New Boiler Cycling on & off

Lorrie Ng

I just had a new boiler installed and every time it starts up it runs for 1 or 2 minutes and the water level in the sight glass drops down below min. level and then shuts off. When the water condenses and runs back to the boiler the boiler starts up again. I am also getting unusual banging in the pipes and unusually loud whistling from the radiators. This cycle goes on and on until the temp on the room thermostat is reached. The installer only drained the boiler once and has since put an additive in to the boiler and is coming back in three days to drain it. The boiler is not even staying on long enough (not building up enough pressure) to get heat to the rooms farthest from the boiler. Is this normal for a new boiler? What are the possible causes? How can they be solved?

Mike G_2

New Boiler Cycling on & off

I had a new Columbia unit installed in September, replacing the original 74-year-old American Radiator Co. 4-section round boiler. Though the installers did a phenomenal job on most things, they never measured the water line in the sight glass vs. the height of the Hartford Loop. Needless to say, the top of the loop was ABOVE the water line, when it should have been below. Similar problems as you have. Initial steam production emptied the boiler into the returns, which pushed the return water back into the steam mains (hence, flooding them). With the low water condition, the feeder would kick in, add water, and further flood the boiler.

Wetheads, correct me on this (I'm just a lowly, somewhat educated homeowner), the the centerline of the top of the Hartford loop should be about 2 inches below the waterline of the boiler. Check the piping diagram in the owners manual of the boiler. Good luck!

Mike

tommyoil

Sounds like

a mis-piped boiler. However, it might only be dirty/oily boiler water since the install. I will not discount that possibility. Can you post some pictures? We can certainly offer more accurate advice if we can see whats going on with all the near boiler piping. Did your installer measure for accurate heat load? Did he measure all the radiators and inspect all the system piping BEFORE the job? Are all of your pipes insulated? Are they properly pitched? Did he follow the boiler manufacturer recommendations for near boiler piping? Open the installation manual that was left with the job and look at the picture of what the manufacturer wants? See if its close to what was done. Try to post some pics.

Robert O'Connor_7

new boiler....

Why not skim it first...Robert O'Connor/NJ

don_56

boiler replacement

I'm involved in the replacement of a steam heating boiler that failed when the pump/level control stuck in the up position. With no secondary lwco the boiler ran its self dry then cracked like crazy! This is (was) an old American Radiator Co. Red Flash. #3-8-6, seris 10-B-N. This is the first wet return I have seen. there is no hartford loop. There are no pumps and the return gravity feeds to the center section of the cast iron sectional. There are 6 sections counting the front and back. One question I have is does the return need to enter the boiler in the middle of one side, or can I use and end tapping in the new boiler? Also, any suggestions on a replacement boiler? Any thoughts would be appreciated

Ken_8

Bob's right.

The boiler is priming and surging. Skimming AND cleaning with TSP will straighten it out. The contractor is responsible for both. It is part of the installation "procedure."

If he has no clue, don't make the final payment!

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