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Steam boiler and indirect hot water tank in the summer

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Comments

  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 5,253

    yes just lower it and see if that makes a difference. I would suggest 10 degree increments. If it simply doesn't stop the steaming affect, you'll need a new aquastat for the boiler loop

    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • Bob_57-2
    Bob_57-2 Member Posts: 37

    What do you think of this AI idea to speed up the test:

    1. Wait for a time when the boiler is completely cool and the
    indirect tank calls for hot water.
       2. Go to the basement and stand by the boiler while it runs.
       3. After about 10–15 minutes of running, slowly turn the aquastat
    dial downward (from 160°F down toward 140°F or 130°F).
       4. Watch for the click: Listen carefully for the internal click of
    the switch and see if the burner shuts off.
       * If you have to crank the dial all the way down to 130°F or lower
    just to get the boiler to shut off, your aquastat is failing/out of
    calibration and is overheating your boiler.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,457

    That seems like it would work. As I said above there are many ways to verify operation. The thing is, is it needs to be consistent, not just pass one test. The fastest way is to disable the circulator so no heat is taken away from the boiler. All depends how involved you want to get.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,457

    The problem with the human (and apparently AI) urge of touching stuff, is the problem may go away. Adjusting the boiler's aquastat temperature may temporally make the problem go away, only to return later.

    It all really depends on what the problem actually is.

    With troubleshooting you want to find the issue not mask it so it returns again later. Since you live there you can fiddle with it all you want. A return service call for a Pro makes no one happy.

    Your aquastat may be broken and won't open its switch at any temperature. Or the wires may be touching under the cover, so the properly functioning aquastat has no control.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,457
    edited September 8

    I suspect your system is wired like this.

    image.png

    An alternative method as previously mentioned.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Bob_57-2
    Bob_57-2 Member Posts: 37

    @109A_5 I will give the dial adjustment a try and also check the integrity of the wiring. My access to that side of the boiler is very limited by the nearby brick wall which makes me less comfortable playing with the wiring.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 4,457

    @Bob_57-2

    " What role is the Argo relay playing in this setup? One of the wires from the Honeywell aquastat goes to the boiler, the other to the Argo. "

    Was this question answered to your satisfaction ?

    Short answer, the Honeywell aquastat interrupts the Indirect tanks call for heat to the boiler limiting the boiler's water temperature.

    The Argo relay does a few things.

    1. It supplies isolated 24 VAC for the Indirect tank's aquastat circuit. When the Indirect tank's aquastat calls for heat (its switch or contacts close) the 24 VAC then energizes the Argo's relay coil.

    2. The Argo's relay has two sets of isolated contacts. One is used for 120 VAC switching and the other is used to switch 24 VAC. With the Argo's relay coil energized the two NC (Normally Closed) contacts open (which are probably not used in this case). The NO (Normally Open) contacts close.

    3. When the 120 VAC NO contacts close it energizes the circulator's motor. When the 24 VAC NO contacts close they activate the boiler's burner as long as the boiler's water is below the set point of the boiler's aquastat.

    Since the relay's 24 VAC NO contacts are wired in series with the boiler's aquastat contacts, if either contact opens the boiler's burner is shut off. So if either the DHW call is terminated or the boiler's aquastat set temp has been reached the boiler's burner is shut off.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Bob_57-2
    Bob_57-2 Member Posts: 37

    Thanks, your answers have been very comprehensive and have helped me understand the role of the Argo.

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