Burnham boiler question
I have an old Burnham boiler made more than 30 years ago. The manufacturer did not respond to my inquiry for the user manual, so I'm posting my questions here.
I have marked the water flow direction based on my understanding. The pipe where I marked "hot water" should be hot steam output, but further splits left me confused on what is going where.
How to turn on this boiler for a test run?
Thanks
Comments
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The pipe circled with the question mark is closed off by the ball valve with the yellow handle. If you are new to this boiler I would recommend getting in a professional to walk/talk you thru everything.
The valve is closed for a reason. Maybe your coil is bad and it will immediately over pressure/flood the boiler.
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Without the model number I can only guess that you have a Burnham Independence boiler and this is one of the manuals that are available online Burnham Independence Malualzz.com
You may not have the actual function of each pipe correct. If you are new to Steam Heat you should get this book:
Now lets look at your photo:
I have put some new arrows and new names on the photo
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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@HydronicMike said:"The valve is closed for a reason. Maybe your coil is bad and it will immediately over pressure/flood the boiler."
I don't see a tankless coil, but I do see a tank type water heater behind the boiler. So I don't believe you have the problem Mike is referring to. But I do agree with getting someone that knows steam to tell you how the thing works. The problem with that is; many plumbers and other professionals don't really know enough about steam themselves. I would hate for you to pay someone to give you incorrect information.
Try that book I recommended. It is designed for the homeowner like you to introduce you to your new (over 70 years old) heating system, even if the replacement boiler is only 30 years old. The system was designed way before that
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Thanks for recommending the book. Reading the book takes weeks, it would be great if there is a quick start guide to get it up and running.
I did follow the model number (IN-5? please refer to the attached photo) but was not able to find the right manual.
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the book is an easy read, one night,
then read again what didn't stick the first time,
known to beat dead horses
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This is the closest you will get to the boiler you have US Boiler IN size 3 to 9. It was printed in 2012 but is is that same model number. IN-5 means that you have 5 sections. Even today the same boiler specifications are available with the IN5I current series available today US Boiler IN*I current. The input is 140,000 and the NET Sq Ft steam is the same as your 1991 built boiler.
Not too much has changed in steam boilers
The older 2012 manual has got the wiring diagram that should match the wiring diagram paster on the boiler front door panel.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Thanks. I have got the kindle edition. One night is not enough though.
The boiler is in a townhouse that I have not moved in. The gas company will turn on the gas next Fri. I placed a space heater in the boiler room, and already shut the main water gate valve in the basement to prevent freezing damage. Though the inside temp is not likely to drop below freezing, to be safe, I want to also drain the boiler today before the cold snap hits tomorrow.
So the question is, how to properly drain the boiler and system piping?
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The easiest approach is to turn on the power switches and turn up the thermostat. That can only be done, once the gas is on. I am not sure why you want to drain the boiler. And I am saying this only in a constructive manner. From your questions, it is very clear that you do not have a very good understanding of the system. But hats off to you for wanting to learn. With some minimal reading, I am sure that you could become well acquainted with your system and all of its intricacies. But before that point, it might be advisable to have a professional come down and check things out. Particularly on a 30 year old boiler.
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A cold snap is on the way and the outside temperature will drop to 14f tomorrow night. Since the house is not properly heated yet, water pipings are subjected to freezing risk. So I closed the water in and drained all faucets. I'm considering the same preventions on the boiler and water heater, at least make sure they are not filled up to capacity. Do you mean the boiler will not damage from warer freezing?
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I drained about 5 gallons. The glass gauge is completely empty now. The water level was in the middle of the glass, and the initial drain was brownish color.
What does each of the upper and lower gate valves do? Both are in full open position.
The manual only mentions the "lower (gauge glass) fitting has a small drain valve (for draining samples)". The small drain valve and the red gate valve should be different things.
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The red valves just close the top and bottom ports, handy if you break the glass and don't have a replacement.
But it's not realistic (but I suppose it is possible) for us to teach you everything you need to know about a steam boiler…earlier in the thread it seems you didn't know it was a steam boiler.
If you're going to drain 5 gallons, you might as well drain it dry if you really think the basement is going to freeze. And every pipe connected to this boiler that is lower than this part is water-filled unless you drained it so beware:
NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
I had a magic number of 17°F. That is when oil lines would freeze and I would be thawing out all kinds of pipes and having 20 hour work days. If you are going to 14°F you have a good idea to drain as much as you can from that building. If the basement is below grade, that will be the last place to freeze. Concentrate on water piping above the basement as far as draining pipes. Pour RV antifreeze into all the drain traps. You don't want sewer gas backing up through empty traps and you don't want water in those traps. Antifreeze in the toilet bowls too
A space heater near the water service entrance to the home will keep that from freezing up. Hope all goes well until you get the gas turned on.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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It looks like the yellow handled ball valve is closed to prevent upward water flow from mixing with the water heater output, so it works as a separation between the potable hot water and the contaminated boiler water system, correct?
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I have already left the building.
Didn't bring the winterization fluid with me. Hopefully the p traps or toilet bowls will not get cracked. I'll see next weekend.
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Actually you have is backwards High pressure moves to low pressure. If you open that valve you will flood the boiler with hot water.
The boiler pressure is even less that 1PSI when the boiler is not making steam
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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then that yellow handle is never supposed to be turned on. why did they plumb it that way in the beginning?
