A Helpful Steam Boiler Maintenance Guide

Steam boiler maintenance on a Smith Series Boiler with Cast Iron Plumbing. First i start to drain the water level to below the McDonnell & Miller Low Water Cut Off Probe. While thats draining I clean and check the Honeywell Pressuretrols on the system as well as clean the pig tails for them. The sight glass is cleaned at this time as well. The McDonnell & Miller 51-2 Boiler Water Level Control is flushed to make sure the plumbing operates properly. Everything is Put back together and the Power Flame Burner on the boiler is run to observe its operation. All the safety switches are exercised to check operation.
1:31 Cleaning Boiler Pressuretrols
3:44 Cleaning McDonnell & Miller LWCO Probe
4:50 Cleaning the Sight Glass
5:22 Problem with McDonnell & Miller 51-2
8:28 Running Power Flame Burner, Checking Limit Circuit

[@ElijahPerrin80]

I would have done everything differently... mostly because I have no idea what I am doing... but good video.

[@49Surge]

Just saw your 1st video, very helpful and to the point. I will definitely do a deeper dive into my steam boiler next summer.

[@eugenesedita]

Great, clear and to the point. Thanks so much from Queens, NYC. Boiler wouldn’t start, took off the tstat connected the wires. Thought the low water cutoff not working, with your instructions found the probe that probably needed to be cleaned. Gonna check that out now. Thanks again, you’re thorough, and easy to understand.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Thank you for the support Eugene! Very generous of you to leave such a great comment. Glad everything worked out for you!

[@jasonrivera8770]

Awesome video. I’ve been working as a concierge/portor for 14 years, I’m just about to start my journey and become super or resident manager, boilers are a very important key. This vid nd all your others are awesome. Your personality nd the way you describe is so easy for the ears. Please make more. I just subscribed today. Let’s gooooo

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Congratulations brother! Will do! I can’t thank you enough for the support!

[@jrh86]

Absolutely .....safety first at all times ....think liability 💯💯💯👍

[@Mprsports234]

Excellent video!!

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

That was very generous of you to say I truly appreciate it the support Janet! Thank you!

[@thefred0215]

Gracias Amigo

[@nybiggs]

This is an owner that doesn’t bother doing a monthly sludge flush. I’d add a burner, thermocouple/flame sensor cleaning to the yearly maintenance.

[@kevin7151]

Excellent video. I didn't realize this one was out there. I had seen your other one on cleaning an oil fired steam boiler. I find that the sight glasses start to deform at the top and bottom over time and thin out in the same places. I generally swap out mine every few years to mitigate any problems. I actually have cut two more sight glasses to fit my boiler in advance so if something goes awry, I have them handy. Keep up the good videos.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Kevin that is very generous of you, thank you for your support! I like that you think ahead to pre cut the sight glasses. I heard that the steam eats away at the top of the sight glass which is why they have to eventually be replaced, seems like you have a lot of experience, would love to hear what you think, thanks!

[@kevin7151]

@@theapprenticesurvivalguide I have 28 years experience in my home and about 20 doing various servicing aspects on my steam boiler. Your videos are invaluable to people like me who value the insight of a tradesman who sees everything in the field. Am glad I can share some of my homeowner experiences with you and see that you have seen the same in the field. Be well my friend and lets go G-men!

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

@@kevin7151 You're too generous as always Kevin thank you! The beauty is we can both learn from each-other, honestly the best part of being in the trades is learning other trades, and being able to do all the work on your home on your own and not have to pay someone to do it. All I hope for is people find the content helpful and maybe motivate some young people into finding a career in the trades, god know were gonna need them in a few years!

[@theodorgiosan2570]

A helpful tip is to use "red line" high pressure gauge glass, and face the outside of the line to the boiler (line showing through the glass). It's thicker glass, it's not very expensive, and it actually helps you see where the water level is because the red line refracts through the water.

[@kevin7151]

@@theodorgiosan2570 thanks for your feedback, most appreciated. Best to you and your family in 2024

[@patrickwelch620]

There is a blow off at the bottom of the sight glass you missed. It will skim the sludge out.

[@peterking1134]

I would always choose safety first…..

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

couldn't agree more!

[@VincenzoPickatelli]

Good video.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Thank you Vincenzo! Very generous of you to comment!

[@dantoubiana4471]

Great video

[@anthonyarealgoodplumber]

Good video! I just built a new steam boiler. I’d prefer a flushable lwco. Hoping the super would flush once a week during heating season.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Thank you for the support Anthony! I believe commercial boilers need 2 lwco, i could be wrong but in any case having a probe lwco and flushable lwco is great redundancy. Thank you for the feedback, that was very generous of you!

[@cerderafeliz]

Awesome video! Would love to see a video done on a 1-2 family home steam boiler. I'm located in NYC with a 100 years old house.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Great suggestion! i have a video just like that! and ill work on making more!

[@jameslang9170]

I don’t remove Lwco probes, I just test them. Most of the time when I do remove them to be replaced the ceramic breaks. So if it was working and the ceramic breaks the customer would be mad I broke something that was working or my office would be mad I’m losing them money by not charging for a part.

