Boiler issue?

Hey B’stoners, happy holidays. quick question (and please excuse any quirky terms i may use). i went to drain water from my steam boiler today and although the water in the glass tube is nearly at the top, the red light on the “low water warning” keeps flashing as soon as i drain a little bit of water out. any ideas on what could be going on? should i continue draining water until the water in the glass tube is about halfway full or does it sound like i need to call a plumber right away? also, there’s a meter in the back of the boiler with numbers. the numbers are normally 001 but after i drained a little bit of water today, the numbers read: 003\. any insight is appreciated. many thanks

bk_bstoner1

in Boiler Repair 11 years and 7 months ago

3

Please log in, in order to post replies!

3 replies

Newest Oldest

eman134 | 11 years and 7 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4857 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4884 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "177006"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BaRrlDjFBcYAeDJ9.lwOTJ9pQC9nsT."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(23) "errol832000@hotmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(29) "http:///forums/users/eman134/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:25:55"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "eman134"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(177006)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

there should be a drain at the lower connection to the site glass…open it up and hopefully all the crap blocking it will be released and you will get an accurate reading thereafter

sethamin | 11 years and 7 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4858 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4859 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "177093"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(8) "sethamin"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B6NoJW6gfQ1jpv7XZ0gWJHgh5bQ0wN."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(8) "sethamin"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(18) "sethamin@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(23) "/forums/users/sethamin/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:25:58"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(8) "sethamin"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(177093)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

That happened to my boiler as well. One of the entry points to the glass tube was clogged, which was stopping it from reflecting the correct water level. Plumber came and cleaned the connections to the boiler, and then shut off the water feed and drained it to make sure the low water cut-off worked and that the level was now correct. I probably could have waited until the end of the season, but it highlighted for me how much gunk was in my boiler and how badly it needs to be cleaned.

Master Plvmber | 11 years and 7 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4862 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4856 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "1447"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BSHLZQSJWUzjnaSv9fyWJpNYjwcz.u."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(24) "info@gatewayplumbing.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(30) "http://www.GatewayPlumbing.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2007-08-10 20:40:53"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(14) "Master Plvmber"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(1447)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

It sounds like the lower inlet to the glass tube is partially clogged and may not be reading the proper water level. Something like that anyway. I suspect you don’t need a plumber right away but you’re due for a full maintenance service, I’m sure.