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    water being pulled from boiler (5 Posts)

  • roadrunner roadrunner February 8, 2012 @ 8:36 AM
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    water being pulled from boiler

    I have a 450 mills smith boiler ,2,500,000,btu 2 pipe condensate pump return that the water is pulled right out of the boiler and going off on low water.
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  • Rich_L Rich_L February 8, 2012 @ 9:10 AM
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    Has this problem just started?

    Has it always done this? If not have there been any changes to your system lately?

    Is it piped properly? You may need to post a few pictures of the boiler and near piping if you're not sure.

    Anything done with your boiler water lately? Could be foaming and priming?
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  • crash2009 crash2009 February 8, 2012 @ 9:26 AM
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    Need more info

    Just trying to narrow things down a bit. 

    Does the water disapear, never to be seen again?  (which would suggest a leak)

    Or, does the water eventually make its way back to the boiler?  (which would suggest pressure too high, or a condensate return problem)
    This post was edited by an admin on February 8, 2012 9:27 AM.
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  • Dave in QCA Dave in QCA February 8, 2012 @ 2:08 PM
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    more questions

    Does the water suddenly disappear?  Does the system have a condensate tank and pump?  Are there zone valves on any of the steam mains?
    Dave in Quad Cities, America
    Weil-McLain 680 with Riello 2-stage burner, December 2012. Firing rate=375MBH Low, 690MBH Hi.
    System = Early Dunham 2-pipe Vacuo-Vapor (inlet and outlet both at bottom of radiators) Traps are Dunham #2 rebuilt w. Barnes-Jones Cage Units, Dunham-Bush 1E, Mepco 1E, and Armstrong TS-2. All valves haveTunstall orifices sized at 8 oz.
    Current connected load EDR= 1,259 sq ft, Original system EDR = 2,100 sq ft Vaporstat, 13 oz cutout, 4 oz cutin - Temp. control Tekmar 279.
    http://grandviewdavenport.com
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  • Tim_Hodgson Tim_Hodgson February 9, 2012 @ 4:09 PM
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    Disappearing water

    I will assume the boiler has worked well in the past and nothing mechanical has been changed. The boiler water has three ways to get out of the boiler: Carryover from dirty water and surface tension, it can back out the bottom of the boiler through a defective check valve at the condensate pump and up the chimney if you have a leak in a section.
    I have had a lot of good results by cleaning the water side of the boiler.
    Good luck,
    Tim
    Larry & Chuck's Heating Inc.
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