EFM 520 stove running but no heat

Post by **Rob R.** » Tue. Jan. 04, 2022 5:38 pm

You should contact the kind gentleman above that offered to come help you. Someone standing in the basement will see things those of us in cyber land can not.

anthony7812 · Post by **anthony7812** » Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 6:20 am

I think you may have discovered your issue, combining what has been mentioned here and you lightly flushing your boiler with fresh water. Without knowing much info on the pressure switch, if the sensing line is obstructed/dirty, it probably won't function correctly. Good mechanical devices are nice to troubleshoot. Unless it's falling apart, trust it until all options are explored.

Hambden Bob · Post by **Hambden Bob** » Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 7:14 am

BG,Greetings.. While I'm neither a Hydronics nor Steam guy,I've got to wholeheartedly recommend the Generous Offer from Dakota Guy. I've personally met the Gentleman at Our Number 9 Mine Meet-N-Greet some years ago. He doesn't bite,he's a rather Humble,Righteous Dude! Now,regarding why your temp-fix works for a while.. It could be a crud indicator. Water's a solvent,so fresh water added can have an ability to break down crud until it reaches a saturation point. When you blow down your line,your relieving things. When you refill,your restoring that ability to get things back into solution. Combine that with age,hard as a rock element plate-out,and beginning marginal failure of a device in the system and there you go! Now,this is just my knuckle dragging hypothesis,but I did work in boiler water chemistry and systems control in a 5 unit Coal-Fired Power Plant. Perhaps,if two heads and 4 eyes are better to attack the problem with,Dakota Guy is your man.

lzaharis · Post by **lzaharis** » Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 12:06 pm

Your steam system should be operating with a cut out of 2.00 PSIG your steamtrol looks to be set correctly,

Can you provide us with a picture of the relief valve in the steam chest?

Can you provide us with a picture of the Hartford Loop? If it does not have a Hartford Loop it is not up to plumbing code.

Is your steam boiler water feeding system a manual water feeding system??

Can you provide us with a picture of the water level gauge please?

What color is the water in the water level gauge? If it is rusty the system needs to be shut down and cleaned.

Is the system using an autofeeder for the water supply??

When was the last time the pig tail was cleaned??

Can you provide us with a picture of all the steam vents and where they are??

When was the last time the radiator vents were cleaned?

Can you provide us with pictures of the header pipes in the basement please?

Does the header pipe in the basement have an air vent at each end??

What brand of air vents are they?

When was the last time the main vents were cleaned?

Steam heat works by displacing the atmospheric air in the heating system.

Where are the main vents for the steam header pipe in the basement?, have they ever been cleaned?

Has the pipe leading to the pig tail and the pressuretrol ever been cleaned?????

It is entirely possible that the piping to the gauge and pig tail of the pressuretrol are plugged and need to be replaced and the boiler is flooding if you are draining it.

You need a steam licensed plumber to clean your system to allow it to work properly.

I will suggest that you purchase paperback two books about steam heating; the first is "WE GOT STEAM HEAT" and the second is "GREENING STEAM".

Both books were written by Dan Holohan and can be purchased through his bookstore on the www.heatinghelp.com
web page. All profits go to the author and he ships the books directly to you.

Hire a steam licensed plumber to come and clean the system for you and check everything PLEASE.

Holdencoal · Post by **Holdencoal** » Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 12:24 pm

Don’t forget Bob has a great YouTube library.

lzaharis · Post by **lzaharis** » Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 5:17 pm

lzaharis wrote: ↑
Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 12:06 pm
Your steam system should be operating with a cut out of 2.00 PSIG your steamtrol looks to be set correctly,

Can you provide us with a picture of the relief valve in the steam chest?

Can you provide us with a picture of the Hartford Loop? If it does not have a Hartford Loop it is not up to plumbing code.

Is your steam boiler water feeding system a manual water feeding system??

Do you have a Low Water Cut Off?

Can you provide us with a picture of the water level gauge please?

What color is the water in the water level gauge? If it is rusty the system needs to be shut down and cleaned.

Is the system using an autofeeder for the water supply??

When was the last time the pig tail was cleaned??

Can you provide us with a picture of all the steam vents and where they are??

When was the last time the radiator vents were cleaned?

Can you provide us with pictures of the header pipes in the basement please?

Does the header pipe in the basement have an air vent at each end??

What brand of air vents are they?

When was the last time the main vents were cleaned?

Steam heat works by displacing the atmospheric air in the heating system.

Where are the main vents for the steam header pipe in the basement?, have they ever been cleaned?

Has the pipe leading to the pig tail and the pressuretrol ever been cleaned?????

It is entirely possible that the piping to the gauge and pig tail of the pressuretrol are plugged and need to be replaced and the boiler is flooding if you are draining it.

You need a steam licensed plumber to clean your system to allow it to work properly.

I will suggest that you purchase paperback two books about steam heating; the first is "WE GOT STEAM HEAT" and the second is "GREENING STEAM".

Both books were written by Dan Holohan and can be purchased through his bookstore on the www.heatinghelp.com
web page. All profits go to the author and he ships the books directly to you.

Hire a steam licensed plumber to come and clean the system for you and check everything PLEASE.

Post by **franco b** » Thu. Jan. 06, 2022 3:38 pm

Draining the water lowers the pressure. If i were there I would temporarily short out the pressuretrol to see if the radiators then heated. Must stay with it to observe.

Gorton C valve on slow to heat radiator.

bgleockler · Post by **bgleockler** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2022 9:13 am

anthony7812 wrote: ↑
Wed. Jan. 05, 2022 6:20 am
I think you may have discovered your issue, combining what has been mentioned here and you lightly flushing your boiler with fresh water. Without knowing much info on the pressure switch, if the sensing line is obstructed/dirty, it probably won't function correctly. Good mechanical devices are nice to troubleshoot. Unless it's falling apart, trust it until all options are explored.

I don't know really know much about this. Could you tell me what a sensing line is?

Post by **StokerDon** » Sat. Jan. 08, 2022 9:37 am

Dakotaguy wrote: ↑
Thu. Dec. 23, 2021 5:25 pm
If you would like some help I'm a mile away also check to make sure the valves to the sight glass aren't clogged up especially the bottom one it does happen

bgleockler wrote: ↑
Sat. Jan. 08, 2022 9:13 am
I don't know really know much about this. Could you tell me what a sensing line is?

Why don't you contact Dakotaguy? He offered to come over and help you. He lives very close to you and he knows a good bit about EFM's.

-Don