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Low water cutoff got wet! What do I do??

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kalindaminda
kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
edited December 2016 in Thermostats and Controls
The heater suddenly stopped working on the first snow day of the season. When I went to check it out, I saw water dripping steadily onto the low water cutoff.

After turning off the switch and cleaning up the water, I opened the cover and saw what looks like foamy water tracks on the circuit board inside. Any options??





Comments

  • Boon
    Boon Member Posts: 260
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    What is/was the source of the dripping water?

    And is it working again, do you have heat now?
    DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.
    kalindaminda
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
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    Hatterasguy said:

    You probably know the answer already.

    Nobody can ever say with certainty that an electrical control is reliable after contamination by water. If you dry it off thoroughly and it works today..........will it work tomorrow?

    Yeah haha but I was hoping for a miracle. Can I buy a new LWCO and replace it myself?
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
    edited December 2016
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    Boon said:

    What is/was the source of the dripping water?



    And is it working again, do you have heat now?

    It was positioned directly beneath a pipe and the pipe was leaking. If I turn the switch back on, it tries to start, but sputters and turns off with the LWCO blinking red.

    At the moment, no it's not working, and the heat won't turn on.

  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
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    Hatterasguy said:

    kalindaminda said:

    Hatterasguy said:

    You probably know the answer already.

    Nobody can ever say with certainty that an electrical control is reliable after contamination by water. If you dry it off thoroughly and it works today..........will it work tomorrow?

    Yeah haha but I was hoping for a miracle. Can I buy a new LWCO and replace it myself?
    Of course, if you're a bit handy with the wires. Turn off the power first. ;)
    Google, here I come.

    Thank you, good sir lol I'll try not to shock myself :relaxed:
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
    edited December 2016
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    You are my savior! I'll be very very careful. Thank youuu

    Mums the word!
  • Boon
    Boon Member Posts: 260
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    Ok, I was wondering if the leaking pipe was boiler piping.
    DIY'er ... ripped out a perfectly good forced-air furnace and replaced it with hot water & radiators.
    kalindaminda
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
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    Boon said:

    Ok, I was wondering if the leaking pipe was boiler piping.

    Ah... that's a good point. I haven't actually fixed the leak yet. I'll focus on that first.

  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
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    did you check the water level on the boiler? Maybe the LWCO is blinking red for a reason
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
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    adambnyc said:

    did you check the water level on the boiler? Maybe the LWCO is blinking red for a reason

    I checked, and it's all good.
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
    edited December 2016
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    @Hatterasguy

    Fortunately it didn't come to me having to implement your quick-fix, as I only understood your suggestion in theory haha

    Once the control dried thoroughly it started working again (for now). I also fixed the leak that soaked it in the first place.

    The next thing is to replace the lwco and find a way to position it so it's not directly underneath a valve...
  • kalindaminda
    kalindaminda Member Posts: 9
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    Thank you to everyone ❤️❤️❤️
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,477
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    It amazes me that these controls don't use humisealed boards. That would make them just about impervious to incidental water spills.

    I understand it will never happen because it probably costs a nickel to humiseasl a board.

    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
    SWEI
  • lchmb
    lchmb Member Posts: 2,997
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    if you cant relocate it try and put a shield in between the valve and the lwco to protect it in the future....just watch where the run off will go..dont want to ruin something else important
    kalindaminda

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