Boiler still leaks after changing out relief valve, Expansion Tank, Regulator, Air Vent....

[Takkie]

Hello. I had a previous post from a year ago that i had leaks coming out from the Relief valve and my boiler reads 30 PSI all the time. I received suggestions on changing out component and i have done that already , however it is still leaking. I am at a point that i am unsure what to change next. Yes i am aware that my old post was more than 12 months old, and life got busy with different things, and i just let it leak into a sump pump … and my sump pump recently failed (I am guessing may be due to water temperature from the leak?) so i want to fix this problem.

Question: How do i continue from here, and what else could be the problem? The PSI is constantly at 30 and i believe thats why the water is leaking. (So it is doing its job)

Old Post Link:
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/pressure-relief-valve-leaking.111692


I did have an handy man to help me change out the relief valve and the regulator because the relief valve was in a very awkward position and i am a bigger guy and couldnt fit my elbow/hand into that area. While he was here, i also asked him to change out the relief valve… we did drain the system to replace all these components. The only thing i regreted was i had bought a Taco regulator for him to replace, but he didnt see it, and replaced it with one of "his" usual ones. When i saw it, it was already replaced, so i just left it. It seems to read the same specs.

The boiler is a CG Boiler (CG-5-SPDN Model) and it is a rather complex system (I feel)… It has 4 zones like this,

• 1st floor
• 2nd floor
• Sunroom (Radiant heat)
• To the Indirect water heater

Things already replaced:

1. Same exact pressure relief valve from Supply house
2. Same Expansion tank from Supply house
3. Same air vent from Supply house
4. New Regulator from the handy man. (It was a green Taco)

The water leak is like a little water stream now, and it is no longer dripping. It first started as a drip a year ago and now it has developed a small water stream… See picture below.

Here are a new set of Pictures that shows the replacement.

 

[Reach4]

The PSI is constantly at 30 and i believe thats why the water is leaking. (So it is doing its job)

If constantly means to you what it means to me, that would indicate to me that the fill valve was bad or adjusted to 30 PSI instead of 15 psi.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Takkie]

If constantly means to you what it means to me, that would indicate to me that the fill valve was bad or adjusted to 30 PSI instead of 15 psi.

hello.

sorry, i mean the pressure gauge from the boiler is constantly at 30 PSI. are you saying the regulator itself is somehow set at 30 PSI? The regulator which the handy man replaced, do you know what brand it is?

 

[Reach4]

sorry, i mean the pressure gauge from the boiler is constantly at 30 PSI. are you saying the regulator itself is somehow set at 30 PSI?

That could explain the 30 psi all of the time.

I am talking about the gadget with the blue tag. I think it comes pre-set to 15 psi, but can be adjusted. Looks like http://hydromastersupply.com/product/show_product.php?id=1080 and https://www.ebay.com/itm/256617324263

The way it should work is that the boiler fill valve is set to introduce water if the pressure gets to 12 or 15 psi, depending on setting.

Then when the heat comes on, the water expands. Pressure rises, but the thermal expansion tank absorbs some of that water pressure. That tank should be big enough that the expansion does not rise to 30 psi or whatever the relief valve is set for. So ideally, the unit goes through a season with not much,if any water, needed to be added.

So normally, when the water is cold the pressure is 12 to 15 pounds, and rises -- but does not rise enough to open the relief valve.

To work around a bad fill regulator, as I suspect you have, you can close the ball valve that feeds the regulator. Water should get released when the unit is hot, but should drop down to maybe 15 when the water is closed.

Or you could try adjusting that regulator down to maybe 12 from 30....

Or you could observe the system more, and realize it is not always 30, but is 30 only when hot water is dripping out, but not after cooling. That changes things, and you would consider other possiblities, including tank too small.

 

[Takkie]

That could explain the 30 psi all of the time.

