LWCO's Standard Equipment

Mark Eatherton1

a LWCO on every boiler we sell.

By code, if ANY of the system piping is below the boiler, it MUST have a LWCO installed, regardless of size. Unfortunatley this provison is rarely enforced.

Se lavie...

I think it should be mandatory regardless of whether it has piping below the boiler or not.

ME

Uni R

LWCO's as Standard Equipment

If PRVs are standard mandatory safety equipment on boilers, shouldn't LWCOs be as well? If the manufacturers had to build them in, i think that it would benefit both the owner and the installer. They would most likely be more tightly integrated into new designs and should end up costing far less in the long run. I was wondering what you wallies think of this?

Tony_8

mandatory in NY

However, it would be nice if the manufacturers installed them at the factory. That way I wouldn't get low-balled by the code scoffers as easily. No licenses, no permits, no inspections. "We never did it that way before".

Unknown

Many states

have adopted the most recent International Code which calls for a LWCO on every hot water boiler installation. This needs to be in the system supply pipe as close as possible to the boiler with no valve between it and the boiler. We advise using a 120v model to interrupt the 120v current to the boiler transformer/control circuitry in lieu of trying to figure out where to wire a 24v model into the boiler wiring harness. This will help to aleviate one of the primary reasons for the LWCO in the first place....a runaway boiler where a secondary zone or device relay may have been wired to the wrong side of the high limit wiring. Hope this helps.

Glenn Stanton

Burnham Hydronics

heatboy

Installing a LWCO...........

should be mandatory. I just don't want manufacturers supplying them. I want to use the ones I want. You know the drill. The manufacturer would put these out to bid, just like everything else they put on their boilers, and take the cheapest one, even though it's not the one I would choose. Then LWCO factory "B" would offer a cheaper version so they could get the deal next go around. Eventually, it would become as crappy a piece as the relief valves we get now. Remember when we got Watts 174 as a relief valve? Now we get these tissue paper things. Our LWCO would end up not have test switches, indicator lights, etc., to save 2 bucks because we want our boilers as inexpensive as possible. Cynical? Sure, but I'll bet you agree.

hb

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hr

I'd rather the boiler manufactures

include a nice LWC as standard, and keep the circ pump as a trade off

LWC prevent expensive damage which often turns into warranty claims. Cheesy, or mis-sized circs on the other hand....

hot rod

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Boilerpro_3

The new Dunkirk Q90-200 series come factory equipped

with lwco's. It definitely helped sell the boiler line to me.

Boilerpro

Kal Row

i put one in at the very top every manifold

i build - (to protect the pumps as well) on a tee with and auto air vent on top and a McDonnell Miller RB-24 or a Hydrolevel Safeguard 1100 - the auto air vent guarantees that there is water at it, if all is ok and no water at it, if it leaks out

I run it to a 2 pole double throw 24v coil relay, and I with one switch I cut-off the 110v to the whole system and with the other I cut off the 24v to the system on the normally open side and a have and alarm buzzer and light hooked to the normally closed side

Ken_8

Totally

Agree with HR!

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Live/Learn

lwco drawbacks

I hesitated in installing a lwco even though I "set-up" for it on my install. After I read about annual inspection of probe and I was also concerned of system "shut-down" due to malfunction of lwco. This would be a real problem if I was away on vacation. I guess I have more faith in my system than I do with this electronic gismo. Also removing it every year for inspection might be a real pain in the a** due to the disimilar metals (brass to iron). Am I wrong in feeling this way? I only replaced the old boiler with a new one using all the same rads and piping. Never had any leaks on old system and never had a lwco either. Thanks

Mark Eatherton1

Wrong impression...

It does require just a little bit of fore thought to set up the require isolation and drain, but no big deal. A brass to steel connection is easier to break than a steel to steel connection in my 30 years worth of experience.

If you've never seen the aftermath of a runaway boiler, or never walked into a mechanical room where the boiler is cherry red, you'll never understand the VALUE of a LWCO.

I've seen both, and I can tell you that it is cheap insurance. Also, I've never experienced a false LWCO lockout in all my years. Besides, if you're worried about your heating system failing when you're gone, there are a LOT of other components in the string of comfort that can fail. I'd suggest you invest in one of the low temp alarms that dials three different numbers until someone responds.

There is no right way to do things wrong...

ME

Live/Learn

Thanks ME

Thanks for straighting me out. I respect your advice as you have answered some of my other concerns in the past and didn't talk down to me knowing that I'm a homemoaner as they call us. I have always taken pride in doing all my own work and I want to continue to as long as I can . I'm a 70 year old ex telephone guy.
I will install the lwco this Spring as I have been concerned about it after reading all the positive write-ups on "The Wall". I am encouraged after reading your post as I respect anyone who devotes 30 years of his life to something he loves. Thanks

Joannie

Manufacturers

I don't know about other manufacturers, but we have tried putting low water cutoffs on boilers as standard equipment, and we are always pushed by the field to take them off and make them options. People tell us that if it's not required, they don't want to incur the expense.

It's a tough call for us.

heatboy

I would agree if....

it were possible. But alas, fantasy! Viessmann supplies no pumps unless you specify the one you want. I have a bunch of 007s here. Want 'em? :-)

hb

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Dave DeFord

As a Homeowner..

I agree that code (and common sense) should require a LWCO on every boiler for the obvious safety benefits. However I don't agree that they should be standard equipment for the reasons stated in this post - after a while the LWCO just becomes another item subject to bidding and the low bidder usually wins. As a purchaser I would rather pay for a LWCO once and get to choose my poison rather that having to buy one from the manufacturer and then pay for a better one if that is what I wanted. How long do you think it would be before the LWCO were "ingegrated" into the design and the only place to buy one would be the OEM. I vote for choice and only having to buy it once.

heatboy

Sphincter pucker, for sure!

I can recall the feeling I had when I went on a service callon a 300MBH CI boiler and looking through the sight door at a cherry red chamber area. And you think Ben Johnson is fast?

hb

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Uni R

Installed at the factory

Thanks. That was the point that I was trying to raise. Stop them from being an extra (required by code or not).

Uni R

Glen...

As a manufacturer, do you think that incorporating LWCOs directly into your designs that it would benefit your company and the North American boiler industry?

hr

A 30 lb relief valve is standard on all boilers

why not a LWC. Make it so it is not an option, like vent dampers

I don't know that there are cheap ones (LWC's)out there. Seems all the various brands I have used are built near identical.

hot rod

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Dan Peel

LWCO

Hey Mark that must be spanish for "C'est la vie".
We are only required to install a LWCO where ALL of the radiation is below the boiler.
Not on my watch!
Use one every time you can.
Dan

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heatboy

Watch and see...................

just how cheap they can get if they are mandated on all boilers. You and I will want the highest quality, but the manufacturers will sell to the lowest common denominator.

hb

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Uni R

Perhaps...

But if the LWCO fails causing boiler damage, the corporate lawyers may insist that the corporate engineers not have to abide by the corporate bean counters. The best wipers for my van come from the dealer and even though they cost twice as much they actually last much more than twice as long and were a lesson of many failed aftermarket wipers... most likely because the manufacturers reputation is attached to them.