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Strange water fill behavior.

delcrossv
delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512
in Strictly Steam

So, the MIL's system with the JB-5 is losing water (bout 2 gal/week) so I have a steam leak to chase down. That's not today's issue, however.

Issue is, when I added make-up water today there was a delay between adding the water and the sight glass responding.

Usually when I fill, the level in the glass goes up at a constant rate. Today, however, I add water and the glass level doesn't change, then it zipps up an inch, then pauses, then zipps up another inch.

Glass passage is clear, wet return is clear, I was wondering if I have a clogged mud leg?

Also, condensate is slow to return.

Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.

Comments

  • exqheat
    exqheat Member Posts: 194

    Collapsed leaking return??

    John Cockerill Exquisite Heat www.exqheat.com Precisions boiler control from indoor reset.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1825859#Comment_1825859

    No. Return is visible and right next to the boiler.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 25,214

    Does sound as though something is gunked up, but the question is… what? Do you have try cocks on the sight glass? You might try opening the bottom one —- it should be free flowing and the water in the glass should drop immediately. You can get the same effect if you have a float type LWCO connected to the sight glass — open its blowdown (not a bad idea from time to time anyway!).

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    delcrossv
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1825862#Comment_1825862

    Hi Jamie, first thing I checked. I have a glass drainer that I flush out every couple of weeks. LWCO is separate and gets blown down weekly.

    I'm 99% sure it's not the glass.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512

    Pic of wet return. Condensate from drain on return is crystal clear. No sediment.

    image.png

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,784

    Does the MU water go in the boiler or the return? If in the return how far from the boiler? I would also be sure the upper sight glass tapping is clear and that there isn't anything stuck in one of the gauge glass valves.

  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512

    MU water goes into the wet header next to the boiler. So,just the width of the Hartford Loop away.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512

    I'm going to drain the glass this weekend to verify it's not that.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.
  • delcrossv
    delcrossv Member Posts: 1,512

    Ok, drained the glass and let the drain run awhile. That was fine.

    Took some water out of the boiler drain, cloudy but not bad.

    Finally backflushed the mud leg by running the manual fill with the drain open. Must have moved something as the glass goes up smoothly now.

    I think I'm going to have to wand the boiler this spring.

    In other news, replaced 2 Hoffman 40s that were wide open and humidifying the apartments nicely.

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.

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