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Author Topic: 1st hiccup of heating season  (Read 3990 times)

Roger2561

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1st hiccup of heating season
« on: February 08, 2019, 02:15:05 AM »

Last evening just before retiring to bed for the night I received text alarm from the CB Titanium Edge 550 HD stating Low Water Level.  I went outside to have look and the water is at the full mark in the site glass.  I either have corrosion (doubt it) on the sensor or it's faulty for some reason.  Do any of you folks regardless if you're CB operators or other manufacturer's know if there is a way to by-pass the sensor until I have time to get another one and replace it?  I have to rely on my oil boiler to heat my house which isn't bad thing to exercise the thing but I like having it quiet in my home.  Thanks, Roger     
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RSI

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2019, 05:11:35 PM »

If it is the same as the sensor used on HeatMaster stoves, you can just connect the wires together to bypass it.
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RSI

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2019, 05:35:50 PM »

I just tried looking it up on the central boiler site and they now require a serial number to get the manual. This was all I could find. https://centralboiler.com/support/parts/water-level-sensor/
That looks the same as the part HeatMaster uses. Depending how it is connected, if it is connected to wires you would just disconnect the wires from the sensor and connect the two wires from the boiler together.

If it goes to a terminal strip then you would remove the sensor wires and put a jumper in place of them.
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greasemonkoid

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2019, 08:32:50 PM »

^ That part looks like it belongs on a toilet, not a boiler. Mcdonnell & Miller makes a good resistance type, self cleaning low water cutoff. Model name is guarddog I believe.
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boilerman

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2019, 09:57:09 PM »

Roger, maybe you have it resolved by now, but after your post I looked in my Firestar owner's manual and it looks like we can temporarily bypass the bypass alarm by going into the programming to get back up and running. I'd call your dealer as well for a new low water sensor, I'm sure it will be covered under warranty. Let us know how you come out. On the flip side, pretty cool how you get a text message when there is a problem or even if the boiler thinks there is a problem from the XP wifi.
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Roger2561

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2019, 03:08:14 AM »

After I had posted in FB and in here, I received an email message late yesterday morning from Tyler the IT guy at CB.  He mentioned going into the firestar and disabling the sensor.  This would allow me to use the OWB, the downside to that is anytime I open the firebox door I would have to reset it so I could use it.  After fiddling with trying to disable it from physically being at the firestar and trying from my computer I decided it would be quicker and less frustrating is I simply wire nutted the wires together.  Instead of counting on my computer telling me when the water level is low, I'll have to go old school and check it once a week at the site tube.  So I opened the controller, cut the wires and wire nutted them together.  After about 40 minutes, water temp went from 120 to 190.  I'm now heating my home with the OWB.

There are 3 other CB dealers on FB and they mentioned that CB had run into a bad batch of those sensors.  They have switched suppliers, went from the plastic POS to stainless steel.  I should never had that problem again.   
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Roger2561

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2019, 09:41:30 AM »

If it is the same as the sensor used on HeatMaster stoves, you can just connect the wires together to bypass it.

RSI - That's exactly what I did.  I tried changing the parameters at the firestar controller and by using my computer but the change wouldn't stick.  I picked up a new sensor this morning from my dealer and it's stainless steel, not the plastic POS CB put in it at time of assembly.  Now I just need to find time to extract the old one and install the new one. 
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Roger2561

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2019, 09:44:50 AM »

^ That part looks like it belongs on a toilet, not a boiler. Mcdonnell & Miller makes a good resistance type, self cleaning low water cutoff. Model name is guarddog I believe.

Can't argue with you on that but the way my luck runs, it would plug the toilet!  :)  It's made of plastic and from what other people have told me, CB is aware of it and are replacing the failed ones with stainless steel ones.  I picked up a new one this morning and it's stainless steel.   
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Roger2561

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2019, 09:55:25 AM »

Roger, maybe you have it resolved by now, but after your post I looked in my Firestar owner's manual and it looks like we can temporarily bypass the bypass alarm by going into the programming to get back up and running. I'd call your dealer as well for a new low water sensor, I'm sure it will be covered under warranty. Let us know how you come out. On the flip side, pretty cool how you get a text message when there is a problem or even if the boiler thinks there is a problem from the XP wifi.

boilerman, I tried changing it both at the Firestar and from my computer but the changes wouldn't hold, it kept returning to 0.  I got a bit frustrated with it so I opened the controller, cut the wires and wire nutted the ends together.  It took approximately 40 minutes to get the water temp from 120 to 190.  She back heating my house.  You're right the bright side to this is the controller did indeed send me a text alerting me there is a problem and check on the boiler, as advertised.  I picked up a new sensor this morning from my dealer, it's the new stainless steel one.  And, yes, it's covered under warranty.  I just have to find time to remove old one and install the new one.   
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RSI

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2019, 10:47:31 PM »

I am not sure if it is exactly the same part as what Heatmaster uses but I have only ever had to replace one of them. The stove that it went bad on was moved several times so that might have had something to do with it. If I remember right, it is just a magnetic switch.

There is an arrow on it that has to point straight up. Did you notice if it was straight? If not, it might just need to be turned a bit to start working again.
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Roger2561

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Re: 1st hiccup of heating season
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2019, 03:09:38 AM »

I am not sure if it is exactly the same part as what Heatmaster uses but I have only ever had to replace one of them. The stove that it went bad on was moved several times so that might have had something to do with it. If I remember right, it is just a magnetic switch.

There is an arrow on it that has to point straight up. Did you notice if it was straight? If not, it might just need to be turned a bit to start working again.

I did not look for an arrow when I had the controller open, perhaps that's all it takes.  I'll have to look.  Some people have stated that they have seen some where the inner working have broken off completely inside the stove.  I wonder if those that failed could have been damaged in transit?  Looking over the new stainless steel unit, the "hinge" for a lack of a better term, looks quite weak, with all of the rough roads we have up here I would guess it's a possibility.  Roger 
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