Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Proper Boiler Water Level

mculik5
mculik5 Member Posts: 30
I have a Weil McLain PEG-35 boiler. The manual states the following about proper water line:



- Proper water line is 23 13/16" from floor

- Proper water line is 2" above top of Hartford loop elbow

- Proper water line is about halfway up the sight glass



In my case, 2" above the top of Hartford loop elbow is about 1/8" from the top of the sight glass, and 30 3/16" from the floor.



My boiler is raised off the floor with concrete blocks, so I imagine that "from floor" heights will vary by installation. For what it's worth, my boiler is about 6" above the floor.

The distance from the bottom edge of the boiler housing to 2" above the top of the Hartford loop elbow is 24 1/2".



Is this a lousy install? Where should my waterline be for optimum efficiency/safety?



Thanks!

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,177
    Define floor...

    what Weil-McLain means by floor is whatever the bottom of the boiler is sitting on -- in this case, the top of the concrete blocks -- not the surrounding basement floor.



    As a general rule -- and it applies here -- the optimum water level in one of those boilers is between half and two thirds of the way up the sight glass.  It can run a little higher when cold, but shouldn't be much higher.  Set it there and don't worry about it.



    It would seem that your Hartford loop is installed a little high -- but that won't hurt anything.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • mculik5
    mculik5 Member Posts: 30
    OK, thanks.

    Thanks for the info. A lot of what I read talked about the 2" difference between the water line and the top of the Hartford loop, so I thought that was a big deal. As a result, I filled mine way up.



    Looks like I'll be draining some water tonight.



    Can't say enough good things about the folks on this forum. Thanks.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,592
    edited October 2013
    Pictures

    It is always best to include pictures so everyone can see how the boiler is piped before commenting on an install. If the hartford loop is installed too high it may cause hammering.



    I run my EG-45 as Jamie said right around half way up the gauge glass. When I fill I go slightly above half way and I refill when it is slightly below half.



    The EG-45 and PEG-35 are the same in regards to water level.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Blaine
    Blaine Member Posts: 21
    edited November 2013
    line too high?

    My boiler has a water level line that is almost to the top of the glass. I always read about people filling 1/2 to 3/4 to the top of the glass so I go two inches or so below the line. I figure since there is also a minimum line that the manufacturer probably meant this to be a maximum line and just worded it poorley.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,592
    Depends

    It all depends on the boiler.



    Most Burnhams for example call for 3/4" up and should be kept in that general area.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Blaine
    Blaine Member Posts: 21
    thanks!

    thanks! i found the manual for my PENNCO 16 Series on line and it says "halfway". i guess either the factory or the installers put the line on the casing to high because its almost at the top.



    "Filling System With Water

    Steam heating systems boiler is partially filled with water.

    Fill boiler to correct level for proper system operation.

    Correct water level is about halfway up glass water level

    gauge as marked on boiler jacket."
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,592
    Not sure

    about that brand but on my Weil-Mclain I had to install the stickers my self so probably whoever installed it did it wrong.



    You'll likely save some money running it at the correct level.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Toymotorhead
    Toymotorhead Member Posts: 54
    Halfway.

    On my Weil McLain PEG-40 (which has some slightly messed up near boiler plumbing) it seems to be happiest with the water level at half way down the sight glass or a little lower. Too high and the water level gets very unstable.



    Just my $.02

    Richard.
    If you can't be good, at least be good at it.
  • Blaine
    Blaine Member Posts: 21
    on second thought

    i raised the water level back up to the indicator on the site glass. when i dropped the water level to half the boiler ran very noisy. i could actually hear the water boiling through the pipes if that makes any sense? kind of like soup can telephones. perhaps thats why the line was there in the first place.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Hartford loop

    Where is the top of the hartford loop in reference to the water line?



    If the hartford loop is much closer than 2" from the waterline that might account for strange noises. Measure up from the blocks the boiler is sitting on to the top of the hartford loop and compare it to the waterline.



    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Blaine
    Blaine Member Posts: 21
    If this is in fact it in the picture

    Then it is opposite the site glass with the top of the pipe an inch or so above the fill line demarcation. I think I have another issue though. I noticed last night that the water level in the glass had dropped significantly. I thought maybe some of the water was trapped in the system and would return so I let it cool a bit. The level didn't come back so I added what I thought to be a significant amount of water. Probably 2 inches in the glass. This morning I wake up and the water level had dropped again maybe an inch or so. I'm waiting now for it to cool to see if it comes back but I fear I may have a leak.
This discussion has been closed.