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Re: Cleaning/Descaling Indirect Water Heater-Or is it too rusty?
A wet vac with a long skinny wand
hot_rod
Re: Cleaning/Descaling Indirect Water Heater-Or is it too rusty?
From what I remember about that Triangle Tube tank, there are no access openings for cleaning. There is an inner Stainless Steel tank that is filled with potable water and an outer tank that has the boiler water in it. (no heat exchanger coil). The only access to the inner tank is through the ¾” male, hot and cold water openings that are welded to the inner tank and welded through the outer tank. Not much space for a spray wash nozzle at a 90° angle to fit in those openings. The cold inlet has a plastic dip tube that runs to about 4" from the bottom. So no real access through that opening.
Since that tank is over 30 years old, you may want to think about replacing that indirect with something compatible with your new future system.
The center opening is for a vent to purge Boiler Water from the top of the tank. No potable water access there.
Re: Equalizer Return
Ah… @ethicalpaul , on a two pipe system the pressure in the returns — whatever one wants to call them — should always be zero psig, except in some vacuum assisted systems where it will be a slight vacuum. Drips from the steam mains to the wet returns, if any, will be at steam pressure, of course, which means the water will stand lower in them than in the drips from the dry returns which are at zero (this, by the way, can get people in trouble if the steam pressure is too great or someone lowered the boiler water level, but we've been through that before).
Re: Difficulty in Properly Sizing Equipment - 2140 Sq Ft New Construction Spray Foam House
Not to get off topic, but is the house already built and insulated with spray foam? Spray foam seems like an ideal insulator because it fills every void and can totally seal everywhere it's sprayed or injected. But foam has huge downsides:
Because it seals so completely, it's very easy for moisture to get trapped. Even the smallest leak in the building envelope can result in wood rot and mold.
Unless the electricians install all wiring in conduit where the foam will be installed, then the wire is completely glued inside the foam. This can lead to many problems, including damage to the wire insulating jacket (due to incompatibility with the chemicals in the foam).
Plumbing is also encased in the foam. If there's ever a leak, good luck.
It makes it extremely difficult to ever perform any future repairs or remodeling.
Many times, banks will refuse to write a mortgage (or remortgage) on homes containing spray foam.
Many times, insurers will refuse to insure a home with spray foam.
Spray foam can substantially reduce the resale value of your home, and wise buyers will not purchase a house with existing spray foam.
Re: Need to replace corroded supply to radiator
As far as the radiator piping goes your correct the water will take the path of least resistance so if you undersize the pex to much you may not get heat in that radiator and will create a balancing issue.
Since it is 1 1/4 now I would use at least 1". You could also use 1 1/4" copper tubing. I am assuming you don't want to use black pipe you could find a plumbing supply that could cut the pipe for you. Big box store can if they have some one who knows how to use the pipe machine correctly.
Re: Need to replace corroded supply to radiator
Yep. That would be a excellent place to put the valve as long as its between the tank and both pickups from the supplies. A good quality full port ball valve would be fine. The valve would be normally open during operation and only closed to drain the tank.
This one:
Make sure you have a wrench on the fitting and the pipe with a helper so as to not put torque on the ell going into the tank. Some penetraiting oil on the threads would help too. Id leave the long length toward the tank alone and make the changes on the short side.
Seems whoever did the system originally as a gravity system wanted to connect to the tank at the point of highest water temperature to try to direct air coming out of solution into the tank. Pretty smart.
Do it in threaded black pipe with a new union. Buy domestic (Ward or Anvil) for the union, you'll be glad you did.
Re: I heard a drip. . . EK System 2000
I would not worry sbout the expansion tank mounting. Amtrol and Zilmet show horizontal as acceptable, vertical as preferred
You might csp the two vslves, see if that stoos the water. Jeep as n eye on the pressure gauge, it may go up when you cap off the valves
Next close off the fill valve to prevent water from entering and raising the pressure
I wonder if a failed plate HX would cause a pressure increase?
hot_rod
Re: I heard a drip. . . EK System 2000
@Juggatweet , you’re in good hands with @SuperTech and @mattmia2 - great analysis and comments for both the quick fix and longer term corrective actions. During service, also check the pH and consider adding 8 Way or a comparable boiler additive which may help if the current boiler water chemistry contributed to the leaking boiler drains.
Roger
Roger
Re: I heard a drip. . . EK System 2000
Leaking boiler drain valves? As a band aid you can get some brass caps from your local hardware store or big box store and screw them on. Have your service provider replace them next time you have the annual maintenance performed.
I would also change how the gray expansion tank is installed. Sidewards tanks are more prone to failure. As someone who works on dozens of EK boilers I have to say that the way that one is installed is quite unusual.
Re: Cleaning/Descaling Indirect Water Heater-Or is it too rusty?
Any time water sits in a steel or stainless steel tank for a long time undisturbed there is going to be some corrosion ("rusting"). Can't help it. This is what, I expect, you are seeing. Due to natural convection in the tank the colouration will spread through the entire volume of water. Can't help that, either.
Now… how to get rid of it. Well, multiple drain and fill cycles will certainly help to reduce the problem. However, if you have access, a pressure washer with a nozzle set at right angles, slowly rotated around the entire wall of the tank (with the tank empty) and even more slowly lowered to the bottom will speed up the cleaning. A lot…