Question 106Steam Plants - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is C) blow down the gage glass. If the engineer on watch has reason to doubt the accuracy of the water level showing in the boiler gage glass, the first step should be to blow down the gage glass. This allows the engineer to verify the actual water level in the boiler by directly observing the water level as it is expelled through the blow-down valve. Blowing down the gage glass is the quickest and most direct way to confirm the true water level, which is critical for the safe operation of the boiler. The other options, such as starting a standby feed pump (A) or opening an auxiliary feed line (B), are not the appropriate first steps, as they do not directly address the issue of verifying the accuracy of the gage glass reading. Replacing the gage glass (D) would be a later step if the blow-down procedure indicates a problem with the gage.