How important is an Aquastat on OWB?

[Landmark]

Just curious how important is it to have an aquastat on owb? I don't have one on mine and this is the 6th winter heating with it. When I light the fire in late fall early winter it doesn't go out until spring. I understand that it's recommended to use aquastat incase water temp gets to low. I keep mine up all the time so I fail to see the need. Welcome some opinions on the subject.............

 

[Landmark]

Anyone anyone.......

 

[4492011]

Have you ever had it over heat? I think the most important part is turning the pump on when it gets too hot.

 

[hupte]

what kind of owb do you have?? my aquastat is the brains of mine. i think its critical. my pump runs 24 hrs a day. i guess i need more info about your owb. mine will boil all the water out and run its self dry without the aquastat. do you have a forced air or natural draft?

 

[Landmark]

what kind of owb do you have?? my aquastat is the brains of mine. i think its critical. my pump runs 24 hrs a day. i guess i need more info about your owb. mine will boil all the water out and run its self dry without the aquastat. do you have a forced air or natural draft?

I have central boiler. Mine has natural draft with auto damper. Pump runs all the time.

 

[WVwoodsman]

My owb is forced draft and relies on the aquastat to turn the blower motor off and on via a predetermined setting of my choosing with a variance wheel that allows me to set the temperature in degrees (a low and high setting). I would say that it is more important durning the warmer months to have the aquastat in order to prevent boil overs however, my circulation pump runs 24/7 .

 

[Poston5]

I think you are referring to the aquastat that is used as a built in safety switch to shut the boiler off if it overheats. If so mine has one but I installed it and my dealer didn't even recommend that I use it. I bought one that is adjustable and I can reset it rather than change it if it actually trips. It is set around 195 and I run my boiler between 163 and 168.

If you are referring to what controls the water temp in the boiler, it is the brains of the boiler and needs it or the boiler would just overheat. It doesn't matter if the pump runs 24/7 if you are not pulling heat from it.

 

[Poston5]

Just curious how important is it to have an aquastat on owb? I don't have one on mine and this is the 6th winter heating with it. When I light the fire in late fall early winter it doesn't go out until spring. I understand that it's recommended to use aquastat incase water temp gets to low. I keep mine up all the time so I fail to see the need. Welcome some opinions on the subject.............

Are you referring to the valve that central boiler uses, something about keeping the boiler around 185? This would be an inline temperature controlled valve if I remember correctly?

 

[Landmark]

Thats right. It is suppose to plumb into the supply line and if the temp drops too low it will cut your furnace on in your house to prevent the boiler water temp from dropping too low. It does not control the temp of the boiler water. I have a water temp thermostat set at 185. The other is an inline safety I think.

 

[Poston5]

Thats right. It is suppose to plumb into the supply line and if the temp drops too low it will cut your furnace on in your house to prevent the boiler water temp from dropping too low. It does not control the temp of the boiler water. I have a water temp thermostat set at 185. The other is an inline safety I think.

Yeah I get it now. I know a few people with central boilers and they use them but they were also required to use them for the warranty, they had dealers install them. I think they use them to prevent the return water from being to low and allowing the firebox to condensate. My boiler is stainless so I don't worry about return temps. Someone else will have to weight in on the condensation.

 

[Landmark]

Yeah I get it now. I know a few people with central boilers and they use them but they were also required to use them for the warranty, they had dealers install them. I think they use them to prevent the return water from being to low and allowing the firebox to condensate. My boiler is stainless so I don't worry about return temps. Someone else will have to weight in on the condensation.

Thats exactly right. I understand their point in the condensation if return temp is too low but I dont see the risk being great as long as the fire is burning and you dont leave unattended. Which I dont. It burns from fall to spring.