Watts feed water reg.


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Old 10-15-09, 05:35 AM
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Watts feed water reg.

Hi all!

I have a Watts SB1156F regulator and was wondering if anyone knew what each turn of the adjusting shaft relates to in psi? Meaning the range is 10-25 on this unit so if I back the screw all the way out than that must be the min. pressure of 10psi right? and all the way in (clockwise) it should be at 25.

So if I go all the way out at 10 how many turns to get to say 12? 15? etc.

The reason I am asking is I know my ET is set to 12 as I just checked it on my seasonal cleaning and fireup but my pressure was a little higher than in the past so I turned the adjuster out on the regulator trying to lower the pressure a little and then realized I have know idea where I am actually setting it at

Also how critcal is it for the reg. to match the ET? Is it bad for the reg. to be lower than the ET or visa versa?

Thanks for the info.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 02:59 PM
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That adjustment is course - I'm afraid you can't just assume that one turn equals x psi. And Watts doesn't provide such data. And even if, for example, 1 turn = 2 psi in the middle of the stem's range, you couldn't necessarily assume the same toward one end of the adjustment or the other. These things are rough-and-ready mechanical contraptions - with big, old, non-precision springs; discs; seats; and fasteners - nothing like Swiss watches.

Watts says to just turn the stem a bit, and wait for the pressure gauge on the boiler to stabilize. Then tweak it a little more, if necessary, to get where you want: http://www.watts.com/pdf/1910265.pdf Watts says they adjust the valve to 15 psi before it leaves the factory. (I would bet they do this with a liquid pressure gauge, not by counting turns on the adjustment stem.)

When you observed that the pressure was a little higher than last year, was that with the boiler cold or hot? The pressure isn't so critical that a a couple of psi either way will make a significant difference. It needs to be high enough to fill the piping system to its highest elevation in the house, and low enough to stay well below the pressure relief valve setting. For a 2-storey house, 12 psi (cold) seems to be most everybody's choice.

You say that you have your ET set for 12 psi. What is an ET?
 

Last edited by Mike Speed 30; 10-15-09 at 03:23 PM.
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Old 10-15-09, 03:59 PM
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ooh oooh... I know that one!

ET = Expansion Tank !

Do I get to say "DOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!" ?
 
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Old 10-15-09, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by NJ Trooper
Do I get to say "DOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!" ?
Yes, but how do you set the boiler presure to, say, 12 psi, and the expansion tank tank for something different? Doesn't the pressure in the ET have to be the same as in the boiler? And, are ETs typically adjustable?

I'm confused here. There must be a type of ET that I'm unfamiliar with. Help me!

I'm reminded of a very old sci-fi movie called, The Fly. It ends with a human, somehow converted into a common housefly (with a human head and fly's body). He's caught in a spider web, crying, "Help me." I've been having nightmares ever since.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 04:30 PM
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Vincent Price... yeah, what a movie... the remake with Jeff Goldblum wasn't near as good...

I think he's talking about the air charge in the bladder tank?
 
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Old 10-15-09, 05:21 PM
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Yes you are correct sir! it's an et30 amtrol I believe. A bladder type tank.

I had that set to 12 but I can't get the pressure when cold down below around 18 psi maybe my gauge is off although it's not that old as I replaced it a couple years ago.

Who knows maybe I will cool the system this weekend and try again.

i was just hoping i could get a ballpark of turns to psi out of that regulator.

btw my house is a single level ranch so I dont need a whole lot of pressure.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 06:06 PM
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Also just so you know when hot around 190 pressure is around 20-22
 
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Old 10-15-09, 06:21 PM
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John, you can't turn DOWN the pressure in the boiler by adjusting the regulator. In order to lower the pressure in the boiler you will need to open a drain and let a little water out.

How to explain this...

In order to raise pressure, you have to add water.

In order to lower pressure, you have to remove water.

The regulator can ONLY add water.

So, you need to start with the regulator set BELOW the pressure you want to set, and come UP to that pressure.

Back the screw out on the regulator a couple turns... then, open a drain on the boiler and drop the pressure to say 10 PSI.

Now, about a half turn at a time, turn the regulator adjustment CLOCKWISE and WAIT a few minutes to let the pressure stabilize at the new setting.

If it does not increase, turn another half turn, and WAIT again.

The regulator will respond slowly, so waiting is key.

Keep turning up and waiting until you get to 12 PSI.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 06:23 PM
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Alright well apparantly I couldn't wait so I'm gonna post up my findings which were:

with the slotted adjusting rod out and then spun in until just seated you can turn it in 10.5 times until fully in (full pressure) which starts popping off my relief valve. This is about 35 psi which is weird because supposedly the range is 10-25 but whatever.

I started recording readings at 8 turns out and then bleeding off with the relief lever and then stablizing which was 32 psi

7 netted 30 psi
6 dropped it to 22-23 psi
5 brought it to 15 psi
and finally 4.5 got me to 12-13 psi and thats where i left it.

I fired the boiler back up and the pressure comes up to around 20 as soon as my circulator kicked on and holds there through several cycles so I think i'm good. 190F at 20 psi good?

I just don't think it's gonna run any lower than that.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 06:31 PM
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Oh yeah sorry. I realize this and when I just did my adjustments I bled the water off until it was like 10 and then would shut it and watch the pressure come back up and stabilize.

The only thing is I did it backwards from all the way on full pressure working my way down. Not sure if it matters.


Originally Posted by NJ Trooper
John, you can't turn DOWN the pressure in the boiler by adjusting the regulator. In order to lower the pressure in the boiler you will need to open a drain and let a little water out.

How to explain this...

In order to raise pressure, you have to add water.

In order to lower pressure, you have to remove water.

The regulator can ONLY add water.

So, you need to start with the regulator set BELOW the pressure you want to set, and come UP to that pressure.

Back the screw out on the regulator a couple turns... then, open a drain on the boiler and drop the pressure to say 10 PSI.

Now, about a half turn at a time, turn the regulator adjustment CLOCKWISE and WAIT a few minutes to let the pressure stabilize at the new setting.

If it does not increase, turn another half turn, and WAIT again.

The regulator will respond slowly, so waiting is key.

Keep turning up and waiting until you get to 12 PSI.
 
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Old 10-15-09, 06:57 PM
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The only thing is I did it backwards from all the way on full pressure working my way down. Not sure if it matters.
Doesn't really matter... I think it's easier to come up from below because you don't have to drain water each time you adjust. Just keep nudging the control up a bit at a time till you are where you wanna be.

You might be able to adjust above and below what Watts rates the valve for, but that doesn't mean it will reliably control the pressure when it is near the edge of it's range. That's why they rate it 10-25 ...

20 at 190 is fine... you should be good.
 
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Old 10-16-09, 07:33 PM
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Thanks Man.//////////////////////////////////////////
 
 

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