What occurs when a low-water fuel cutoff (LWFCO) activates on a hot water heating boiler?

When a low-water fuel cutoff (LWFCO) activates on a hot water heating boiler, it is designed as a safety mechanism to prevent the boiler from operating under unsafe conditions. The primary function of the LWFCO is to detect low water levels within the boiler. If the water level drops below a predetermined safe level, this device activates to halt the flow of fuel to the burner, leading to an emergency shut off of the boiler.

This shutdown is crucial because running a boiler without sufficient water can lead to overheating, damage to the boiler, and potentially catastrophic failures such as explosions. Once the LWFCO has activated, it usually requires a manual reset to restore the system to operation. This ensures that an operator checks the water levels, addresses any issues, and verifies that it is safe to restart the boiler.

While a warning signal could potentially accompany the LWFCO activation, the essential action taken is the emergency shut down for safety reasons, followed by a necessary manual intervention to proceeding operations safely.