six radiators , five at the moment, main vent is hoffman 75, surging is about 1 inch wile boiler is running. looking to get a low psi gauge maybe 5 or 10 psi but did not find one yet.

ethicalpaul

Deep setback is when you set your thermostat back many degrees and then turn it back up, running the boiler for a long time filling all the radiators with steam, causing the pressure to rise.

What is your concern about the water? What is your goal?

This is a low pressure gauge

sz9

i can run the boiler for say two hrs monitoring the operation and the pressure cut off is always the same, 2,5 psi never see that change unless i make a adjustment on the presscontrol.

sz9

will be ordering that gauge tomorrow, thanks

sz9

thought the water should be much cleaner after running the boiler all last year and keeping it well maintanced.

Big Ed_4

Best to insulate the main , solves most of the problems …

ethicalpaul

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1819777#Comment_1819777

Can you restate the above? I can't tell what you're trying to say.

thought the water should be much cleaner after running the boiler all last year and keeping it well maintanced.

Without increasing the PH of the water with some boiler treatment, it is perfectly normal for your water to turn brown from rust. Don't obsess about it by draining it all the time which will just cause more corrosion.

Insulating the main will keep the basement cooler, but will not solve any problems.

SlamDunk

a 1" float or slow bounce in water level is not a surge but it is a great result.

mattmia2

Many low pressure gauges are calibrated in oz/in^2 instead of lb/in^2.

Are you saying that the boiler cuts off on the pressuretrol or that it cycles on the thermostat? The edr of the radiators compared to the boiler rating will tell you how well matched it is. That might be the smallest boiler in that line and still be say 30% oversized.

Big Ed_4

Steam leaks releases the water and leaves the solids " dirty water"…. Keep it tight and keep it clean .. A slight leakage does brings up the humidity during Winter . Being tight = less fuel usage … Vessels of water sitting on the top of radiator works well too .. I suggest a fish bowl with potpourri it gets done :). just saying

STEAM DOCTOR

Does the water bounce while the boiler is running?