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When the boiler original boiler was brand new, it was delivered empty. There was no water in it, and there was no coal in it. The original installer needed a way to put water into the boiler. The valve with the broken handle was that valve, the coal was added by the homeowner on a daily basis.
When that valve went bad, a much younger plumber (because the man that installed the broken valve is most likely dead by now) didn't want to try to fix that broken valve, so the new plumber just left the broken valve in place and added a new ball valve so that water would not leak into the boiler thru the broken valve.
Eventually that old coal boiler needed to be replaced. Someone replaced that original boiler and added a automatic water feed valve that uses electric to fill the boiler automatically. (coal boilers didn't use electricity). And the pipes from the old boiler were just reconnected to your replacement boiler. And not exactly as they should have been connected. If you look at the instruction manual the steam supply header was built incorrectly, but if it works without making all kinds of noise, then leave it alone. Don't fix what ain't broke.
I am only guessing at the reason that valve is there but some folks thought that adding cold water to a hot boiler would somehow damage the boiler, so the hot water pipe was often used as the water fill valve on manually operated coal boilers. If I were replacing your boiler, that valve would not be there, the pipes connected to that valve would not even be there.
To be honest, I don't know why the hot water pipe was connected to the replacement boiler's feed valve… Maybe laziness, maybe inexperience, maybe both.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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I thought that broken handle was shut off and then broken intentionally.
the "Programmable water feeder" only has a momentary FEED switch, how is it supposed to be programmed?
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It's wired to the low water cut off. If the LWCO is functioning properly it will trigger the feed. I noticed in an earlier picture that the service switch if open/off?
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse manager, teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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I am only guessing at the reason that valve is there but some folks thought that adding cold water to a hot boiler would somehow damage the boiler
There is a notion that still persists today, that water in the water heater has already had some of its air driven out of suspension due to the heat, so that would be less corrosion triggered inside the boiler. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's rather common to pipe makeup water from the domestic hot water.
NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
I think that it's because people are worried about thermal shock.
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yes. I will turn it on this Friday when the gas service is scheduled to start.
under what conditions is the momentary Feed switch used?
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Silly people
NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
A service technician might use that to add water during a service call after testing the LWCO operation.
Have you had any time to look over the book about "steam heating" you have on your Kindle?
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Haven't started. I was reading the manual in your post. It says the boiler has a probe type lwco device that should be inspected and maintained annually. Based on the plot, this seems to be the device under the psi gauge, correct?
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This is the LWCO. The annual service consists of turning off the power to the boiler, and lowering the water level to a point below the LWCO by opening a drain valve at the bottom of the boiler. Next you remove the control from the probe by turning the thumb screw to remove the attached wire. Then you remove the control from the probe.
Now that the probe is exposed you can take a 12” or larger crescent wrench, or pipe wrench and remove the probe from the boiler. With the probe removed, you can clean the electrode at the end of the probe with a Scotch Brite abrasive pad. Once the electrode is clean you can put everything back starting with the probe. Be sure to put some pipe joint compound (Not Teflon Tape) on the pipe threads of the probe and screw the probe back in place. Once you have all the parts back in place and wires connected, you then turn on the boiler and set the thermostat to call for heat.
The burner should not operate and the LWCO’s LED lights should indicate there is power and that there is a low water condition. This means the LWCO is operating properly. Once that test is complete you can add water to the boiler by opening the yellow handle valve to add water to the boiler, or push the feed button on the auto water feed. Either will add water. When the water level reaches the probe, the Low Water LED on the LWCO should go out and the burner should operate.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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The books mentioned the accumulated sediment can lead to isolating the water from contacting the cast iron.
Is it possible to physically scrape the mineral deposit off of the cast iron?
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That particular process is rarely needed. Since I never owned a Steam boiler (I only installed them and did annual maintenance on them) I never saw the need for cleaning the inside of the boiler. Ask @ethicalpaul about maintaining the inside of a steam boiler. He is a very knowledgeable home owner that is well versed in steam heat. He actually has a side business where helps folks with steam boiler problems figure out how to solve them. He installed his own steam boiler and did a very good job doing it. There are several videos on YouTube he published about steam heat. Water quality is one of them that will interest you in reference to keeping the inside of your boiler clean.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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It's not a business, it's more like a public service 😅 but thank you just the same!
The "mud" can definitely add up over time, perhaps to the point where operation or efficiency is affected. My original boiler in my house did have this sediment and I could never get it all cleaned out…I used 8-way boiler additive over time to remove a lot of it, but when I took it out of service it was clear there was still a lot of gunk in there.
However, I don't think it affected my boiler very much. I wouldn't put any acid into any boiler as a matter of principle. It might help clean it, but it also might cause removal of iron that would be worse than just leaving it a little dirty.
If you asked me, I would add a little 8-way to free up some of the scale/sedimented rust and to increase the pH a little in order to slow future rust creation. When you do that, it makes the water look more muddy (since the mud is brought into solution), and you may have to do several cycles of draining, filling, adding a little 8-way until the water starts to stay clear).
When the water is clear with some 8-way in it, that's when you will have minimal new rust creation, but it's a process to get there.
NJ Steam Homeowner.
Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el0 -
Is the valve where I drained in my quoted post the same as the "valve at the bottom of the mud leg" mentioned in the book?
What does a mud leg look like?
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