ARTICLE 6

INSTRUMENTS, FITTINGS, AND CONTROLS

HG-600 GENERAL Gage glass replacement shall be possible with the boiler
under pressure. Water glass fittings may be attached
All instruments, fittings, and controls described in
directly to a boiler.
this Article shall be installed prior to operation.
Boilers having an internal vertical height of less than
10 in. (254 mm) may be equipped with a water level
indicator of the Glass Bull’s-Eye type provided the
HG-601 FOR STEAM HEATING BOILERS indicator is of sufficient size to show the water at both
01 HG-602 STEAM GAGES normal operating and low-water cutoff levels.
(b) The lowest visible part of the water gage glass
(a) Each steam boiler shall have a steam gage or a shall be at least 1 in. (25 mm) above the lowest
compound steam gage connected to its steam space or permissible water level recommended by the boiler
to its water column or to its steam connection. The Manufacturer. With the boiler operating at this lowest
gage or piping to the gage shall contain a siphon or permissible water level, there shall be no danger of
equivalent device that will develop and maintain a overheating any part of the boiler.
water seal that will prevent steam from entering the Each boiler shall be provided at the time of the
gage tube. The piping shall be so arranged that the manufacture with a permanent marker indicating the
gage cannot be shut off from the boiler except by a lowest permissible water level. The marker shall be
cock placed in the pipe at the gage and provided with stamped, etched, or cast in metal; or it shall be a
a tee- or lever-handle arranged to be parallel to the metallic plate attached by rivets, screws, or welding;
pipe in which it is located when the cock is open. or it shall consist of material with documented tests
The gage connection boiler tapping, external siphon, showing its suitability as a permanent marking for the
or piping to the boiler shall not be less than NPS 1⁄4 application. This marker shall be visible at all times.
(DN 8). Where steel or wrought iron pipe or tubing Where the boiler is shipped with a jacket, this marker
is used, the boiler connection and external siphon shall may be located on the jacket.
be not less than NPS 1⁄2 (DN 15). Ferrous and nonferrous
tubing having inside diameters at least equal to that NOTE: Transparent material other than glass may be used for the
water gage provided that the material will remain transparent and
of standard pipe sizes listed above may be substituted has proved suitable for the pressure, temperature, and corrosive
for pipe. conditions expected in service.
(b) The scale on the dial of a steam boiler gage
shall be graduated to not less than 30 psi (207 kPa) (c) In electric boilers of the submerged electrode
nor more than 60 psi (414 kPa). The travel of the type, the water gage glass shall be so located to indicate
pointer from 0 psi to 30 psi (0 kPa to 207 kPa) pressure the water levels both at startup and under maximum
shall be at least 3 in. (76 mm). steam load conditions as established by the manufac-
turer.
(d) In electric boilers of the resistance element type,
the lowest visible part of the water gage shall be located
01 HG-603 WATER GAGE GLASSES
at least 1 in. (25 mm) above the lowest permissible water
(a) Each steam boiler shall have one or more water level specified by the Manufacturer. Each electric boiler
gage glasses attached to the water column or boiler of this type shall also be equipped with an automatic
by means of valved fittings not less than NPS 1⁄2 (DN low-water cutoff on each boiler pressure vessel so
15), with the lower fitting provided with a drain valve located as to automatically cut off the power supply
of a type having an unrestricted drain opening not less to the heating elements before the surface of the water
than 1⁄4 in. (6 mm) in diameter to facilitate cleaning. falls below the visible part of the glass.

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 HG-603 2001 SECTION IV HG-606

