How do you know if you have a low water cut off?

Joe.G

How do you know if you have a low water cut off? I am wondering if one is on my system, I have a boiler that does my heat and hot water heat, thanks

Al Letellier

lwco

You left out a key word in your question. I assume you want to know if your boiler is equiped with one?
It is usually mounted on the front of the boiler up high or on the supply pipe leaving the boiler, just above the top of the unit. There are several manufacturers making these devices, bu it should be clearly marked as a low water cut off. It will have wiring attached to it.
If in doubt, have a heating expert look at it for you.

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Dale

Interesting question

I like Homeowner questions because they make me think. Years ago a person called me to ask if they had a hot water boiler or a steam boiler, It was installed in the 1930's, and it isn't as easy as one might expect to tell the difference between them. This is like telling someone over the phone how to tie their shoes Anyway, I think you have a hot water boiler, and most don't have a low water cut off. You will need to look at all the controls screwed into the boiler and piping above it and see if any are called a "safeguard" or "guard dog" and not called some variation of "aquastat". If you are a careful homeowner in heating terms having your yearly safety inspection by a professional you should ask that individual to check for you.

Rob T

Another term for

LWCO is a level control. Just thought I'd throw that in as I am looking at a McDonnell & Miller Model 900-M LWCO and all it says on the outside (Besides their name and address) is Level Control...

I just replaced two of these with McDonnell & Miller RB 24 GuardDog LWCOs.

Rob

Joe.G

I don't think I have one then, all I see is the auto feed, blow off vavle and two thermostats. The reason I was asking this is so I know if it is safe to turn the water off that goes to teh auto feed, i guess not now. I do have the system checked once at least once a year usaly twice a year though, due to it's age thinks do get clogged up once in a while.

Edward A. Carey

LWCO

Joe,

One picture is worth a thousand posts

Can you post a couple of photos? If you do, we can probably tell you more than you would ever care to know about your boiler.

Regards,

Edward A.(Ed) Carey

Joe.G

I don't have a digital camera at the moment.

Einsiedler

LWCO's ( most dont have one??)

re:Anyway, I think you have a hot water boiler, and most don't have a low water cut off

I sell LWCO's with EVERY boiler I sell. It's cheap insurance to protect a rather large investment. Even if the system has an autofeed.

Luck would have it that the leak you get will happen at same time that the fire dept is putting out major fire down the street or when the city has the water shut off for repairs. It doesn't take long to ruin a boiler that has fired with no water in it.. particularly copper tube.

"Everything is better wet"
Einsiedler