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Pressuretrol

danmayer175
danmayer175 Member Posts: 48
in Strictly Steam

I installed a low pressure (0-3 psi) gauge a month ago. After watching pressure flutter around 0.4 psi on every firing, I thought I had no pressure worries. This morning I watched the gauge during a very long firing while recovering from a big overnight set back. It seems I hadn't really watched this sort of cycle before. Gauge went to 3 psi eventually. Radiators were piping hot, all vents closed and boiler kept firing. I closed the valve to the gauge at 3 for fear it would be damaged, then lowered the thermostat. My pressuretrol is at it's lowest setting 0.5 with 1 differential additive. I've tested the pressuretrol, the circuit-break works and the pigtail is clear. It's either completely shot or so inaccurate that it has no value. Should I invest in a vaporstat? It seems the system "likes" to operate around 0.4 psi (6.4 oz). So I should probably have a setup that cuts out at twice that? (12 oz). And cuts in around 2 oz. Or would a properly working (cheap) pressuretrol that actually cut out at 1.5 psi be good enough?

Homeowner in Middletown, PA

1936 house with 1996 Burnham V74 oil-fired 1-pipe system

Comments

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,916

    There's a thread on here about internal pressuretrol adjustments. You may want to try that before popping for a vaporstat.

    Very small increments make large changes.

    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/165109/how-to-properly-adjust-the-pressuretrol
    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,777

    is it gas or oil? you can probably have the tech downfire the boiler a bit next time it is serviced if it is oil which will help it not build as much pressure in addition to getting the control working properly. sometimes if you go too low on a pressuretrol it won't cut back in reliable when the pressure drops.

  • danmayer175
    danmayer175 Member Posts: 48

    Oil fired. And to test pressuretrol's current performance I think I just close all the vents and fire it up to see where it cuts out? I have a feeling it works, I just haven't found its actual cutout point yet.

    Homeowner in Middletown, PA

    1936 house with 1996 Burnham V74 oil-fired 1-pipe system

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 17,230

    It's probably fine. If it runs at .4 psi on a normal call for heat and the pressure rises during recovery from night setback this is completely normal.

    You should leave the 3 psi gauge shut off anyhow unless you are checking the pressure.

    The pressure control scale are usually inaccurate.

    You can try and adjust it.

    If you loosen the adjustment too far the inside mechanism may become disconnected

    ethicalpaul

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