Boiler sound like a percalator

Steve_35

We've found a few that sound like you're describing with a failed circ.

[Deleted User]

My cast Iron boiler sounds like a percalator when it is heating up. The water sounds like rumbles, pops,....
What causes this?? WM Hot water boiler.

Brad White_9

A few thoughts

Runaway high limit control? Check the temperature. I had one do that the first week out, it became a steam boiler for a short while.

Otherwise see if there is air in the system, waterlogged expansion tank. Is the circulator pumping away from the expansion tank?

If this came up suddenly, take note of the temperature and pressure at the boiler.

[Deleted User]

Heard this last year but now it seams to be getting louder. The sound starts shortly after the boiler fire up, so it's not up to temp. I keep an eye on the temp. gage, stays under 180. Expandtion tank is new, and not pumping away. I was thinking of air, but I have bled @ each rad. & no air.

ALH_4

Kettling

Old Thread About Kettling

-Andrew

Pat Clark_2

Common problem

Usually caused by mineral build up in bottom of cast iron sections. We use Silver King #5 cleaner to dissolve the buildup and also prevents future build up if you add 1 qt every time the system is drained for repairs. Also contains a lubricant for the pump. If your system is real bad, use 2 to 3 qts. If this doesn't take care of the problem you can check your local area to see if anyone does chemical cleaning of the boiler (these chemicals are not available to the public). Last resort is to replace boiler.

This is a normal process that occurs when the boiler fires (think boiling water in a pan until dry on the stove, the residue left is the same minerals that will build up in the boiler) How fast it builds up depends on the quality of your water. I have seen boilers with substantial build up within a couple of years, well water with lots of crud in it.

Hope this helps. The Silver King #5 is the only over the counter chemical that we have found that will actually clean out a buildup.

Pat
Bell Plumbing & Heating

Mike L

percolating boiler

How old is the boiler? You could try a good cleaning, we tend to use pur-pro from FW Webb, if they are in your area ,if not I believe it's made by Herculies for them.I've used that product also with good sucess.They also make sizzle which is an acid flush if it's that bad.It might also just be air trapped in the boiler,low pressure ETC.

Darin(in Michigan)

Percing boiler

We had a customer that had a boiler that literally sounded like it was going to explode. Turns out she had copper tubing buried under her basment floor. The cement shifted, sheered the pipe and carried sediment back to the boiler. Made for a costly repair and replace but what do you do.

Mike.C

maybe??

I had one a few months ago that had a bad primary loop pump that caused that problem. Pump sheared a shaft. Had a pump back at the shop (now a few spares in the truck) and it's all good!

Darrell

Probably not your senario, but pertinent anyway. The larger WMC oil boilers can have a situation where the back sections...the hottest sections...do not flow as well as the sections in front where the aquastat is located IF the system fluid is higher viscosity...antifreeze. I've tapped and measured some rear sections at more than a hundred degrees hotter that the front sections. The antifreeze will burn and turn to tar in the bottom of the waterway...and it'll perk. There is no fix, because only the front sections are tapped for piping. The WMC VHE had a huge issue with this...I've seen the bottoms of the sections burned right off because the antifreeze turned solid in the bottom of the waterway and the cast iron superheated.

More than likely, as the other posts have suggested, you just have some scale that makes the perking sound...not harmful, unless extreme, but annoying.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the replys, they all sound good. I have an older WM HE-6, Nat. Gas, I am just guessing about 30 yr old?????

The mineral deposits sound like the cause. I had a old water heater that sounded the same, flushed it out a few time to get me by untilled I could replace, flushing it really quieted it down.

I'll stop in to our supply house and see what cleaner that they have in stock.

What is the best way to inject the cleaning compond into the boiler???

[Deleted User]

How do I verify that the circ. is running????

It is so quiet, the pipes get hot and the upstair radiator get hot, ect....I would assume that the pump is moving the water, or mother nature could be moving the water?????

How do I know for sure?

hr

My guess

would be some calcium or mineral build up. Does it have a water make up? A leak in the system causing fresh water to be added?

Hercules Sizzle is what I use to clean them ut. Follow direction on the label for boiler cleaning.

Even a small scale deposit will hamper the heat exchange from the iron tothe water. wise to get it cleaned out for noise but more importantly heat transfer. Make sure you get the best bang for your fuel dollars

hot rod

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[Deleted User]

I can't see any leak, unless the water evaporates before I see it. With the auto fill I wdon't know if the system is taking on water.

But I will clean out the system, thanks.

Aidan (UK)

Boiler noise

A useful UK data sheet about boiler noise here;

http://www.fernox.com/?cccpage=boiler_noise&sub=3

As Hot Rod said, it's usually associated with limescale deposits and so with a leak of some type. You'll be able to get an equivalent descaler product from your chemical suppliers.

Steve_35

Checking cird

We look to see how long it takes for the return side of a zone to heat up. If it's 3/4" copper piping on baseboard in an "average" house it should only take 2-3 minutes for the return side to be hot. This assumes the boiler is already up to temp and the loop isn't air locked.

We would check the return line as close to the ceiling as we can reach. If the system has been running for a while the line close to the boiler is going to be hot. 3' or 4' away it's much cooler.

How many zones do you have? What are the loops piped in and what are your emitters (baseboard, cast iron rads, etc)?