Pressuretrol question

geemalar · January 31

So it would appear to be that situation where the more I learn, I realize the more I don’t understand and know……

Single pipe gas fired Peerless………I’ve had what appeared to be Honeywell Ptrol issues in the past. My understanding was that the lower the gauge pressure, the better the system operates. New 0-5 gauge, new pigtail, clean pigtail port. My system was typically running at very low pressures, near zero most of the time. On occasion it would get up to about 1 psi. Overall the system runs fine, I get heat out of all my radiators. I have a mix of MoM and a few Varivalves on my system. With the latest cold snap, I’ve been hearing some of my radiator vents gurgling a little bit. I just attributed it to the excessive cold we’ve been having.

Believing that my Ptrol was questionable and having a brand new one on hand, I decided to change it yesterday. Set the dial to 1, and the cut in to just above the .5 psi part. Upon restarting the system, I now notice that the system runs up to about 1.6 psi, and cuts back in at about the .5 psi mark if there is still the call for heat. This sounds as if the way the Ptrol is supposed to work. Before, it was uncommon for the system to register above zero, with it being so cold on occasion it would get up to the 1 psi mark. I also notice the system cycling more based off the new Ptrol operation. I never payed attention to the run time before, I just figured if the system was at a low pressure, that was ideal.

But heres what’s confusing to me…………now that I’m at these higher pressure on the Ptrol, my radiator gurgling sounds have disappeared. I would think it should be the opposite. I was always at really low pressure before ( but with longer run times)……..now I’m at what appears to be proper cycling at cut out and cut in pressure……….but at higher cut out pressure than before. I would believe that the lower pressure, the quieter operation. But it seems to be the opposite. Would the lower pressure but longer run times attributed to the gurgling sounds coming from some of my vents?

ethicalpaul · January 31

It sounds as if you are under the common misconception that the pressuretrol somehow sets your pressure, but I'm not sure because some of your sentences seem to have the correct idea that it only sets an upper limit.

If your pressuretrol (either one of them) is cutting out at 1.6psi then it is by far the most accurate one I have ever heard of. Mine only got that accurate when I disconnected the spring inside it.

I don't think your vents' noises has anything to do with either pressuretrol.

With these cold temps, everyone's radiators are a lot more full of steam than they usually are. Thousands of vents across the northeast are seeing steam for the first time possibly in years.

It's the weather, not your pressure device. That's why you are more often at higher pressure now.

patrykrebisz · January 31

function of ptrol is simply to turn off your boiler when it reaches certain pressure (in your case 1.5psi) and turn it back on when the system gets rid of some of the pressure (in your case0.5psi). it has NOTHING to do to make your vents more or less quiet. since you have low pressure 0-5psi gauge, you finally can know what is REALLY going on in your boiler.

geemalar · January 31

@ethicalpaul- I understand that the Ptrol does not set the pressure, that it stops the system creating additional pressure based off of what it is set to. The system will create as much pressure that it can (if it was unregulated)………the Ptrol just stops it at the X setting. Is that what you are saying…..

AFA the vent noises, all I know is my vents are now making less of a gurgling noise than when they were on the original Ptrol. They still make a venting noise as air is released, just less of the gurgling noise. My question was about why the gurgling noise has all but disappeared……..

Captain Who · January 31

It's working now at least.

Hard to say for sure but it sounds very much to me like the pressure gauge was not reading the boiler pressure correctly before, due to a blockage (maybe right next to it or somewhere fairly close). When that sealed in volume gets heat conducted to it, through the pigtail and piping, it will read a higher pressure as the trapped air inside that volume is heated, but you have no idea what the true pressure in the boiler is. This is why most non functional "internal syphon" OE 0-30 psi gauges sometimes will show some pressure even though they are clogged, in addition to sometimes acting as a one way valve where air/steam under pressure gets past the clog but doesn't leak back out.

The pressuretrol is suspect too but may have also been blocked. But one way or another it sounds like your boiler pressure was way higher than you knew and vents were leaking on that pressure.

EBEBRATT-Ed · January 31

The system will act differently when the weather changes. I would not fixate on it. Pipes expand and contract the condensate and steam volume can change. Th ptrol sets the upper limit and the adjustment scale is often out of wack. Unless you have issues don't be concerned.

Pressuretrol question

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