glycol / in steam system and hammering

KBP&H_3

recently installed a 6' H-5 element in a steam system, one pipe, added a 2 1/2" tee at top of boiler . to a 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 black ell, 1 1/4" riser  w/ 2 45's to horizontal, 1 1/4 x 1 x 3/4 tee for dripping the main 2' out, 1" x 10' horizontal run w/ 7" pitch to a 1" riser to the H-5,, Hammering to the point of trouble,, this system has a glycol / yellow substance it , haven't tested it yet but seems like glycol, ?? not my original boiler install.  anyone know of anything yellow that could have been added besides glycol? anty idea for hammering,, done this many times before w/ no problem,, 

Jamie Hall

oh dear...

anything, but anything, other than pure water in a heating boiler is going to be trouble.  Doesn't have to be glycol, but if it really is glycol, I'm so sorry.  Step one would seem to be to drain and flush the system until it's really gone...



Then see where you are on the hammering.

nicholas bonham-carter

only pure h two oh!

follow  jaimie's good advice and drain and refill. if the hammering persists, then compare the piping with the manufacturer's instructions. i expect the hammering is preexisting, as a result of bad piping, and this substance had been added to the boiler to calm it down. can you post some pictures of the piping?--nbc

jpf321

could have been

DRY STEAM powder. I had some last year and it was antifreeze green in the sight glass.

MikeyB

Surge Master

Someone probably added "SurgeMaster" Boiler Treatment to the boiler water, it will turn the water a yellow-green color when the right amount has been added, they used this chemical to control surging,priming and foaming, the surface of water is probably really dirty

KBP&H_3

Sure e n o u g h .....

turns out the homeowner had the boiler replaced while they moved out for 2 years, entire house was shutdown / water turned off at the street and the entire house winterized ( with regular anti-freeze? ???)  anyway, they moved back in last friday. We installed the baseboard the monday before, was fine until they turned the heat from 55 to 74,, HAMMERTIME.  The boiler was good for 10* at least before it would have frozen...   Cleaned it out after about 2 hours of running water, finally was clear water. Squick in it, not a sound,, oh by the way, blew a heat-timer vari vent completely apart last night, first one off the main,,, glad no one got hurt.  People don't understand that when they do things that have repercussions. they have to mark it on the boiler or --- JUST DO SOMETHING----  never told they homeowner it has to be cleaned out when they move back in...  

Jamie Hall

Oy!

That, I think, is all the comment that's needed...