Burnam Alpine

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LewB

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The wife and I bought a house built in 1850 that had been completely renovated about 9yrs ago. It was fitted with a burnam alpine 210bw. A few months ago we started have what sounded like pipes banging and had a local contractor come out to look at it. He did standard maintainance on it but the problem got worse. We got another "authorized" burnam contractor out and apparently the water is not circulating but rather "boiling" in the heat exchanger causing it to pop and bang. They closed of the valves and ran tap water directly through the heat exchanger and it looked fine. He found that the primary loop pump was seized and replaced that but the issue remained. We also closed of the water heater loop to see if the problem was there but to no luck. As this boiler is very expensive and out of the 5yr warranty I am at my witts end.
 

Fitter30

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If there is boiling water noise in the heat exchanger the hx is limed up and needs to be cleaned Now. Don't be surprised that after the cleaning the hx or whole heater will need to be replaced because the hx will be leaking. What is happening the lime is acting like a insulator since it's trapping water between the lime and surface of the hx and boiling expanding that section more than the rest of the hx possibly creating a leak.
 

LewB

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If there is boiling water noise in the heat exchanger the hx is limed up and needs to be cleaned Now. Don't be surprised that after the cleaning the hx or whole heater will need to be replaced because the hx will be leaking. What is happening the lime is acting like a insulator since it's trapping water between the lime and surface of the hx and boiling expanding that section more than the rest of the hx possibly creating a leak.
But with a pump hooked up to run descaler through the hx the water coming out looks clear with good flow?
 

LewB

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If there is boiling water noise in the heat exchanger the hx is limed up and needs to be cleaned Now. Don't be surprised that after the cleaning the hx or whole heater will need to be replaced because the hx will be leaking. What is happening the lime is acting like a insulator since it's trapping water between the lime and surface of the hx and boiling expanding that section more than the rest of the hx possibly creating a leak.
But when using a flush pump with descaler the water looks clear and the flow is good?
 

Reach4

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I am unfamiliar with heating boilers. But I see that has a pressure gauge. I am guessing that this is a normally closed system, and water is rarely added. So I am guessing that you should have some minimum pressure, and would assume there should be a working thermal expansion tank to keep the pressure from getting too high during operation. So what is the minimum that pressure gauge reads?

I may be total off base in my suspicions.
 

LewB

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I am unfamiliar with heating boilers. But I see that has a pressure gauge. I am guessing that this is a normally closed system, and water is rarely added. So I am guessing that you should have some minimum pressure, and would assume there should be a working thermal expansion tank to keep the pressure from getting too high during operation. So what is the minimum that pressure gauge reads?

I may be total off base in my suspicions.
Around 10lbs to 13lbs if I remember right
 

Fitter30

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Thought it was a combi boiler. Minimum water pressure is 14.5 lbs according to the install manual page 54. When using a commercial cleaning product that contains a acid which many have litmus paper is used to check strength of the acid. Acid doesn't do much for dirt its for lime or other types of build-up. Most times starting to clean theres some foaming with acid at proper strength as the acid works it gets weaker. Litmus changes color and can be brought back to full strength after running for another 15 minutes and strength hasn't gone down should be good to go with a flush and put back in service.
 

LewB

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Thought it was a combi boiler. Minimum water pressure is 14.5 lbs according to the install manual page 54. When using a commercial cleaning product that contains a acid which many have litmus paper is used to check strength of the acid. Acid doesn't do much for dirt its for lime or other types of build-up. Most times starting to clean theres some foaming with acid at proper strength as the acid works it gets weaker. Litmus changes color and can be brought back to full strength after running for another 15 minutes and strength hasn't gone down should be good to go with a flush and put back in service.
What is being used is a biodegradable descaler. It yes it removes lime? I will check the water pressure again once its flushed and fired back up. But what if the pressure is lower? What does that mean?
 

Fitter30

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Most boilers it doesn't matter but in this case the manufacture wants it that high. Post the compleate model number I'll call tech line.
 

LewB

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Most boilers it doesn't matter but in this case the manufacture wants it that high. Post the compleate model number I'll call tech line.
We flushed it with descaler then fresh water and all is good now. I'll have them come back to put a magnetic filter on it since the house has so many of the original radiators and pipes.
I am overwhelmed by all the great responses from this forum and want to thank you all so much. But now I'm gonna take a HOT shower
 
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