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Prep for Service

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markmarlatt
markmarlatt Member Posts: 60
edited January 9 in Strictly Steam

Greetings,


Having a stream technician come out next week to swap several old steam traps on radiators of a two pipe steam system and I wanted to make a list of other issues that might need addressed.

There appears to be surging in the sight glass:

https://youtube.com/shorts/QoBmplutjgk?si=GLqrFG54z7UuE8R3

Also, I’m wondering if I have a bad Gorton #2:

https://youtube.com/shorts/fI5c4UPjN-E?si=CVvBRdUfQhBPpyyJ

I am having a more sensitive pressuretrol swapped in as well as a pigtail cleaning. I will also have a 0-5 psi gauge added with a valve just before the pressuretrol on this pigtail:

IMG_0638.jpeg

Current pressuretrol lowest cutout is 3 psi, replacement has a cut in lowest of .5 which I’ll set the differential to 1.0 for a max pressure of 1.5:

IMG_0757.jpeg

Any other areas I should ask the technician to look at? Thank you!

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,992

    i would go with a real vaporstat if you're going to go to the expense of replacing the pressuretrol

    surging could be anything from water quality like oil on the water or dirt to improper piping.

    is the water level that high when the boiler is off? what happens if you lower it to the marked water line?

  • markmarlatt
    markmarlatt Member Posts: 60

    When the boiler is off, water in the sight glass settles to just below top mark on the boiler.

    I will look into a vaporstat tonight, thank you!

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,881

    I don't know what the "top mark on the boiler is" but it looks like you have too much water in the boiler. When the boiler is off you should have the glass 1/2 full or at the boiler MFG recommended level if it is marked.

  • markmarlatt
    markmarlatt Member Posts: 60
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1881442#Comment_1881442

    At rest (boiler not running) water in sight glass is at exactly half full, which is just below the line on the boiler:

    IMG_0771.jpeg IMG_0772.jpeg

    Water sits exactly at this mark on the boiler in the sight glass.

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