Low Water Cutoff Location?

Mark Eatherton1

talk to each other believe it or not...

Follow their instructions and you'll do well.

Speaking of glycol, I was told the other day by a factory rep that probe type water level sensors do not work well with glycol solutions greater than 30 percent. Anyone?

What kind of failure are we talking here?



ME

ed broderick

Low Water Cutoff Location?

Where is the best location for a low water cutoff for a small cryotech anti-freeze system? I installed my safeguard 10 inches above boiler in a pumping away module set-up before the circulator and spirovent. When system is off a period of time water level drops causing activation of LWCO. Can I relocate in a manifold after the circulator?
I have no leaks and a new expansion tank. All suggestions would be appreciated?

bob young

how not to void a warranty

what location does the manufacturer recommend???

hr

Why does the level drop?

possibly a leak?

Here are a couple ways I learned the hard way NOT to pipe lwc's!

Putting them at the highest point is a certain way to have them catch an air pocket. Not unlike an air vent.

Now I make sure I don't form a potential air pocket.b I drop them down a few inches into the vertical.

Still, you need to figure out why the level drops. Your fluid's going somewhere. Consider a glycol fill system. Homade or a www.axiom.com system. Able Distributing in Chicago stocks the 6 gallon models.

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ed broderick_2

Greg Roder

Location, Location, Location

Probe type LWCO's should be installed a)in a boiler tapping designated by the boiler manufacturer or b)in the the supply piping from the boiler to the system. Installtion instructions will provide guidance on location.

Most probe type LWCO's will work in systems with solutions of up to 50% glycol. Check the literature and Installtion Instructions of the control. Problems with probe type controls not working or having nuisance shutdowns is typically related to what the other liquid is that is mixed with the glycol. The other liquid must have some ability to carry current becuase glycol is essentially non-conductive. Some pre-mixed glycol solutions use distilled water as the other liquid. Distilled water is not very conductive so a probe control might not work very well.

If the water level in the sytem is lowering below the level of the LWCO, then the LWCO is doing it's job. Need to find out why the liquid in the systme is dropping.

ed broderick_2

lwco

Thanks for the expanded answer. Yes Iam running with both 40% crotek anti-freeze which I changed in October after 5 years. I also used de-ionized water in this closed system. The LWCO is set-up to manufacturers spec's and again has not been a problem for the past 5 years. I thought of installing a few flo-checks on the return however that would not help in this case. I will try to ad more non de-ionized water and see if that helps. Your explanation sounds good. Thanks

hr

Might check the ph

of that 5 year old fluid. It could be disolving your LWC probe You want to keep glycoled systems in the 9.5- 10.5 range.

I seen glycoled systems fall into the 5 ph range. this will eat an expansion tank in a few months, or dislove the threads of a steel nipple!

Any non barrier tube in the system? If so, best to check that fluid at least once a year. I'll bet you need to boost every couple years depending on the temperatures you are running, if you have non barrier. Higher temperatures will pull in more O2, through non barrier materials.

Dow recommends DI or distilled water for blending, or follow the dilution water spec in the engineering manuals.

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