# Steam boiler keeps acting up



## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

We did a steam boiler a couple weeks ago and now once a week are getting calls on it. First off we are a commerical plumbing outfit and rarely do any hvac work. But the problem lies in that the house keeps heating up. i think that the boiler and superstore are not wired correctly. We did not do the wiring. It seams that the pump is not coming on when the superstore is calling, so the boiler is on to long and heating the house. the electrician didnt know how to wire the pump with out a aqua stat. 

so my question is......

Is there a way to wire the superstore dirrectly to the circulator?


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

You must have an aquastat set to shut down the boiler before it starts making steam (I know no other way)


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

BROOKLYN\PLUMB said:


> You must have an aquastat set to shut down the boiler before it starts making steam (I know no other way)


 So wiring the aqua stat to the pump is not right? should it be wired to the boiler?


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

muck said:


> So wiring the aqua stat to the pump is not right? should it be wired to the boiler?


Pump should switch off of tank and activate burner, aquastat should keep it from steaming when no call for heat.

Must say though that combo makes for a lousy system being a open system and alot of mass to heat in non-heating season for a little DHW


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

So the aquastat on the storage tank is the thermostat it should through a switching relay turn on the pump and turn on the boiler, but the boiler now needs a high limit switch (the aquastat) so as not to create steam. The aquastat should be the "well type" in the Boiler but if no tapings are available you can use a strap on as close to the boiler as possible, but you would set the temp even lower to make sure you don't make steam.


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## Eric (Jan 10, 2011)

BROOKLYN\PLUMB said:


> So the aquastat on the storage tank is the thermostat it should through a switching relay turn on the pump and turn on the boiler, but the boiler now needs a high limit switch (the aquastat) so as not to create steam. The aquastat should be the "well type" in the Boiler but if no tapings are available you can use a strap on as close to the boiler as possible, but you would set the temp even lower to make sure you don't make steam.


Exactly^^^. Wire the aquastat on the SS to a single zone relay control like a Taco SR 501. It will have terminals to power the pump and then to the boiler which will need an ADDITIONAL Aquastat on it which will be set to shut the burner off at 180°F (hi-limit).


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## plumber666 (Sep 19, 2010)

Does the OP say steam boiler?


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

Yes


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

Going to the home owners house today with anothere electrician. He is saying there is a relay missing.


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

A diffrent electrician came in and installed a taco relay and its working perfect now. Thanks guys


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## Eric (Jan 10, 2011)

Did you install an additional hi-limit (aquastat) on the boiler itself for the hot water zone?

if not, if that zone runs for an extended period of time, it (the boiler) will begin making steam and heat the rest of the house.

The taco relay should be wired to an additional aquastat set to 180°F.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

For all the discussion here, the correct diagrams can be found on Amtrol's site.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Or, Here...

http://www.htproducts.com/literature/lp-83.pdf


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## bikefitter0 (Nov 22, 2011)

brooklyn is correct


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