New Boiler Overfilling After Warm Weather

superdave17

I recently had a new boiler installed that resulted in the install company coming back out to re-pipe the entire installation thanks to you all. The boiler now appears to be heating the building without issue during cold weather. Original thread here: New Steam Boiler Installed, Water Hammer, Prematurely Turns Off, Frustrated

I had to explain to the installer that the pressuretol was incorrectly set to the factory setting of 8psi cut in and it needed to be lowered to .5 cut in with a differential of 1. With that being said I have little faith that any other calibration was done.

While the boiler runs just fine when the weather is cold, it overfills when it stops running during periods of warmer weather. For example we had a relatively warm day yesterday. I noticed this morning that the boiler would not turn on even though the thermostat was calling for heat. It was because the boiler was overfilled, after I drained water out it fired right up and has ran for the last 8 hours without issue.

Is there a setting on the low water cut off that needs to be adjusted? Should the low water cut off wait a longer period of time before adding more water to the boiler? Is there anything else I can look for or adjust to prevent overfilling?

Jamie Hall

I don't see any information about the water feeder in the old thread. What is the low water cutorr? What is the water feeder?

I'm suspicious of slow returns, and some — but not all — feeders can be adjusted to compensate for that. Otherwise there are no adjustments involved.

Long Beach Ed

There is nothing to stop an overfilled boiler from firing.

Jamie Hall

That depends on how overfilled, and the setting of the pressuretrol.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yeah as @Jamie Hall overfilling should not stop the boiler from running although you would get a lot of water hammer and its not good for the boiler.

The only thing that would stop the burner is the pressure control if really overfilled

JUGHNE

I have seen a steam boiler not fire because of overfill, more than once.

The water pressure would shut the pressuretrol off. Drain down and it fires up.

If your auto fill valve or manual by pass valve is seeping water by, you would overfill.

But that would give you constant overfill, even while heating.

superdave17

The company wants to come out and repipe the Hartford loop. I don't know why, do any of you see issues with it?

If there's a delay on the water feeder, can it be increased so it waits longer before activating allowing more time for water to return to the boiler on warmer days? Everything part is brand new and the boiler does not overfill during normal operation and does not overfill when it's cold outside.

ethicalpaul

That camera angle is not good for looking at the hartford loop but I remain confused about when exactly you are seeing low water.

What is the nature of your low water condition? Does the water level drop quickly while you watch it, or does it take a long call for heat for it to slowly drop. It looks like your entire wet return has been replaced, so I don't think you would have any issues with "slow return".

Is it surging?

A lot of installers and homeowners seem to not understand how surging happens or what it looks like. They see a low water level during steaming and they always assume the condensate isn't getting back fast enough. Then they do something silly like want to add a condensate tank.

Hap_Hazzard

Yes. The Hartford loop should connect at 2"–4" below the normal water line. Yours is about 2" below the return, which is essentially the bottom of the boiler. If the water drains to the bottom of the Hartford, your boiler will be empty.

As long as they're re-doing it, consider a Gifford loop instead.

ethicalpaul

I'm not sure that's true. It might be hiding behind the foreground pipe. That's why I said the angle was bad.