🔍 Key Concepts

• Boiler gage glass blowdown procedure and purpose • Effect of opening the steam (top) vs water (bottom) valves first on the gage glass • Why you periodically test that the gage glass passages are clear and not plugged

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: when you blow down a gage glass, what are you actually trying to prove about the connections between the drum and the glass? • Think about what happens to the water level in the glass if you momentarily isolate and then open either the steam connection or the water connection—what tells you the passage is clear? • Which connection, if blown down first, gives you a safer, more reliable indication that both the steam and water passages are open and that the glass is reading true?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on the purpose of a gage glass blowdown: to verify the gage glass accurately reflects drum water level and that connections are not clogged. • Consider the sequence: which end, if blown down first, will prevent a false water level indication and reduce risk of damage or water carryover into the steam line? • Ignore distractors: focus on the functional test of the glass, not on unrelated matters like permanent chain connections or tightening packing nuts before testing.