(e) Tubular water glasses on electric boilers having (a) Each individual automatically fired steam boiler
a normal water content not exceeding 100 gal (300 l) shall have a safety limit control that will cut off the
shall be equipped with a protective shield. fuel supply to prevent steam pressure from exceeding
(f) A water level indicator using an indirect sensing the 15 psi (103 kPa) maximum allowable working
method may be used in lieu of an operating water pressure of the boiler. Each control shall be constructed
gauge glass; however, a water gauge glass must be to prevent a pressure setting above 15 psi (103 kPa).
installed and operable but may be shut off by valving. (b) Each individual steam boiler shall have a control
The water level indicator must be attached to a water that will cut off the fuel supply when the pressure
column or directly to the boiler by means of valved reaches an operating limit, which shall be less than
fittings not less than NPS 1⁄2 (DN 15). The device the maximum allowable pressure.
shall be provided with a drain valve of a type having (c) Shutoff valves of any type shall not be placed
an unrestricted drain opening not less than 1⁄4 in. in the steam pressure connection between the boiler
(6 mm) in diameter to facilitate cleaning. Service and and the controls described in (a) and (b) above. These
replacement of internal parts and/or housing shall be controls shall be protected with a siphon or equivalent
possible with the boiler under pressure. means of maintaining a water seal that will prevent
steam from entering the control. The control connection
boiler tapping, external siphon, or piping to the boiler
HG-604 WATER COLUMN AND WATER shall not be less than NPS 1⁄4 (DN 8), but where steel
LEVEL CONTROL PIPES or wrought iron pipe or tubing is used, they shall not
(a) The minimum size of ferrous or nonferrous pipes be less than NPS 1⁄2 (DN 15). The minimum size of
connecting a water column to a steam boiler shall be an external siphon shall be NPS 1⁄4 (DN 8) or 3⁄8 in.
1 in. (25 mm). No outlet connections, except for damper (10 mm) O.D. nonferrous tubing.
regulator, feedwater regulator, steam gages, or apparatus
which does not permit the escape of any steam or
water except for manually operated blowdowns, shall
be attached to a water column or the piping connecting HG-606 AUTOMATIC LOW-WATER FUEL
a water column to a boiler (see HG-705 for introduction CUTOFF AND /OR WATER
of feedwater into a boiler). If the water column, gage FEEDING DEVICE
glass, low-water fuel cutoff, or other water level control (a) Each automatically fired steam or vapor-system
device is connected to the boiler by pipe and fittings, boiler shall have an automatic low-water fuel cutoff
no shutoff valves of any type shall be placed in such so located as to automatically cut off the fuel supply
pipe, and a cross or equivalent fitting to which a drain when the surface of the water falls to the lowest visible
valve and piping may be attached shall be placed in part of the water gage glass. If a water feeding device
the water piping connection at every right angle turn is installed, it shall be so constructed that the water
to facilitate cleaning. The water column drain pipe and inlet valve cannot feed water into the boiler through
valve shall be not less than NPS 3⁄4 (DN 20). the float chamber and so located as to supply requisite
(b) The steam connections to the water column of feedwater.
a horizontal firetube wrought boiler shall be taken from (b) Such a fuel cutoff or water feeding device may
the top of the shell or the upper part of the head, and be attached directly to a boiler. A fuel cutoff or water
the water connection shall be taken from a point not feeding device may also be installed in the tapped
above the center line of the shell. For a cast iron openings available for attaching a water glass direct
boiler, the steam connection to the water column shall to a boiler, provided the connections are made to the
be taken from the top of an end section or the top of boiler with nonferrous tees or Y’s not less than NPS
the steam header, and the water connection shall be 1
⁄2 (DN 15) between the boiler and the water glass so
made on an end section not less than 6 in. (152 mm) that the water glass is attached directly and as close
below the bottom connection to the water gage glass. as possible to the boiler; the run of the tee or Y shall
take the water glass fittings, and the side outlet or
branch of the tee or Y shall take the fuel cutoff or
01 HG-605 PRESSURE CONTROL
water feeding device. The ends of all nipples shall be
Each automatically fired steam boiler shall be pro- reamed to full-size diameter.
tected from overpressure by two pressure-operated con- (c) Fuel cutoffs and water feeding devices embodying
trols. a separate chamber shall have a vertical drain pipe and

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 HG-606 ARTICLE 6 — INSTRUMENTS, FITTINGS, AND CONTROLS HG-614

a blowoff valve not less than NPS 3⁄4 (DN 20), located it shall be easily readable. The thermometer shall be
at the lowest point in the water equalizing pipe connec- so located that it shall at all times indicate the tempera-
tions so that the chamber and the equalizing pipe can ture of the water in the boiler at or near the outlet.
be flushed and the device tested.