[@unknownbostonian]

That's why you always make sure you have the part in your truck so you can sell them a new one, Maybe you should just go to the supply house and stock up so you can make those extra small sales that will prevent a callback or a potential breakdown

[@unknownbostonian]

Fill up your glass because it's always only half full... be the best tech not just a good one

[@Rainmaker88]

@unknownbostonian that’s not realistic I’d need a tractor trailer for all parts that exist that I touch in a day. Also most of my customers wouldn’t accept that the probe broke when cleaning and wouldn’t pay for anything probably lose them as a customer.

[@mikev.1034]

👍👍

[@sopoelectrician]

Excellent Job! First time watching your channel. How would you clean the probe hole before installing a new probe? My low water cutoff won't reset even tho the water level is back up. I'm suspecting the probe but if mine looks like your I want to clean with out causing more issues.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

appreciate your support Jeffrey! i use a piece of emrycloth or scotchbrite to clean it, just enough to get the mud off until i see bright metal. when in doubt though, i change it to a new one.

[@parkerjohnson5420]

Excellent videos! Question, are the workpro wrenches I’ve seen you using a pretty good set? I need a budget set to keep in my truck. Thanks.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

other than the fact that i lost one in my truck...somewhere, i haven't had a single problem with them, and i've seriously abused them, 3 years later they've held up well for me!

[@parkerjohnson5420]

Awesome. Thanks

[@victorbellan8357]

Not concerned about the rusty/muddy water in the boiler &steam system?

[@nebbrooklyn5966]

Just 1 suggestion while doing maintenance you can clean the water strainer in the 51 feeder. Def replace those probes on the electric LWCO they’re junk

[@DerbyDogz]

Was looking through the comments to see if anyone mentioned this. I do everyone I come across and most times these get passed by judging by some of the ones I've seen lol

[@alanmeltzer2790]

In my opinion, since most homeowners rarely maintain steam boilers those no heat calls turn into nightmares of safeties and plugged up everything. After going over scope of work and estimate some customers just want heat on. Is it wiser to walk away or leave tag stating customer declines full boiler maintenance?

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Wow that’s a loaded question, thank you for taking the time to comment Alan! In my opinion, and it’s gonna sound like a copout, but that’s a judgment call you’re going to have to make. Every situation is gonna be different, so no one would fault you for walking away and saying it’s too much work and you don’t want the responsibility. I could be wrong for thinking that way, but I don’t want a job to become my baby because it hasn’t been serviced ever, or, the last 10 guys they had there screwed it up and now you’re expected to preform a miracle and get it running.

[@jazzcornertv]

I have always preferred to err on the side of caution and request everything done. Only problem is none of the techs did all what you just did. (Lol)

[@etsshelsoap7772]

Hi, sir i need your help, our Steam boiler(Unical steam), steam come out mix with water, so how to solve this problem please? thanks for

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

I know this is not the answer you’re looking for. I’m not quite sure, I would recommend calling a local boiler or heating company to come out and take a look in person

[@aglasserm1679]

By looking at the boiler you can see that the owner is not maintaining it. A boiler mechanic should explain to the owner and the building superintendent that the boiler needs to be flushed once a week. Many boiler mechanics will not clean out the low water cut off. They tell them to replace it when it no longer functions because they don’t want to be responsible if it fails for any reason.

[@cspill99]

What do you use to clean the pigtails?

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Water, and depending how packed up it is, a piece of electrical wire to push everything out then water to flush it out

[@dell177]

All of this is wby I keep my water PH above 10 - clean water and no gunk.

[@utrube]

Wow is that right?

[@Kevin-wj4ed]

What do the pig tails do?

[@utrube]

Weeping on them annoying flys🪰🪰🪰

[@hectortorres542]

It prevents the steam pressure from knocking into the mechanism.

[@seanb658]

Your pigtails should be rotated another 90 degrees. yes your current controls aren't affected but old school mercury controls could be affected when the pigtail expands and contracts and rotates the control side to side in the current configuration. rotated 90 degrees it would rotate back and forward and not affect the mercury.

[@utrube]

You've seen that on the others dude video😂😂😂😂😂

[@ausseamore8386]

[@JA-vy1gp]

10 psi cut off is pretty high lol

[@utrube]

Low pressure boilers are rated up to 15psi

[@WillieMakeit]

parts are gonna end up in the circulation propeller. smmfh

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Didn’t know steam boilers had circulator propellers

[@bryanswanson5007]

what are you talking about? seriously and theyre called impellers not propellers but I didnt see any pumps on that boiler,

[@jameslang9170]

Don’t make me take your keyboard away.

[@scottmaz4063]

Your not supposed to put teflon tape or paste on the probe it gives false reading. Just supposed to put in very tight. It's in the instructions.

[@theapprenticesurvivalguide]

Thank you for the feedback Scott! I was taught only to put on dope for that exact reason, thank you for teaching me something new!

[@bryanswanson5007]

@@theapprenticesurvivalguide no you did good, you cant use teflon but yes you can use dope so you are rite. Ive never seen any that stated to not use anything at all, just no teflon.

[@zeroordie]

instructions say to only put dope only on the last 3 threads. Do not put dope on the front threads so that the probe maintains a good ground to the tank. My maintenance manual says to replace the probe every 10 years.

[@jazzcornertv]

​@@zeroordieI am so scared of boiler failure i am much more comfortable checking it and replacing every 2 or 3 years with hard water in my house and sediment build up.

[@utrube]

@@jazzcornertvyou got that in your house, where you leave ? Damn bro uninstall it this coming weekend, don't wait any longer it's dangerous