Burnham IN8
#1
11-04-13, 02:51 PM
Burnham IN8
Hello, I recently upgraded my steam boiler. I first had a Weil Mclain that lasted 27 years and started leaking so I upgraded to a Burnham IN8 boiler. My question is: After about 45 minutes of running, the system gets to about 6 lbs of pressure and then shuts off. Once it gets to 4lbs, it starts up again. Runs about another 3-5 minutes until it gets to 6lbs and shuts off. Is it normal to keep shutting on and off every 3-5 minutes?
I have a 3 story, 4 family home. Steam Heat with Natural Gas.
I have a 3 story, 4 family home. Steam Heat with Natural Gas.
#2
11-04-13, 05:26 PM
First of all your pressure is way to high. It should be around 2lbs. max. Lower everything so it shuts off at 2 and comes back on at about 1lb. Set your dif.at .5. You'll get much better results. Secondly if your boiler is short cycling chances are its oversized. If its sized right your t-stat will shut it down in most cases before you ever reach limit. On a new installation for steam they should have figured your radiator's heat output and size accordingly. Too many contractors just replace what's there and that is a mistake.
#3
11-04-13, 07:53 PM
It should be around 2lbs. max. Lower everything so it shuts off at 2 and comes back on at about 1lb. Set your dif.at .5.
Set the MAIN dial at 2 lbs.
I think you want to leave the diff at 1.5 actually...
This will cut OUT at 2 PSI
and cut back IN at 0.5 PSI ( subtractive diff : 2 minus 1.5 = 0.5 )
Changing the diff to 0.5 PSI will only cause SHORTER cycles... I don't think we want that?
What say you spott? yes? no?
#5
11-05-13, 03:52 PM
Thanks for the replies. No one has complained about the heat. actually my 3rd floor tenants turned their radiators off last year when I had the weil mclain system. The weather hasn't been too cold yet to test this new one yet.
I will change the main setting to 2 and leave the diff at 1.5 and see how it goes.
The installer just took the size of the old one and got a similar output one.
As far as I know, all the pipes/radiators are getting hot.
I will change the main setting to 2 and leave the diff at 1.5 and see how it goes.
The installer just took the size of the old one and got a similar output one.
As far as I know, all the pipes/radiators are getting hot.
#6
11-05-13, 05:30 PM
Keep in mind that changing the pressure may not cure the cycling, there might be other reasons for that, and is why I asked:
By the way, all of the steam mains should be INSULATED. You want the steam to remain steam as long as possible and not condense in the piping before it gets to the radiators.
In general, with STEAM systems, this is a reasonably safe approach.
Since steam boilers must be sized according to the attached radiator size, it's presumed that the installers would have done this originally, so replacing with same size is usually OK.
Unlike hot water systems, which are almost universally over-sized by two, three, and even four times!
Let us know how the 2 PSI setting works out. You will save fuel.
If 2 PSI is not enough pressure to heat the building, then there is SOMETHING ELSE wrong... perhaps radiator vents need maintenance, etc... so resist the urge to turn up the pressure if the heat seems inadequate. Look instead for the ROOT CAUSE which may be easy enough to fix.
They heat the Empire State Building with something like 9 PSI ! Just for point of reference...
Where is the thermostat located?
The installer just took the size of the old one and got a similar output one.
Since steam boilers must be sized according to the attached radiator size, it's presumed that the installers would have done this originally, so replacing with same size is usually OK.
Unlike hot water systems, which are almost universally over-sized by two, three, and even four times!
Let us know how the 2 PSI setting works out. You will save fuel.
If 2 PSI is not enough pressure to heat the building, then there is SOMETHING ELSE wrong... perhaps radiator vents need maintenance, etc... so resist the urge to turn up the pressure if the heat seems inadequate. Look instead for the ROOT CAUSE which may be easy enough to fix.
They heat the Empire State Building with something like 9 PSI ! Just for point of reference...