HG-613 TEMPERATURE CONTROL

HG-607 MODULAR STEAM HEATING Each automatically fired hot water heating or hot
BOILERS water supply boiler shall be protected from over-temper-
(a) Each module of a modular steam heating boiler ature by two temperature-operated controls.
shall be equipped with: (a) Each individual automatically fired hot water
(1) steam gage, see HG-602; heating or hot water supply boiler shall have a high
temperature limit control that will cut off the fuel
(2) water gage glass, see HG-603;
supply to prevent water temperature from exceeding
(3) a pressure control that will cut off the fuel its marked maximum water temperature at the boiler
supply when the pressure reaches an operating limit, outlet. This control shall be constructed to prevent a
which shall be less than the maximum allowable temperature setting above the maximum.
pressure; (b) Each individual hot water heating or hot water
(4) low water cutoff, see HG-606. supply boiler shall have a control that will cut off the
(b) The assembled modular steam boiler shall also fuel supply when the system water temperature reaches
be equipped with a safety limit control that will cut a preset operating temperature, which shall be less than
off the fuel supply to prevent steam pressure from the maximum water temperature.
exceeding the 15 psi (103 kPa) maximum allowable
working pressure of the boiler. The control shall be
constructed to prevent a pressure setting above 15 psi
HG-614 LOW-WATER FUEL CUTOFF
(103 kPa).
(a) Each automatically fired hot water boiler with
heat input greater than 400,000 Btu /hr (117 kW) shall
have an automatic low-water fuel cutoff that has been
HG-610 FOR HOT WATER HEATING OR designed for hot water service, and it shall be so
HOT WATER SUPPLY BOILERS located as to automatically cut off the fuel supply when
HG-611 PRESSURE OR ALTITUDE GAGES the surface of the water falls to the level established
in (b) below (see Fig. HG-703.2).
(a) Each hot water heating or hot water supply boiler (b) As there is no normal waterline to be maintained
shall have a pressure or altitude gage connected to it in a hot water boiler, any location of the low-water
or to its flow connection in such a manner that it fuel cutoff above the lowest safe permissible water level
cannot be shut off from the boiler except by a cock established by the boiler manufacturer is satisfactory.
with tee or lever handle, placed on the pipe near the (c) A coil-type boiler or a watertube boiler with
gage. The handle of the cock shall be parallel to the heat input greater than 400,000 Btu /hr (117 kW) requir-
pipe in which it is located when the cock is open. ing forced circulation to prevent overheating of the
(b) The scale on the dial of the pressure or altitude coils or tubes shall have a flow-sensing device installed
gage shall be graduated approximately to not less than in lieu of the low-water fuel cutoff required in (a)
11⁄2 nor more than 31⁄2 times the pressure at which the above to automatically cut off the fuel supply when
safety relief valve is set. the circulating flow is interrupted.
(c) Piping or tubing for pressure- or altitude-gage (d) A means shall be provided for testing the opera-
connections shall be of nonferrous metal when smaller tion of the external low-water fuel cutoff without re-
than NPS 1 (DN 25). sorting to draining the entire system. Such means shall
not render the device inoperable except as described
as follows. If the means temporarily isolates the device
from the boiler during this testing, it shall automatically
HG-612 THERMOMETERS
return to its normal position. The connection may be
Each hot water heating or hot water supply boiler so arranged that the device cannot be shut off from
shall have a thermometer so located and connected that the boiler except by a cock placed at the device and

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 HG-614 2001 SECTION IV HG-634

provided with a tee or lever-handle arranged to be provisions of the nationally recognized standards such
parallel to the pipe in which it is located when the as listed in footnote 2 of HG-640.
cock is open.

