correct temp for boiler??

[crazy charlie]

Hi guys,I have a Weil McLane boiler in my home.The base board felt warm but not warm enough to get the house toasty warm.I looked at the high setting on the boiler and it was on 145 and the low was also on 145.The boiler temp was 180 at this time so I moved it up to 180 which is where I thought it should be and the boiler temp went to about 220 which made the baseboard much warmer but the temp sounds a little high to me.My setting is obviously off by about 40 degrees so I need to know what temp the boiler should be at.You guys dont want me running around in a cold house,you know with the "shrinkage" factor and all.Charlie

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

You normally want the temp to be at 160 low, 180 high. You need to figure out which guage is inaccurate but I'd bet that it's the thermometer on the furnace. At 220 it is pretty close to the boiling point and it should be making some noise. Does the pressure spike when it's just shut off?<br /><br />PS - I always turn my low setting way down in the summer mostly to keep the furnace room tempurature cool. I really don't know if this is a good practice or not - anyone else know?

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

I have not noticed a pressure spike.What pressure should it be at??Charlie

 

[Johnson110]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

The high limit should be at 180 degree and the low shoudbe at 160 giving you a 20 degree diffrence, i remember it to have a 20 degree diffrence so it does not 'lock" out on you. they say do not worry so much as what the gauge says, unless of course you see steam, if i remember correctly the pressure should not exceed 30 psi, if it does the expansion tak will take up the diffrence! i would not go any higher then 180, hope this helps!

 

[Laddies]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

When I had my boiler serviced this fall the service man set my high shut off at 195 and told me that it would be more effiecent at that temp, I don't know or I wouldn't have paid a professional, but it does seem to keep it warmer in below 0 weather

 

[Ben Konopacky]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

CC;IF you have two cont.on your boiler ,one for h2o temp. & one safety ,the settings should be 160*w/20* def.set on temp.cont. and safety set at 180*.if only one use the 160/20 setting. But at 220* h2o your 30# safety should have popped.or you must have an enormes expansion tank.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

But at 220* h2o your 30# safety should have popped

That's kind of what I was getting at. Normally your pressure should be 12-15PSI, but as you approch the boiling point the pressure will go way up. And the blowoff valve would (should) have gone if it hit 30.<br /><br />Sort of confirming the temp guage is inaccurate with the pressure guage.

 

[Mark42]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

The boiler techs set mine to run at 180. It keeps a steady 10psi pressure. This is a Burnham boiler and it lists the max pressure as 30psi. 30psi is really pushing it with hot water base board heat. The copper in the radiators is very thin. Not nearly as thick as the M guage feed or L guage potable water.<br /><br />Mark

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

Thanks guys!!!The pressure is usually around 20 and I am not sure the gage is reading accurately for the temp.It was 220 the other day so I turned it back down a bit.No noise from the valve or expansion tank which is the standard size.I have it set for a 20 degree difference.Seems to be in a 190-195 range now.Charlie

 

[Ben Konopacky]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

mark 42; check you auto h2o make up press red. valve, i would say its not making up water to the boiler,press. should be at least 12# at 70* and 16/20# @ 180* (check the strainer screen)

 

[Mark42]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

Ben Lucky,<br /><br />Thanks for posting that info. Went back and checked the guages again, this time wearing my glasses. It reads 16-18 lbs at 180*.<br /><br />Who ever installed the boiler put a 1" return line directly in front of the temp/pressure guage about 2 inches away. Makes it very difficult to get a direct and accurate reading when you can't look at the guage head on. What a thoughtful installer, huh?<br /><br />Mark

 

[MrBill]

Re: correct temp for boiler??

The boiler temp setting depends on whether or not it's supplying 'tankless' hot water, in addition to FHW heating. The temps given above are good for a boiler supplying hot water. Otherwise, depending on climate, zone-relay intelligence and most importantly, size of baseboard elements, a cooler temp is sufficient (140-160 or less).