Pressure relief valve on boiler dripping H2O - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
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Replies:
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| yuri
|  "Re(1):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin"
, posted Wed 4 Jun 15:16  
Who installed it for you? Everyone I have seen is mounted vertically. It has a bladder diaphram inside seperating the water from the air. Under the red plug is a schraeder/bicycle valve fitting to add air pressure to the tank. Never have to drain water from the system. Sounds like you need an experienced pro plumber who services boilers to set up the system properly and you may need a new relief valve. After they start dripping/pop a couple of times they can get weak/crap under the seat and may need replacing.
Yuri
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| | theduke03
| "Re(3):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 17:37
Your expansion tank is OK horizontal. This problem would not be caused by the circulator.
Possible causes: Bad fill valve(pressure regulator), Bad expansion tank, or a leak in an indirect water heater coil.
You say the boiler is cold? This tells me it may be the water pressure regulator overfeeding the boiler. You can open any drain on the system and drain water just enough to lower the pressure to 10-15 psi. Then watch gauge and see if pressure increases past 30 psi again. If it does then the fill valve should be adjusted or replaced.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | cmw333
| "Re(4):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 17:58
Where would the pressure regulator be? I see the pressure reducing valve (red bell shape) and the pressure relief valve that is dripping water. I thought the temperature is so low is because nothing is on, the pipes and everything are not hot. The boiler was drained of water a few days ago to replace the pressure relief valve. The psi returned to 35. Where is the fill valve and how can it be adjusted?
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| | theduke03
| "Re(5):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 18:29
The pressure reducing valve is the fill valve. It may have a cap that you can spin off and underneath is a screw with a nut around it. To lower pressure: loosen the nut and turn the screw counterclockwise. Then tighten the nut and put cap back on. If you are going to do this let me know and I will give you step by step directions. Also be sure to locate the shutoff valve that should be before the fill.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | cmw333
| "Re(6):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:52
ok, I found the screw and nut. By lowering the pressure in this method, are there any cons to doing this?
What are the step by step directions?
The bell is warm to the touch, probable because the tenats are home.
Thank you.
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| | cmw333
| "Re(6):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:11
this is what the pressure reducing valve looks like
http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26ni%3D20%26va%3Dpressure%2Breducing%2Bvalve%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26xargs%3D0%26pstart%3D1%26b%3D101&w=1024&h=768&imgurl=web.ivenue.com%2Fallparts%2Fimages%2F8.JPG&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allpartsgrills.com%2Fitem395192.ctlg&size=134.2kB&name=8.JPG&p=pressure%20reducing%20valve&type=JPG&oid=26427ca89e877a5c&no=115&tt=2023
copy, paste - if the picture doesn't come up, let me know. It is the valve on the right, not the left.
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| | theduke03
| "Re(7):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:18
To post pictures simply go to photobucket.com. Upload your pics, then click on the img code(copy) under the uploaded pic. Then paste img code in your reply.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | cmw333
| "Re(6):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:05
The pressure reducing valve is a red bell with a old fashion water pump style handle, it does not screw off it is attached to the pipe. I know where the shut off valve is. Any suggestions?
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| | theduke03
| "Re(7):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:23
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | theduke03
| "Re(8):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:57
Here is a diagram. The adjustment will be made on the part with no handle on it. Loosen the nut(2) then turn screw(18) counterclockwise.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | theduke03
| "Re(9):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 20:08
Step by step. Close the shutoff valve before the fill valve. Open any drain on boiler system and lower pressure to 5 psi. Then make the adjustment with instructions and diagram above. Turn that screw counterclockwise 4 or 5 turns. Then open the shutoff valve and the fill valve will begin to re-fill the system. Watch the gauge. You want it to fill to about 10-12 psi.
If it goes over that then repeat the procedure and turn the screw CCW a few more turns.
If it stops filling lower than that just slowly turn screw clockwise and watch gauge.
Sometimes this will not work and valve will need to be replaced.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | cmw333
| "Re(10):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippi" , posted Fri 6 Jun 12:40
ok, so I did all that just now...after 4 or 5 turns of the screw, the screw came off, so I just loosened it a little. So far it has been about ten minutes and the psi hasn't moved from 5 psi. The bell is heating up (warm to the touch) so something is going through it, but I don't know why the psi isn't going up. Any suggestions? Thank you.
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| | theduke03
| "Re(2):Re(10):Pressure relief valve on boiler " , posted Fri 6 Jun 19:07
Did you open the shut-off valve? It will not refill until that is open. If it is open then slowly turn screw clockwise until you hear water. I'm not concerned with the temperature.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | cmw333
| "Re(3):Re(10):Pressure relief valve on boiler" , posted Tue 10 Jun 10:11
It was drained and psi was reduced to 5 last friday at 1pm, it is now tues at 10am. The psi has slow increased in these days to 33psi. Why will the pressure not stay constant? Does the fill valve need to be replaced?
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| | yuri
| "Re(7):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:19
No pic. Post it at photobucket. Left click the IMG code and paste it here, works well. Those fill valves are a huge pain in the a**, especially for low pressure steam boilers. They sit unused/static and when they do go to open they have rust and crud under the seat and usually won't ever regulate properly after that. May need a new one or hand fill the system. My plumbers recommend hand filling. Every time you refill the system you bring in fresh water and oxygen and that causes corrosion, BAD.
Yuri
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| | theduke03
| "Re(7):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 19:16
The top of the bell should have a screw with a nut. If not then post the make and model# of the fill valve.
"My dad was the most feared furnace fighter in Northern Indiana."
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| | yuri
| "Re(3):Pressure relief valve on boiler drippin" , posted Wed 4 Jun 17:30
I used to do a lot of boiler work but got away from it. There is a specific pressure that tank needs to be inflated to depending on whether it is a 1/2/3 story house and the boiler needs to be up to operating temp etc etc. Hence the experienced plumber. Maybe one of our other techs knows. How many stories is the house?
Yuri
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