Indirect tank leaking?

Norm Harvey

Stainless leaking isnt all that uncommon. Almost all of the time is is a weld that cracks, or a little pit in the weld. Stainless is an alloy, and the weld is the best chance to not have that alloy mixed properly (trying to visualize it) A weld in stainless is also a possible brittle point.

Thats been my experience anyways



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RonHa

Indirect tank leaking?

Hello Everyone,

What's the likelyhood of a 4 year old WM Gold series indirect HW tank leaking into the boiler side?? Here is my recent trouble. I have an ultra 230 and Gold plus indirect. This year I have been having a high boiler pressure trouble. I thought about expansion tanks and tested the existing extrol60 and still holding pressure, but t'eed in an additional 30 tank just in case. I shut off the boiler feed in case the backflow and prv were leaking. Still have pressure creeping every 5 or 6 days, I have to remove a few gallons to bring pressure back down. I know the excess water is coming from somewhere?? Tonight I noticed while the cold water was running in the sink, I saw the boiler pressure guage fluctuate. HMMM this shouldn't be right?? I shut off the isolation valves in the boiler piping to the indirect and no more guage fluctuation. Did I find my trouble?? Is there any pro in the western suffolk or nassau area familiar with experience in servicing the WM Ultra?? I might also need some boiler service as I see some weep stains around the allen head bolts of the combustion chamber. I was forced to finish the boiler install myself as I was screwed and left high and dry after boiler guy disappeared. Everything has been functioning good up until this year and of course I didn't find this site until a year or so after I installed the boiler. Thanks for your help.

Ron
rharley@optonline.net

PS,
I piped and installed the primary and secondary as per the manuals and as per all the great info from dan's books as well as on the Wall

Norm Harvey

Expansion tanks are pre set for 12psi, you may need a higher system pressure depending on how high you need to lift the water. (how many floors you have. You can do the math to find how much psi you need from the boiler to the baseboard on the top most floor, and add 4psi, that is your system fill pressure, and the pressure your expansion tanks need to have the air side pumped up to)

you can be leaking the higher pressure domestic water through two places, the indirect as you suspect, or the boiler fill valve.

Drain the boiler pressure down and allow the fill valve to fill until it stops and record the pressure. Use a screwdriver to your ear and against the fill valve body to be sure the valve stops feeding. Once all set shut the ball or gate valve to your fill valve.

If the presure goes up, repeat the test only this time shutting off your cold water to your indirect. I personally would take the pressure off your entire domestic piping before you shut the cold water to the indirect. That way your not shutting the valve with 60+psi still in the indirect that may alter your guage reading.

Do each test for a day and you should find where your leak is comming from.

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RonHa

Hi Norm

Thanks for the reply, I've been racking what's left of my brains for weeks now. I've been through the expansion tanks and even replaced them with 2 extrol et60's just for the hell of it. What boggles me is that with the system filled to 12 psi and the boiler feed shut off, it takes about 7 or 8 days to reach 30 psi. I drain the system refill and shut off the feed valve and am good for another week. What peaked my interest is when I saw the boiler pressure guage fluctuate when either hot or cold water is turned on. I shut off the boiler isolation valves in the loop going to the indirect and repeat water running test and see absolutely no guage movement. I'm pretty sure the boiler pressure should't be connected in any way the the domestic water. This is one of the better indirect's with a stainless tank within a tank. What do you suppose could have happened?? It's only about 4 years old?? Thanks again for your input

Mark Hunt

You've probably found it


and I think it is the indirect. Once you isolated the feed line to the boiler, that only leaves one alternative. The indirect.

Mark H

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Norm Harvey

Yep, If you've shut off the boiler feed and pressure still builds, There's nothing else it can be. Id contact WM about any warranty it may carry.

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RonHa

Mark and Norm

Thanks for your input and help. I'll try and contact WM, but since I'm a homeowner and the original contractor who bailed on me left me none of the original receipts, I'm sure I am on my own. I'm more aggravated and or obsessed with curiosity as to what could have happeded to it or where inside it could be leaking. Seeing as I am not a heating pro such as most on this board, I am baffeled by this. I'm sure each of you have your own war stories of oddities and unexplainables that you have come across in your daily battles. I think I'll chalk this one up to **** Happens. Do either of you have an indirect that you use or recommend over other brands?? Thanks again for taking time to help.

Ron

Eric_32

Can you isolate the feed and return to the indirect and pressure test with air and a gauge? Maybe through a draw off used to bleed that loop?? See if it holds or drops. Good luck

RonHa

Hi Eric

I was actually contemplating that very same thing. I can isolate the boiler loop with the ball valves and break down the boiler loop at the unions I used to connect to the indirect. Rig up some adapter fittings and break out my air tank and do a leak down test similar as to that on and automobile cylinder. I could also drain the domestic side and cut open the 3/4 in and out and see if air hisses. Probably have to wait to the weekend to try that, don't have much time after work and would hate to get caught in the middle of it and not be able to get it back together. Thanks for your ideas and input. I need all the ideas I can get

Ron