Boiler is gurgling and wont run

tousky8172 · November 10

MY boiler is making a loud bubbling or gurgling noise and will only run for a minute before shutting down. Video attached. Can anyone

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uSFzmEAxqcNAB794NSUf9RQGjEFiIGpM/view?usp=sharing suggest what is the issue to suspect here?

EdTheHeaterMan · November 10

Can't see your video without access

Grallert · November 10

Sounds like there's not enough water indoor boiler. What's your gauge say? and is it working. When you open the PRV is seems you're cooling the heat exchanger.

tousky8172 · November 10

Hello Grallert, THank you for the assistance. I do not believe the gauge works , as it never fluctuates at all and seems unresponsive. How can I estimate if I have enough water in the boiler?

mattmia2 · November 10

if you posted some pics that would help. is this a hot water boiler or steam boiler? is it a conventional boiler or a mod con?

EdTheHeaterMan · November 10

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1871734#Comment_1871734

From the video

I think this is a copper water tube boiler? …and it sounds like it is kettling from lack of water flow thru the Copper HX. Probably want to get a pro in there to determine if the circulator is not operating or if the system is just air bound or is there a blockage keeping the water from moving freely thru the system.

mattmia2 · November 10

water tube boilers do not like lack of flow. In fact I think laars requires a bypass in the near boiler piping.

EdTheHeaterMan · November 10

@tousky8172 asked: "How can I estimate if I have enough water in the boiler?"

Are there any vents at the top of the system? at the highest radiator? Open a vent upstairs and see if water comes out. If you get air then you may not have enough water in the system.

Another way is with a pressure gauge that landscapers use to check water pressure on sprinkler systems. You attach the gauge to the boiler drain and open the drain valve to release the water pressure to the gauge to see whet the pressure is Water pressure gauge

hot_rod · November 10

did it start suddenly or over time. When they scale up the HX that is usually over a few years, noise increasing.

If it started one day, air, plugged strainer, circulator impeller plugged or broken.

Get the fill pressure up above 10 psi, then a good air purge are the simple first steps.

tousky8172 · November 10

Edtheheaterman, i opened this vent ( i believe it is what you mean. No air released, only water.

tousky8172 · November 10

Hot rod, this has been happening intermittently over the last 10 years. Would come and go. Sometimes not arise at all for a whole year. Would always go away. Now, it is wanting to stay this way.

hot_rod · November 11

there are some treatments for copper boilers that you inject and leave in. It cleans and keeps particles in suspension. Silver King was one brand. They have a nice hand pump also.

I prefer to run a cleaner, flush, refill and add a conditioner. I like to see the crud flush out.

If air is purged out, and pressure is adequate, based on age, dirty heat exchanger tubes are common in that type of boiler.

Boiler is gurgling and wont run

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