Frustrated - Please Help

JD_3

Steam Master is a brand name. It is manufactured by Stewart Hall. Most heating suppliers should handle this product.

John Van Hoesen

Still have rust in sightglass

So I've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.... honestly, it has to be going on 20 hours. I blew out the returns and have skimmed numerous times. I thought I finally had it clean and I came home today to find another layer of rust and sediment on the upper part of the sightglass!

So I cleaned it again. Skimmed off all the rusty brown water and it was "clean" again. This time I jumped the tstat and sat there and watched it. So here is what is happening:

Boiler comes on, water level doesn't budge for about 5 minutes, then it starts moving up and down about 1/4" and then a little less than 1/2". At 10 minutes I see the rust come from the TOP of the sightglass, the upper copper tubing, not the lower one. Why in the world would this be happening? Is the steam condensing inside the boiler and coming out this upper pipe? Is the water splashing up into the pipe? I thought the rust and sediment film was coming from the bottom and surging UP, but it's the other way around. That upper valve on the sightglass SHOULD be open correct?

I'm really frustrated here, I've been working on this for a couple weeks now. Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. BTW, it seems to run fine, heats up the rads work, but I know all that crap has to be screwing with the efficiency.

Thanks SO much all.
cheers
John

Steamhead (in transit)

The dirt

is probably sitting inside the brass pipe holding the top of the glass. I usually just fill the boiler to that level, remove the valve stem and let the water pour thru it. In extreme cases I stick a wire in and stir up the muck in the pipe so it flows out.

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ttekushan

And...

I've also had pretty good luck by opening the drain cock at the bottom part of the sight glass assembly and then closing the bottom valve thereby letting the steam clear the upper passageway. Then close the top, close the cock then open the valves again. Open or close the drain cock with both valves closed for safety's sake. Working the valves seems to clear them out.

I suggest this as is seems to work quite well for a fundementally lazy person as myself.....

Steamhead (in transit)

Hey Ttek.-

did you ever get around to building a steam system in your house?

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John Van Hoesen

Too much rust...

Steamhead - thanks for the input. If it was JUST the sightglass, I would say yes... but after the boiler steams, I get a pretty nasty rusty colored water that comes out of the boiler, both in the blow off water and if I skim it... there's a LOT of this stuff... I'm just wondering fundamentally, why it's coming in from the top when the steam should be rising into the headers and the water level should be below that upper brass pipe. This is driving me crazy.

Thanks again for the input.
J~

JD_3

Rusty water

I found the best way to control rust in the sight glass was to add a couple of steam master tablets to the boiler. The tablets suspend the rust in the system and the glass stays clean. If this is a small home only add one or two tablets. Shut down the boiler, make sure their is no steam pressure in the system. Remove the pop safety valve, break up the tablets and add to boiler. In a day or two the water will be crystal clear.

John Van Hoesen

Is that a brand name?

Steam Master? I'll call my local plumbing supply... thanks. Should I just add Squick or Scout to settle all that crap down or keep draining it out... no more oil, just rust and sediment...

J~

jerryb

rusty water

Adding large amounts of make-up water contain ox and iron which will oxidize to rust,a little color is not harmful.

John Van Hoesen

Rusty and wet steam

Hi Jerry -

It's not just rusty, but water droplets are climbing up the sightglass (wet steam?). However, it's not surging so to speak, or foaming, the level moves around 1 inch up and down, and doesn't trip the LWCO. But from what I've read, it should be pretty close to clear and some of the particles are so big I can see them floating in the center of the meniscus...

I'm going to leave it alone for awhile and see what happens...

Thanks
J~