HG-632 TYPE CIRCUITRY TO BE USED

HG-615 MODULAR HOT WATER
HEATING BOILERS Whether field or factory wired, the control circuitry
shall be positively grounded and shall operate at 150
(a) Each module of a modular hot water heating V or less. One of the two following systems may be
boiler shall be equipped with: employed to provide the control circuit.
(1) pressure /altitude gage, see HG-611; (a) Two-Wire Nominal 120 V System With Separate
(2) thermometer, see HG-612; Equipment Ground Conductor
(3) temperature control that will cut off the fuel (1) This system shall consist of the line, neutral,
supply when the temperature reaches an operating limit, and equipment ground conductors. The control panel
which shall be less than the maximum allowable temper- frame and associated control circuitry metallic enclo-
ature. sures shall be electrically continuous and be bonded
(b) The assembled modular hot water heating boiler to the equipment ground conductor.
shall also be equipped with: (2) The equipment ground conductor and the neu-
(1) a safety limit control that will cut off the fuel tral conductor shall be bonded together at their origin
supply to prevent the water temperature from exceeding in the electrical system as required by the NEC.1
the maximum allowable temperature at the boiler outlet. (3) The line side of the control circuit shall be
The control shall be constructed to prevent a temperature provided with a time delay fuse sized as small as
setting above the maximum. This control shall be practicable.
located within 3 ft. of the fitting connecting the last (b) Two-Wire Nominal 120 V System Obtained By
module to the heating supply piping. Using An Isolation Transformer
(2) low water fuel cutoff, see HG-614. (1) The two-wire control circuit shall be obtained
from the secondary side of an isolation transformer.
One wire from the secondary of this transformer shall
HG-620 FOR ALL BOILERS
be electrically continuous and shall be bonded to a
HG-621 INSTRUMENTS, FITTINGS, AND convenient cold water pipe. All metallic enclosures of
CONTROLS MOUNTED INSIDE control components shall be securely bonded to this
BOILER JACKETS ground control circuit wire. The primary side of the
isolation transformer will normally be a two-wire source
Any or all instruments, fittings, and controls required
by these rules may be installed inside of boiler jackets with a potential of 230 V or 208 V or 440 V.
provided the water gage on a steam boiler is accessible (2) Both sides of the two-wire primary circuit
without the use of tools and provided the water gage shall be fused. The hot leg on the load side of the
and pressure gage on a steam boiler or the thermometer isolation transformer shall be fused as small as practica-
and pressure gage on a water boiler are visible through ble and in no case fused above the rating of the
an opening or openings at all times. isolation transformer.

HG-630 ELECTRIC WIRING HG-633 LIMIT CONTROLS

HG-631 ELECTRICAL CODE COMPLIANCE Limit controls shall be wired on the hot or line side
of the control circuit.
All field wiring for controls, heat generating appa-
ratus, and other appurtenances necessary for the opera-
tion of the boiler or boilers should be installed in
HG-634 SHUTDOWN SWITCHES AND
accordance with the provisions of the National Electric
CIRCUIT BREAKERS
Code and /or should comply with the applicable local
electrical codes. All boilers supplied with factory A manually operated remote heating plant shutdown
mounted and wired controls, heat generating apparatus, switch or circuit breaker should be located just outside
and other appurtenances necessary for the operation of
1
the boilers should be installed in accordance with the See Appendix H.

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 HG-634 ARTICLE 6 — INSTRUMENTS, FITTINGS, AND CONTROLS HG-640

the boiler room door and marked for easy identification. or electric elements as required by a nationally recog-
Consideration should also be given to the type and nized standard.2
location of the switch to safeguard against tampering. (b) The symbol of the certifying organization3 which
If the boiler room door is on the building exterior the has investigated such equipment as having complied
switch should be located just inside the door. If there with a nationally recognized standard shall be affixed
is more than one door to the boiler room, there should to the equipment and shall be considered as evidence
be a switch located at each door. that the unit was manufactured in accordance with that
(a) For atmospheric-gas burners, and oil burners standard.
where a fan is on a common shaft with the oil pump, 2
Examples of these nationally recognized standards are:
the complete burner and controls should be shut off. American National Standard/CSA Standard Z21.13/CSA 4.9 for
(b) For power burners with detached auxiliaries, only Gas-Fired Low Pressure Steam and Hot Water Boilers.
the fuel input supply to the firebox need be shut off. American National Standard/CSA Standard Z21.17/CSA 2.7 for
Domestic Gas Conversion Burners.
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., UL 296, Standards for Safety, Oil
Burners.
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., UL 726, Standards for Safety, Oil
Fired Boiler Assemblies.
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., UL 795, Standards for Safety,
HG-640 CONTROLS AND HEAT Commercial–Industrial Gas-Heating Equipment.
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., UL 834, Electric Heating, Water
GENERATING APPARATUS Supply and Power Boilers.
3
(a) Oil and gas-fired and electrically heated boilers A certifying organization is one that provides uniform testing,
examination, and listing procedures under established, nationally
should be equipped with suitable primary (flame safe- recognized standards and that is acceptable to the authorities having
guard) safety controls, safety limit switches, and burners jurisdiction.

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