What Happens When the Power Goes Back on?

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 12:22 am

Ok here's the deal and I hope I am worrying for nothing. I lost power 2 days ago like so many others. Today when I checked my boiler the temp was still at 210. A little high but I was amazed I had any temp at all. Then the pressure release valve opened and it released maybe a gallon of water. My pressure gauge now reads zero. The temp of the boiler is still at 200. The only explanation I can come up with is the increased draft which is keeping the fire going from above?!?. My fire goes out on a good day never mind staying lite for 2 without the fan running!! I checked the port cover and sure enough I can see some red glow down low in the coal. Am I going to be in trouble when the power comes back on and now I have cold water hitting my hot boiler? Is there anything I should do or is this actually normal and I didn't notice the zero reading before? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ken

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 5:01 am

My pressure gauge now reads zero.

Something is wrong w/ the make up water...or are you saying no water from well pump for pressure due to power outage?

If that's the case, the water regulator will be slow enough and you say it was only a gallon...so, no problem.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 5:34 am

It should be fine. It's an all steel boiler, the water temperature won't hurt a thing. If you are on a well, the water pressure should fix itself. If on city water perhaps your incoming water to the boiler is shut off?

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 7:59 am

Thanks guys, I am on a well and although I have a small generator, it does not power the well so no water for us!! Thanks again, that's a oad off my mind. When we have lost power in the past I never checked the pressure so I don't know if it went down to zero before.

Pa papa · Post by **Pa papa** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 8:52 am

Something missing here?
Wouldn't the pressure relief valve close again below 30 psi? So where did the remaining pressure go?
Wouldn't that seem to indicate there is no back flow preventer on the feed water and when the domestic water fell to zero the boiler water pushed out into the domestic supply? Or the relief valve is stuck open.

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 9:41 am

The remaining pressure blew off with the relief ... and since the well is off, no pressure to re boot it.

Yanche · Post by **Yanche** » Wed. Oct. 31, 2012 12:33 pm

Depending on the location of your circulator you may have a problem which would require manual air bleeding. IF, the release of the PVR caused the circulator impeller to loose water AND a check valve in the circulator or else where, prevents the automatic water refill from supplying water to the impeller water will not flow. Did you have any air bleed problems on the initial fill?

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Thu. Nov. 01, 2012 1:23 pm

Yanche wrote:Depending on the location of your circulator you may have a problem which would require manual air bleeding. IF, the release of the PVR caused the circulator impeller to loose water AND a check valve in the circulator or else where, prevents the automatic water refill from supplying water to the impeller water will not flow. Did you have any air bleed problems on the initial fill?

You were right on my friend. The line was air bound, wish I read this before lots of head scratching and finally calling my buddy! I am completely amazed, I could not go more then 6 hours this summer without some for of a call for heat or hot water otherwise this bad boy would go out. I am without power for over 60 hours and the thing fires back up on its own. Like I said amazing, must have been because of the huge draft from above!! Thanks to everyone for your input on this, worked out great.

AA130FIREMAN · Post by **AA130FIREMAN** » Thu. Nov. 01, 2012 10:23 pm

NWBuilder wrote: I am completely amazed, I could not go more then 6 hours this summer without some for of a call for heat or hot water otherwise this bad boy would go out. I am without power for over 60 hours and the thing fires back up on its own. Like I said amazing, must have been because of the huge draft from above!! Thanks to everyone for your input on this, worked out great.

Good draft or good quality coal. This summer I shut down and it took over a day or 2 til the fire went out. I only burn harmony, before in past years, other coal it would go out during heating season (possable operator error

but still when you want it to go out and she rolls like a snow ball down hill)