Radiant floor heating - purge system
#1
09-14-08, 07:52 AM
Radiant floor heating - purge system
I am getting ready for the winter heating season and I have a hunch that some of the lines in my radiant floor system may not be flowing water properly. I am assuming there could be some air in the line that is preventing proper flow.
How do you go about bleeding the system to get all the air out?
Don
How do you go about bleeding the system to get all the air out?
Don
#2
09-14-08, 08:56 AM
Hi Don, we would need to see pictures to help properly, i.e. which valves to turn, etc ...
you can set up a free account on www.photobucket.com and upload your pics there. Provide a link here so we can view your pics.
Ideally we would need to see any/all valves around the boiler, and then a few wider shots so we can see where it all fits together.
you can set up a free account on www.photobucket.com and upload your pics there. Provide a link here so we can view your pics.
Ideally we would need to see any/all valves around the boiler, and then a few wider shots so we can see where it all fits together.
#3
09-14-08, 03:52 PM
Hi Trooper,
I have uploaded some photos to photobucket.
Here is the link:
http://s436.photobucket.com/albums/qq81/donl1150/
Basically, the system has two zones. Each zone has a circulating pump and then when it calls for heat, an injection pump kicks in to add hot water to the circulating system.
I am assuming I can bleed each zone using the valving on either end of the Renau manifold. I tried today but didn't have the proper threads for connections.
Don
I have uploaded some photos to photobucket.
Here is the link:
http://s436.photobucket.com/albums/qq81/donl1150/
Basically, the system has two zones. Each zone has a circulating pump and then when it calls for heat, an injection pump kicks in to add hot water to the circulating system.
I am assuming I can bleed each zone using the valving on either end of the Renau manifold. I tried today but didn't have the proper threads for connections.
Don
#4
09-14-08, 04:31 PM
Don, where is the feedwater source ? Is it the valve that's shut off, just above the water heater ?
Not sure what you mean by not having the correct threads ?
Those purge valves appears to be standard 3/4" Garden Hose Thread (GHT).
You need to hook a hose up to the valves at the end of the return manifold, and close the (blue) valve on the other end of the manifold.
Making sure that the valve for the feedwater to the system is open, when you open the blue handle drain valve, water should flow through the zones and discharge out the hose.
Can you pull back with the camera and show the entire system ? I'm can't be 100% sure about the above info without seeing everything ...
By the way, I think you've got the captions 'reversed' ... ZONE 1 shows both INJECTION pumps, and 1 circulating pump ... etc ...
Not sure what you mean by not having the correct threads ?
Those purge valves appears to be standard 3/4" Garden Hose Thread (GHT).
You need to hook a hose up to the valves at the end of the return manifold, and close the (blue) valve on the other end of the manifold.
Making sure that the valve for the feedwater to the system is open, when you open the blue handle drain valve, water should flow through the zones and discharge out the hose.
Can you pull back with the camera and show the entire system ? I'm can't be 100% sure about the above info without seeing everything ...
By the way, I think you've got the captions 'reversed' ... ZONE 1 shows both INJECTION pumps, and 1 circulating pump ... etc ...
#5
09-14-08, 05:40 PM
Trooper,
I can't get back any further for a wider shot. The room is incredibly small.
The shut valve above the water heater is the one to add more pressure to the system. It isn't needed for any circulation - just to fill and pressurize. By the way, it is currently at about 15 psi. Is that normal?
I tried to hook a garden hose to thing on the right side of the supply manifold in the Zone 1 picture. (Looks like garden threads but they are a bit smaller.) My intent was to close the red supply manifold valve, close the blue return manifold valve, run the garden hose through the right side of the supply manifold and then discharge through the boiler bib via a garden hose on the return manifold - left side.
don
I can't get back any further for a wider shot. The room is incredibly small.
The shut valve above the water heater is the one to add more pressure to the system. It isn't needed for any circulation - just to fill and pressurize. By the way, it is currently at about 15 psi. Is that normal?
I tried to hook a garden hose to thing on the right side of the supply manifold in the Zone 1 picture. (Looks like garden threads but they are a bit smaller.) My intent was to close the red supply manifold valve, close the blue return manifold valve, run the garden hose through the right side of the supply manifold and then discharge through the boiler bib via a garden hose on the return manifold - left side.
don
#6
09-21-08, 06:04 PM
Just an update....
After thinking this thing through, I used the fill line for flushing each of the 8 lines. I simply hooked a garden hose to the drain line and then closed each of the lines except the one I was flushing.
I captured all of the flushed water in a bucket to see what was there. About half of the lines had brown murky water that I flushed until it ran clear. Had a real strange odor too - almost sweet smelling. I have a feeling those lines were plugged but should now flow freely. We'll see once the weather turns cold. Hope that does the trick.
Don
After thinking this thing through, I used the fill line for flushing each of the 8 lines. I simply hooked a garden hose to the drain line and then closed each of the lines except the one I was flushing.
I captured all of the flushed water in a bucket to see what was there. About half of the lines had brown murky water that I flushed until it ran clear. Had a real strange odor too - almost sweet smelling. I have a feeling those lines were plugged but should now flow freely. We'll see once the weather turns cold. Hope that does the trick.
Don
