| Author |
Message |
    
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 49
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 4:24 pm: | 
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Bobkat, Of course, but I was replying to mwsilva's comment: "No one is going to tell me that I have a leak. I know better." I stand by my original post - If you have to add water every day or so, I dont care if its 20 below zero outside - Either your boiler somehow defies the first law of physics and destroys matter, or YOU HAVE A LEAK!
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parkah
Citizen
Username: Parkah
Post Number: 90
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 7:20 am: |
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so it seems to be the consensus that if you fill your boiler everyday, you have a leak or something worse (i.e., cracked boiler, etc).
tjohn, masterplumber and robert have all given advice on how to determine the leak. but what is the next step if the boiler isn't cracked and you can't seem to locate the leak?
in my case, i know there's something wrong with my system, but i haven't found a leak (yet) and i've ruled out obvious problems like faulty air vents, values and poor insulation. besides ripping out walls in hopes of finding hidden leaks, what can i do? i don't want to continue *killing* my boiler by adding fresh water so often. am i just stuck at this point?
thanks.
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David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 50
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 8:38 am: |
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Parkah, Back to the air vents. Do any of them continue to hiss after the last rad section is hot? You can also carefully overfill your boiler so that the entire block and manifold is filled. Get yourself a telescoping inspection mirror and a flashlight and inspect it underneath inside the firing chamber and all around the outside. Would you be comfortable dismantling the boiler jacket and inspecting the top of the block? Packing nuts and valve bonnets OK? - try passing a BBQ lighter around them and the radiator sections, piping, etc. Crawl around and listen. Its time consuming, but definitely a DIY project. Good Luck.
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MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 1863
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:01 am: |
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We still have the problem of needing to add water virtually every day in this extreme cold weather AND a few of the radiators do hiss very loudly. One radiator in the bathroom even whistles extremely loudly like a teapot like clockwork at 5am every day. (not a pleasant way to be awoken).
Any thoughts? |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4174
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:23 am: |
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What is your Pressuretrol set at?
The outside setting should be .5 and the inside wheel should be set at 1, just for starters.
Then you tweak from there.
That will cause pressure in the system to go as high as 1.5 to 2 PSIG and should stop the teapot sounds. Air vents that leak at 2 PSIG need to be replaced.
Note air vent will vent air and hiss just a bit but then close when the rads fill with steam. That is normal. And when the system shuts down and cools, they will open and allow air to suck into the rads.
When all is hot and the steam is up, they should not teapot on you. |
Mrs T
Citizen
Username: Netjack
Post Number: 15
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:36 am: |
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Please advise regarding steam boiler pressure, my pressure regulator does not have a wheel on the outside, it has 2 scales side by side on the front, and the setting regulator for both is 1 setting. It says psi on the right and KG something on the left (covered up)the scales are diffferent, it says cut in at the top. Which one do I go by? It's a honeywell. Thanks. |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 311
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:50 pm: |
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Looks like this?:
Gateway Plumbing & Heating
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Mrs T
Citizen
Username: Netjack
Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 1:50 pm: |
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Similar, it only has one vertical, numeric scale on both sides, 'psi' on bottom right, 'kg/' something bottom left, at top of vertical 'cut in'. I don't see a model number on it. The boiler is about 15 years old. Thanks. |
Mrs T
Citizen
Username: Netjack
Post Number: 17
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 2:43 pm: |
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Masterplumber, it's looks exactly like model PA404A1033. I can't find instructions for it online. Thanks. |
snshirsch
Citizen
Username: Snshirsch
Post Number: 334
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 3:35 pm: |
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So PSEG came out today to check our boiler (under contract) as we are having to fill it about every 3-4 hours. He asked if we see water on the floor, no, he asked about excessive hissing, we said some, in two particular radiators but not ALL the time. He then asked if we ever filled the boiler to the top, we said no. He proceeded to fill the boiler to the top of the glass tube and then we began to see the steam escaping from the top of the boiler. He said we have a crack on the top of the boiler and said it needs to be replaced. He gave us a wraning ticket that says we must have it replaced within two weeks or our gas would be turned off. Does this diagnosis sound correct? |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 313
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 5:30 pm: |
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Mrs. T.
