Why is my pressure 7 psi is my pressuretrol working

melo

Is my pressuretrol set properly?

My pressure is over 7 psi, my parents house the pressure doesn’t go over 4/5 psi.

Jamie Hall

Step 1. Reset the pressuretrol down to 0.6. Then take the cover off and check that the inside dial is set to 1. Now it should shut off at less than 2 psig.

Step 2. Is the pressuretrol even connected into the system? With the cover still off and the power to the boiler off, remove one of the wires on the switch inside (remember where it goes!). Turn the power back on and raise the thermostat to command heat. The boiler should NOT fire. If it does, you have a wiring problem — and it is a safety hazard.

Step 3. How long has it been since the pigtail into the boiler was cleaned out? Remove the pressuretrol from the pigtail and blow gently through the pigtail. It should be very easy to blow through. If it isn't, take the pigtail off the boiler and clean it — or better yet, replace it with a nice new brass one. Make sure the opening into the boiler is free and clear.

melo

there is another dial inside the cover?

Based on the current pressuretrol settings and seeing the pressure go up to 7 psi, do you believe the pressuretrol is not working properly?

Neild5

As far as the pressurtrol working, Jamie gave great advice.

melo

I guess I am very confused as to these pressuretrols. I’m used to the other one with the 2 gauges.

So I opened it up and took a look what’s inside, I saw a dial in there.

I also did the wire disconnect thing and the boiler did not start up when one of the wires were disconnected, so I’m guessing that’s a good signs for the electrical/controls aspect.

I am not even sure how I would go about taking the pressuretrol off or the fitting going into the boiler.

Here are some more photos. Any chance that the gauge might be off? I noticed even at the start of the boiler, the gauge seems to be slightly above 0.

Please see more photos.

ethicalpaul

If you are handy, you can do it. If not, you can ask a boiler tech or plumber who does heating stuff to do it.

• You disconnect the two wires. It doesn't matter which one goes on which screw.
• You use a crescent wrench on the hex brass on the bottom to unscrew it from the pigtail (counter clockwise when looked at from above). It may scrape on the boiler as the wide part twists around, that's OK.
• Then you can unscrew the pigtail from the boiler counter-clockwise or anti-clockwise if you're from England
• Then see if you can blow through the pigtail. If you can't, it is blocked with "mud" (really rust from the boiler), and that's why it wasn't "seeing" the pressure of the boiler.
• Either way, take the pigtail to the slop sink and run water through it until clean
• Then throw away the pigtail and replace it with a brass one like this
• Reassembly is the opposite of disassembly. Use teflon tape on the pigtail ends.

109A_5

Hello melo,

Pressuretrols are notorious to be dysfunctional and out of calibration.

Your differential looks good, I would set the Cut In down to 0.5 (top screw).

Set Cut In setting to 0.5 it should be better but maybe not perfect.

EdTheHeaterMan

Checking the pig tail (tube bent into a circle) is easy. Just follow the 6 easy steps

109A_5

I bet the Pressuretrol won't spin off the pigtail, too close to the boiler jacket. Probably have to spin off the Pressuretrol & Pigtail assembly from the boiler then remove the Pigtail from the Presuretrol to clean or replace the Pigtail with Brass and also verify the the boiler tapping is clear too.

melo

First of all.. You guys are all FREAKIN AWESOME.

I've never seen a community offer so much insight as far as to markup photos.

I will take better photos tomorrow but I believe I get the general gist of it currently. Any YouTube videos would be the icing on the cake.

I just need to get the guts to proceed with doing it lol.

With that said, it seems like taking off the pressuretrol from the pigtail is as easy as putting a wrench underneath the pressuretrol and going counterclockwise on that fitting? The pressuretrol itself should come off the pigtail once the fitting is loosened. Correct?

As for the pressuretrol, you want me to blow into it? Like while it's connected to the 24 year old boiler?

Thanks again for all your help!

109A_5

On some systems it is possible to remove the Pressuretrol and blow into the pigtail to prove the path back into the boiler is clear. I can trip a functional Presuretrol set at 1.5 (1 + 0.5) with my lungs. With your system I bet the Pressuretrol and pigtail will have to be removed as an assembly then separated to verify its not plugged and clean if preferred.

There are various Youtube videos on the subject "The Silent Steam Team" is one such author.

ethicalpaul

The brass hex fitting is part of the pressuretrol. When you turn it the whole pressuretrol will turn.

No, don't blow into the pressuretrol. Blow into the pigtail (the pigtail-looking twisted pipe) to see if it's clear. Make a ring with your thumb and forefinger to act as a gasket between your mouth and the pipe. This is difficult to describe.

I do think you will be able to spin off the pressuretrol first, let us know which of us is right.

melo

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1828522#Comment_1828522

question: Am I allowed to pull the pressuretrol away from the boiler? It’ll put some strain on the pigtail in order to unscrew the hexnut?

Also, is it advisable to pour Hercules Steam Cleaner? Would that clean up the pigtail as well if there is any rust or goo?

Jamie Hall

Eh? Sure. Once the pressuretrol is unscrewed from the pigtail — or the whole thing from the boiler — it can be moved for the time being to anywhere handy.

I am not an advocate for any chemical addition to a boiler — Hercules or anything else. If the old pigtail is gunked up too badly to blow through very easily, you may be able to clean it out with a long zip-tie. Or just replace it…

melo

hi guys, I’m not looking forward to trying to spin the pressuretrol yet. The pigtail spinning also looks like it can get in the way of the other pipes.

I saw a YouTube video from a steam service company, they tested continuity between the two terminals of the pressuretrol to identify that it was clogged, which it ended up being.

Also, another video shows that there are 2 screws at the bottom of the pressuretrol that can be undone to remove it while leaving the base of the pressuretrol behind.

Are either of those options viable? Especially the unscrewing of the baseplate of the pressuretrol to remove the actual device out of the way so the pigtail can be spun out?

Jamie Hall

Yes, you can check for continuity in the pressuretrol to confirm that it is open when the pressure is off. There is a minor gotcha: you have to disconnect one of the wires to do it, as you may well get a false continuity reading from other devices in the circuit if it is left connected. You want the switch to read open when the pressure is low.

Unless I'm not seeing something in the picture, the pigtail, with the pressuretrol still attached, should be able to spin off with no trouble.

Undoing those two screws does look attractive. Don't. Reassembling the thing after you've done that is a LOT harder than it looks.

melo

Pigtail seemed clogged, I took it off and the pressuretrol actually did spin on its own (thank god).

Got a replacement BRASS pigtail to replace the old one.

Jamie Hall

Bravo! Hang in there!

melo

replaced the pressure gauge and the pigtail.

Lowered the pressuretrol to almost .5 for the cutoff.
been 20 minutes but it seems like the pressure gauge isn’t reading anything. Also my wrench clawed the brass pigtail, is this going to be a problem?

Jamie Hall

Is the boiler running? Not surprised that the pressure gauge isn't reading anything — a happy steam system usually runs on half a pound of pressure or less until all the radiators are piping hot, and that pressure gauge won't read that.

Don't worry about the marks on the pigtail. This isn't high pressure hydraulics here!