Glass gauge

Chris_35

The glass gauge on my boiler in completely filled up with water.
Does that mean there could be a problem?
Last year I remember it was only filled up about three quarters of the way.

jim P._2

glass gauge

Your glass gauge might have sediment on the bottom. Blow down the guage and see if the water level changes. If it doesnt you have another problem. Jim

Chris_35

I opened the valve on the low water cutoff and drained some water. Then I ran the boiler for awhile and the water level stayed stable.
After the boiler shut off I checked the glass gauge and it was completely filled again!
My boiler has a low water cutoff which was new with the boiler and it also has an older feeder/cutoff combination unit that was taken off of my old boiler.
Both are made by McDonnell and Miller.
Maybe the old feeder/cutoff is fubar??
Or is all this normal?
How high should the water be in the glass gauge?
Thank you.

Steamhead

Sounds like the feeder is leaking

To be sure, shut off the water line going into the feeder's valve. If the level stays normal, that was the trouble.

Almost all low-water cutoff units can also operate an electric feed valve, eliminating the need for a separate mechanical feeder. What model LWCO came with the new boiler?

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Chris_35

Thanks for your help.
I've turned off the water supply and I drained some of the water out so that the level in the glass gauge is at about two-thirds up.(boiler is not firing).
Next time it comes on I will monitor the water level.
If the water feeder is leaking is it ok for me to keep the water source turned off and just add water manualy until I get a new one?
What sort of water feeder would you recommend?
I would like one that has a meter on it.
I had this boiler installed new 2 years ago. (replaced an old boiler) and the installer said I didn't need insulation on the pipes and he set the PSI to 3.
I have since insulated the pipes and reduced the pressure to 2 PSI.
So I am not sure if they really know what they are doing.
But there is absolutely no one else near me that knows about 1 pipe steam heat so all of your help is greatly appreciated and I really don't know where I would be if I had not found this site.
Thanks again.

Chris_35

I forgot to answer your question,
the low water cutoff is a McDonnell #67.

Steamhead

You can use

an electric feed valve with the #67 Low-water cutoff. I like the McDonnell-Miller WF-2 "Uni-Match" feeders since the valve assembly is brass rather than iron, so it won't rust up. Have your contractor get the one that matches the voltage going into the #67- 24-volts or 120-volts.

As long as the LWCO will actually stop the burner if the water level drops too low, the boiler is safe to run with you feeding water when needed. Verify this by starting the burner and opening the drain on the bottom of the #67. The burner should stop when all the water has drained from the LWCO housing. If it does not, the boiler is not safe to use- CALL FOR SERVICE IMMEDIATELY!

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Chris_35

Thanks.
I just put on another post with photos.
Please have a look and tell me what you think.
I had a guy in today and he was no help, he just turned the water back on and it flooded again after he left, so I turned it off.