Like this then:
There's definitely a dial inside there.
Loosen the screw on the front, not the top. Lift the cover up and toward you and you'll see half of the white dial with numbers spaced far apart.
Let me know. I'd be really surprised if there were no differential setting.
Snshirsch,
That's a pretty big crack. Probably more like a hole.
Gateway Plumbing & Heating
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Mrs T
Citizen
Username: Netjack
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 5:35 pm: |
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Yes exactly, so which set of numbers on the front does it get set to? PSI or the KG side? It's .5 for steam correct?
Thanks a bunch. |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 314
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 5:38 pm: |
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Yes. In most cases, .5 cut in and between 1 and 1-1/2 on the differential "dial" setting.
No problem.
Gateway Plumbing & Heating |
Mrs T
Citizen
Username: Netjack
Post Number: 19
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 5:43 pm: |
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PSI of kg/ side? |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 315
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 6:16 pm: |
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Ignore it.
There's only one scale, right? It's like a Fahrenheit/Centigrade thermometer.
Set the indicator to .5 psi.
Gateway Plumbing & Heating |
mim
Citizen
Username: Mim
Post Number: 398
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - 9:11 am: |
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We are in the same boat as several other posters on this thread, and I'm really not sure how to proceed at this point. Our newish boiler also needs water frequently during very cold spells (every 2-3 days rather than every 1-2 weeks). The serviceman could find no leaks anywhere in the system, though admitted they could be buried in walls, where they might not be obvious for months/years. This verdict cost us $88, the hourly service charge. I'm reluctant to continue paying someone to go on such a snipe hunt. What should we do? |
chocoholic
Citizen
Username: Shrink
Post Number: 251
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - 3:13 pm: |
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When I fill the boiler, I look at the glass tube. However, the water level seems low when the boiler is running. When it is off, the level in the tube is high. Which level is correct? |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4178
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - 3:36 pm: |
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Both.
When the boiler is fired or running the water is flashed to steam, thus the level will drop. When rhe steam cools, it returns as water to the boiler. |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 52
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - 3:38 pm: |
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The water level is accurate on a cold boiler, but in most cases it shouldn't change by more than an inch or so when the boiler is running. |
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 525
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - 3:43 pm: |
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The water appears low when the boiler is running because a good portion of it has been converted to steam and is up in your pipes and radiators. When the boiler is not running all that steam is condensing and draining back down into the boiler. Both levels are "correct." Probably best to turn the thermostat off, let it sit for 15 minutes, then adjust the water level. Or do what I do and just never fill it over about 2/3 which should give it enough breathing room no matter what. |
Drew Hearon
Citizen
Username: Dhearon
Post Number: 5
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 9:59 am: |
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Master Plvmber- Our Pressure regulator looks identical to the second picture you posted. The gauge on the side of the Boiler (one pipe system) shows 13 PSI currently, which seems really high. I've been trying to drop it down to 2 PSI, but despite cranking down my cut-in to .5, and differential to 2, the PSI hasn't changed one bit on the guage. Suggestion? |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 318
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 12:44 pm: |
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Does the gauge drop down to 0psi when the boiler has been off for a while?
If not, the gauge is likely broken.
If it does, your control isn't reading the change in pressure for one reason or another.
Gateway Plumbing & Heating |
Michael Janay
Citizen
Username: Childprotect
Post Number: 1536
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 1:06 pm: |
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Just for what its worth...
Gateway serviced our boiler a few months ago and it has never worked better. Our house is warm and even. I've had it serviced before by other plumbers, and did it myself a few times, but now it works far better than ever.
I don't know exactly what they did, but I'm going to have them do it again next year. |
ashear
Supporter
Username: Ashear
Post Number: 1672
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 4, 2005 - 1:32 pm: |
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I have to say I had the same experience as MJ. It seems like the radiators are quieter, less hissy. No idea why. They also improved the lousy water pressure in my upstairs bathroom in the course of unfreezing a cold water line. No idea how they did that either, but very happy. Got a contract for them to do the boiler every year. |
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