Help with getting air out of my system
#1
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Help with getting air out of my system
So I bought this house about 4 years ago, and last fall and this year the air in the system noise is getting worst. So I wanted to see if draining the system would help. I looked online and saw a lots of videos, though they seem relatively easily. Each video had someone shutting down the return valve, before proceeding. My system seems to be configured differently. I don't have a return value shut down before the spout. I see a line going into the boiler, and then a line coming out with a taco, that leads branches into the three systems. [
Can someone look at the photos, and give me some tips on how you would attempt to drain?
Can someone look at the photos, and give me some tips on how you would attempt to drain?
#2
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What is the boiler's pressure - best to temporarily jack it up to, say, 25 psi while bleeding air.
Your pictures don't really show how the whole system goes together. It would be helpful if you made a sketch of the system, showing valves, radiators, etc. Show the position of each valve, open or shut.
As you found, draining and refilling the system is not a good way to eliminate air - the water you refill it with is loaded with dissolved and entrained air, so it actually puts air into the system.
Once a system is free of air and as long as it is continuously pressurized, air should never get into the system.
Your pictures don't really show how the whole system goes together. It would be helpful if you made a sketch of the system, showing valves, radiators, etc. Show the position of each valve, open or shut.
As you found, draining and refilling the system is not a good way to eliminate air - the water you refill it with is loaded with dissolved and entrained air, so it actually puts air into the system.
Once a system is free of air and as long as it is continuously pressurized, air should never get into the system.
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bleeder question
to bleed my system, I would just turn this counter clockwise? how tight should this be? how much water should I expect to come out? I read somewhere it thumb tight, but I diffidently couldn't break it open with my thumb.
#4
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If there is air behind the bleeder, then you should get little or no water coming out, just air. If much water comes out, shut the bleeder. Have bath towels ready.
Why are you bleeding? It shouldn't be necessary on a routine basis - unless the system was opened up for maintenance.
Why are you bleeding? It shouldn't be necessary on a routine basis - unless the system was opened up for maintenance.
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On the boiler itself ther psi reads close to 30. It is that safe? I know it supposed to purge at 30, but I don't know how that works. The gentleman who came to service this unit earlier this year, said it was safe. I told him I would take his word for it, but it seemed to be the max where you want to be at.
He said there is a built in safety mechanism that triggers once it reaches its max and drains the water out. It was really hard to find a company that actually works on boilers in my area. When it breaks I use the home warranty, they end up having to shell out more money than they would want trying to find someone who could service it. It becomes a drama session every time with them.
I will try to sketch it out, but i am horrible artist and don't know what half the stuff is called. Maybe making a video might be easier. =P
My pressing question is if this yellow leveler in this picture should be open or close. It is closed now, and wondering if that could be an issue.
He said there is a built in safety mechanism that triggers once it reaches its max and drains the water out. It was really hard to find a company that actually works on boilers in my area. When it breaks I use the home warranty, they end up having to shell out more money than they would want trying to find someone who could service it. It becomes a drama session every time with them.
I will try to sketch it out, but i am horrible artist and don't know what half the stuff is called. Maybe making a video might be easier. =P
My pressing question is if this yellow leveler in this picture should be open or close. It is closed now, and wondering if that could be an issue.
#9
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Wow. The relief valve is set for 30 psi. Either your gauge is way off or your system is over-pressurized.
#11
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Make sure you aren't reading the kPa scale instead of the psi scale. 30 kPa is around 5 psi, which is way to low a pressure.
Sorry, but you MUST find somebody experienced with residential heating boilers. Forget home warranty or the yellow pages.
It was really hard to find a company that actually works on boilers in my area. When it breaks I use the home warranty, they end up having to shell out more money than they would want trying to find someone who could service it. It becomes a drama session every time with them.
#14
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Island,
Lets start with the yellow valve. That is being used as a type of tempering valve mixing the hot supply water with the cooler system return water coming back so the initial cold water will not shock the boiler and crack it. Do you have radiators or baseboard heat. Usually those valves are installed on a high water content system when a new smaller boiler is installed. It will not hurt to crack it slightly.
Next, that vent you were looking at. You're better off to leave it alone. It's not serving any purpose and it could only start leaking over time if you play with it and I doubt you will ever get any air out of it but that's another story.
Your pressure gauge. It is reading 30 PSI and that is high and if the gauge is correct your relief valve which has a set point of 30 PSI should be blowing off to relieve the pressure. The tech who told you that was fine should not be working on boilers.
If your gauge is correct then your relief valve may be frozen and will not open and that is very dangerous as your actual boiler could blow up given a high enough pressure and no release. Your relief valve should be tested by lifting up the handle manually to see if it is frozen shut but by doing that it may continue to leak and will have to be replaced.
Bleeding the system. It looks like your zone valves are on the return line above the pump. I do not see any shut offs as you said. It looks like they're using your zone valves as shutoffs when bleeding, which can be done but you should have shutoffs anyway if you ever have to change a zone valve.
If you want to bleed your system you must shut off the power so the ZV's stay closed, pressurize your system to as close to 30 PSI as you can without the relief valve going off and open the draw off for the zone you want to bleed until you get a good clear steam of water coming out and then close the draw off and do the next one.
Try to keep the pressure around 28 PSI or so while bleeding each zone and then when finished drain off excess water to bring pressure down to about 20 PSI for proper operation.
I do agree with Gil though, you must find someone who works on boilers for a living and not just a hobby.
I know this is a lot to take in and it's quite long but it may shed a little light on your situation. If you get nothing else out of this have your relief valve checked. If it is in fact working then your gauge is off and you may be just lacking pressure which a new gauge would show.
I hope this helps a little.
Lets start with the yellow valve. That is being used as a type of tempering valve mixing the hot supply water with the cooler system return water coming back so the initial cold water will not shock the boiler and crack it. Do you have radiators or baseboard heat. Usually those valves are installed on a high water content system when a new smaller boiler is installed. It will not hurt to crack it slightly.
Next, that vent you were looking at. You're better off to leave it alone. It's not serving any purpose and it could only start leaking over time if you play with it and I doubt you will ever get any air out of it but that's another story.
Your pressure gauge. It is reading 30 PSI and that is high and if the gauge is correct your relief valve which has a set point of 30 PSI should be blowing off to relieve the pressure. The tech who told you that was fine should not be working on boilers.
If your gauge is correct then your relief valve may be frozen and will not open and that is very dangerous as your actual boiler could blow up given a high enough pressure and no release. Your relief valve should be tested by lifting up the handle manually to see if it is frozen shut but by doing that it may continue to leak and will have to be replaced.
Bleeding the system. It looks like your zone valves are on the return line above the pump. I do not see any shut offs as you said. It looks like they're using your zone valves as shutoffs when bleeding, which can be done but you should have shutoffs anyway if you ever have to change a zone valve.
If you want to bleed your system you must shut off the power so the ZV's stay closed, pressurize your system to as close to 30 PSI as you can without the relief valve going off and open the draw off for the zone you want to bleed until you get a good clear steam of water coming out and then close the draw off and do the next one.
Try to keep the pressure around 28 PSI or so while bleeding each zone and then when finished drain off excess water to bring pressure down to about 20 PSI for proper operation.
I do agree with Gil though, you must find someone who works on boilers for a living and not just a hobby.
I know this is a lot to take in and it's quite long but it may shed a little light on your situation. If you get nothing else out of this have your relief valve checked. If it is in fact working then your gauge is off and you may be just lacking pressure which a new gauge would show.
I hope this helps a little.