Client Type: Commercial Facility
Service Area: Boiler Systems & Mechanical Services
Project Focus: Boiler Reliability Improvement, Controls Modernization, Reduced Downtime
Most facilities expect occasional boiler issues. What becomes difficult is when a problem stops being occasional and starts becoming part of daily operations. That was the situation one commercial facility found itself dealing with after repeated low water cutoff (LWCO) faults began affecting two boilers connected to a newer-style CB Level Master system. The shutdowns were not catastrophic, but they were disruptive.
Sensors were faulting unexpectedly, causing the boilers to trip into low water shutdown multiple times throughout the day. Operators were regularly getting called in after hours and overnight just to reset the boilers and bring them back online. One boiler was noticeably worse than the other, but both units were creating operational headaches.
At first, the focus was troubleshooting the existing system. Over the course of several weeks, Tate Engineering worked through repairs, adjustments, and diagnostics in an attempt to stabilize the controls and eliminate the recurring faults. The issue would appear resolved temporarily, then return again. Eventually the conversation shifted away from trying to continuously correct the symptoms and toward restoring dependable operation.
Tate recommended replacing the existing setup with a more traditional McDonnell Miller LWCO configuration along with updated Siemens controls and transmitters. The replacement included:
The goal was not adding complexity or upgrading for the sake of upgrading. The priority was straightforward: reduce nuisance shutdowns, eliminate repeated operator call-ins, and get the boilers operating consistently again.
Since the replacement, the facility has not experienced the recurring shutdown issues that had been affecting operations. According to Tate’s field team, this has not been an isolated situation. Similar sensor-related issues have been seen at other facilities, with several operators ultimately choosing to move back toward simpler, field-proven LWCO configurations after dealing with repeated reliability concerns.
For maintenance and facility teams, situations like this are a reminder that the cost of recurring controls issues is not always tied to equipment damage or emergency failures. Often the larger impact comes from the day-to-day disruption after-hours calls, constant resets, uncertainty around reliability, and the time spent managing the same issue repeatedly. In many facilities, the best solution is not necessarily the newest approach. Sometimes it is the one that operators trust to work consistently at 2 AM without needing attention. For facilities dealing with recurring boiler shutdowns or ongoing control reliability issues, sometimes the best solution is stepping back and rethinking the overall approach. Tate Engineering works with facility teams to identify practical, long-term solutions that improve reliability and reduce operational disruption.