I am talking about the gadget with the blue tag. I think it comes pre-set to 15 psi, but can be adjusted. Looks like http://hydromastersupply.com/product/show_product.php?id=1080 and https://www.ebay.com/itm/256617324263

The way it should work is that the boiler fill valve is set to introduce water if the pressure gets to 12 or 15 psi, depending on setting.

Then when the heat comes on, the water expands. Pressure rises, but the thermal expansion tank absorbs some of that water pressure. That tank should be big enough that the expansion does not rise to 30 psi or whatever the relief valve is set for. So ideally, the unit goes through a season with not much,if any water, needed to be added.

So normally, when the water is cold the pressure is 12 to 15 pounds, and rises -- but does not rise enough to open the relief valve.

To work around a bad fill regulator, as I suspect you have, you can close the ball valve that feeds the regulator. Water should get released when the unit is hot, but should drop down to maybe 15 when the water is closed.

Or you could try adjusting that regulator down to maybe 12 from 30....

Or you could observe the system more, and realize it is not always 30, but is 30 only when hot water is dripping out, but not after cooling. That changes things, and you would consider other possiblities, including tank too small.

I just did a test following steps....

1) I hand feel the pipe where water feeds into the regulator, i can feel water flowing inside...
2) turn off water supply into regulator and turn off boiler.
3) release some water through the hot water heater valve. (See picture of the green hose).
4) I was only able to get the pressure to about 15 PSI after bleeding some water out from that hot water valve for the return water..
5) the leak stopped and temperature slowly dropped to 140. (was 150-160 to begin with)
6) I hand feel the pipe into regulator and this time no more water movement.
7) I turn on the water into the regulator and i still do not feel water movement. Pressure remains at 15 PSI and no water leaks.
8) Turn on boiler, and boiler fired up right away... and i can feel water movement inside the pipe going into regulator and out of retulator.
9) pressure reached 30 again, and leaking starts again.

I did not adjust regulator, as i need to research into how to. i believe this is the one i have from the handyman.

 

[Reach4]

OK. Somebody with more knowledge and experience should be able to help with letting you know how big your thermal expansion tank should be. The air pressure (always set with the water pressure near zero OR ( turn off the valve under the tank, remove the tank, set the air pressure, restore the tank, turn on the valve). The air pressure should be your fill/low pressure.

Also to tell you if 15 or 12 PSI or what would be the best fill (low) pressure.

It also could be that your relief valve should be set to a higher pressure.

 

[Fitter30]

One story house 12 lbs two story 15 lbs Water pressure all pumps off boiler water temp below 100°. Turn make up off and adjust water pressure to the correct pressure. Water heater valve that you used before just crack it to adjust. Ex tank air charge set same as water pressure. With 0-50lb tire gauge check pressure adjust use a tire pump or if using a air compressor short spurt then check. Bellows doesn't hold a lot of air can easily blow it out with a compressor. After adjusting the air charge boiler pressure water is set DON'T open the fill valve. Turn everything back on. Fire boiler. Water reg valve can leak by drip or small stream. Only way to tell open valve with room temp boiler come back few hours later look at the gauge. If ex tank has to pulled it will be full of water with whatever air charge will be pushing water out with shut off valve closed.

 

[John Gayewski]

Is that new expansion tank a 7gal?

 

[John Gayewski]

Once your system is filled and the air bled, turn off the fill valve. Let the system run and heat if the pressure rises above 30 and the relief valve spits then your system has been filled too much which means your fill valve pushed water into the expansion tank instead of the heated water pushing water into it.

After this happens let the system cool to 65 degrees. Make sure the system pressure is 15 and check that your expansion tank is set to 15or 16 psi. This is all still while your fill valve is shut so no water can enter your system. If your system spits water again your expansion tank is too small and the expanded water is taking up too much space. If it doesn't spit water after cycling to the highest temp then your fill valve is adding water at some point in the cycle and needs adjusted down to only fill at a really low pressure.