Steam boiler problem

[Deleted User]

If the unit continues to operate as reported, and does not cut off on low water or automatically feed water during each cycle, you should be OK.

Don't like the 1" return. It is approx. 35% smaller than what you had. Crud and all. Could cause a longer than desired time lag between steam out and condensate back.
Could also affect the operation of the "A" dimension. Might result in water backing up higher in the wet return than you want. Watch out for spitting main line vents.

Also. If you reduced the radiation load, the boiler might now be overfired. Suggest matching input to new load, if it has changed. Then the reduced return might be just right. Hope you installed a decent sized drain at the low point of the return.

Good luck.

Greg Zhu

I have a 2 years old Weil Mclain steam boiler. Noticed in the beginning of the cycle, the water level drops to about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the gauge glass than the wet gravity return kicks in and the water level comes up to about a 1/3 of the glass. The actual start level of the water is 1/2. The low water cut-off works fine. Is this a normal operation or should I look for some other problems in the boiler.

PS: It worked fine for 2 years until I changed all radiators in the house. I assumed a lot of sludge come down to the return and ended up in the boiler. Also the return was very dirty and clogged. I changed the return and install 1" copper instead of 1.25" "black pipe". Cleaned the boiler many times. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

Gary Fereday

That copper line is aiding and abbetting and attracting the iron deposits. That is what copper does. It loves to have iron deposit upon it. kinda like iron plated copper. Electrolsis is another name for it. I bet it is full of sludge. anyway good luck bigugh

TJ_2

What about the Hartford Loop

Is it possible that the Hartford Loop is not constructed exactly right thus allowing the boiler to push water back up the returns when the system first starts to steam? I would be interested in the level at which the return is connected to the Hartford Loop. Is it, by any chance, about 3/4" from the bottom of the site glass.

P.S. I have a 5 year old Weil and the water level is very stable during steaming. It drops down about 1" from the cold setting, but that makes sense since so much water is up in the system.