Best check valve for vertical water loop?.........(Starch)

John Starcher_4

...about the swing checks. You truly learn something every day! There is no readily accessible horizontal piping downstream, unfortunately. The returns come from multiple locations and tee together in the boiler room. It would take a whole slew of flow valves to do what you're suggesting, and wouldn't be practical, imo.

I just posted a question on the Taco flow pro site about their flow controls and whether they can be mounted in a vertical configuration. Do you happen to know?

Thanks for all your help!

John Starcher_4

I have a job...

...where three zones of hot water heat are controlled by individual circulators. There are spring checks immediately downstream of each circ. Apparently one of them is failing (on the center pump), and allowing reverse flow through the loop when the adjacent circulator (to the right) is running. They have always had a problem with the checks "chattering" when the larger pumps run, so I'd like to eliminate the spring checks.

Can I use a swing check in a vertical position? I'm concerned about it "banging" shut when the pump shuts off. I will also add lower isolation valves while the system is drained.

Any thoughts?

TIA - Starch

EDIT: I accidentally said that the spring checks were "upstream" of the circs. They are "downstream" on the discharge side.

Big Ed_4

How about.....

... A old proven flowvalve ?

John Starcher_4

Hi Ed,

thanks for the response. The only 'flow valves' I am familiar with are the old style 3-port type that would install on the "top" of a loop. The piping configuration I have will not allow this. Is there another type of flow valve that I am maybe not aware of?

Big Ed_4

Swing Checks

Swing checks are more for direction of flow. You have 1"-1 1/4" supplies up ward. A swing check is not going to hold back the gravity flow once it starts to move.

No Hozontal piping down stream ? How about leaving the spring check , clean it out and install a flowvalve on a hozontal return?

Big Ed_4

Flowvalves

Flowvalves are a check valve but use a weight to force it shut and to counter the force of gravity flow. The weight has to come down vertical. I never seen a vertical flowvalve. But one could be out there...

How about piping a "C" in to that vertical riser....

Another thing I should mention. If that problem zone is a parrelle system make sure all of it's returns join to a single return before they connect to the return manifold. If not you "will" get a Ghost Flow ....

John Starcher_4

My space....

...is a bit limited, but your "c" suggestion might work. I'll have to take a closer look next time I'm over that way. I get what you're saying about the returns, too. This has never been an issue in the 12+ years I have been maintaining this system, though, so I'm pretty sure the check valve is to blame.

I say an article in the Library about oversized check valves causing rattling. Maybe the best solution is to drop them down a size, if I can fit all the needed reducer fittings in the existing vertical space.

Thanks again, Ed. I appreciate your feedback!

Starch

Unknown

They appear to be

Legend spring checks. I used them several times and they always chatter, if that is what they are,they are junk. The most recent ones Ived used are an American brand, I think they were Nibco. They had teflon seats and worked very well but they cost 30 bucks for a 3/4ips but worth it.

Michael Wilson

007-IFC Circ

I'm not sure what your budget is for the fix, but TACO makes a circulator with an integral flow check..

http://www.taco-hvac.com/products.html?view=ProdDetail&Product=20&current_category=

They've worked out for me so far.

Hope this helps,


Mikey

bob young

vertical flow check

Click here: http://www.pexsupply.com/categories.asp?cID=1237&brandid= i believe both taco & b & g also make a vertical flow check in addion to the conventional horizontal type.

oil-2-4-6-gas

the check valves should be on the discharge of the pumps

oil-2-4-6-gas

hot_rod

I'll bet they are oversized

Checks should be sized by flow rate, not pipe size. Most often the correct check is one, maybe two sizes smaller that the pipe size. A check with a low pop pressure and a soft seat, sized to the flow rate would be a consideration.

Could the over heat be on the return, un-checked side? You may need supply and return side protection.

hr