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Correct Placement of Low Pressure Gauge?

Thanks to all who helped me back in January with solving my problem of under-vented mains:



<a href="http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/139623/Balancing-Problem-In-Old-Multi-Family">http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/139623/Balancing-Problem-In-Old-Multi-Family</a>



Based on some of your recommendations, I added a low pressure gauge on a pig tail, and have enclosed a picture.



Is this placement correct, or should it be before the pressuretrol?



Also, while the needle bounces a bit, I'm not getting any significant reading. Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and best.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    Looks fine

    to me -- before or after the pressuretrol makes no difference at all.



    And the only time you should get much of a reading -- if any -- is towards the end of a longish run, when the pressuretrol is about to shut things off on pressure anyway.  Otherwise, while the radiators are filling up, it's just going to sit there reflecting the head loss in the pipes -- which isn't much.  Somewhat like watching paint dry...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Gauge location

    I would connect the tops of the pigtails with a horizontal pipe which will enable the gauge to read the same pressure as the other pigtails, even if one or two were plugged. The pigtail under the pressure troll should be rotated 90 degrees until you get that done to prevent pigtail deformation affecting the angle of the mercury switch while heating up.--NBC
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    What model is your Peerless?

    I might be crazy, but I think they installed your gauge glass in the wrong location. Check the manual if you have one.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
  • Luv'nsteam
    Luv'nsteam Member Posts: 278
    Gauge location

    Isn't the location of the p-trol and v-stat in the skim port of this boiler? Shouldn't they be plumbed into the same tapping as the pressure gauge? I have a newer Peerless WBV-03 and my skim port is on the left, but where Peerless wanted the gauge and pressuretrol, I installed a 90* and hooked both gauges and pressure controllers. No wiring yet, still working on it, just ask my wife.......



    Thank you,



    Mike
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    Not on an EC/ECT

    On his the skim port is on the back, right below the safety valve port. He has his controls plumbed into the limit port.



    The issue I was noticing is that there should be a lower port for the bottom of the glass gauge that they use when they ship with a probe-type LWCO. I remember because they do the same thing with most of their boilers, but when I tried to find that port on my G-561 it just wasn't there. It might not be there on his either--it should be right about where the nameplate is.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
  • Luv'nsteam
    Luv'nsteam Member Posts: 278
    Limit port?

    What is limit port, Hap-Hazzard?



    Thanks,



    Mike
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    It's that one he's got his controls plumbed into. :-)

    Limit controls are devices like Pressuretrols, Vaporstats and other pressure limiting burner controls. The limit port is what you connect them to.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,689
    5 > 3 (?)

    from the picture it looks live the 30# gage is at 5,

    and i'm betting the 3# gage is pinned to a stop, all the way around to the zero again,

    why is the 30 at 5 ?

    pressuretrol set wrong ?

    pressuretrol pigtail plugged ?
    known to beat dead horses
  • ktccapo
    ktccapo Member Posts: 35
    edited March 2012
    The 30# Guage Is Broken

    Hi all,



    In response to one of the replies, the 30# gauge on the boiler is broken, stuck at that position and never moves...pigtail is clean...



    Given that, what should the pressuretrol be set at? I've enclosed pics of the current settings (cut out is set to .5, differential to 1). Thanks and best...
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,689
    3# gage Pic ?

    still looks like the 3 # is cranked all the way around to the zero stop,

    could we get a closeup on that ?

    turn off the boiler and watch that gage,

    does it do a reverse 360, unwinding itself ?

    the pressure settings looks / sounds correct enough.

    is the boiler port clean behind the 30# ?

    is the pigtail under the pressuretrol clear ?

    and the boiler port on the trol tree clear too?
    known to beat dead horses
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    edited March 2012
    As low as it will go.

    Mine's set to .5 cut-in, 1.0 differential, and it never cycles on pressure. Like yours, my 3 psi gauge never registers significant pressure. As long as steam is reaching all your radiators at roughly the same time and every room is getting warm before the thermostat cuts out, low pressure is a good thing. You're not wasting energy pushing the air out of the system.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
This discussion has been closed.