Repiping boiler

Jnugget

I cut out my monoflo system and installed baseboards in the house. Now I'm ready to pipe the boiler. I dont have much space and wanted your opinions on how to pipe it. It's a weil mclain 68. I was going to come up out of the boiler 90 right then install the taco 4900 air separator with the exp tank and feed valve tapped in under it. then 90 up and 90 back over the air separator and install my manifold/circulators there. it will kinda look like a question mark. the hot water heater is to the right and theres not too much room in front of it so this is the best I could come uup with. is this ok??

Mark Eatherton

Sure....

Where you going to put the pump?



It SHOULD be immediately after the air separator/expansion tank connection.



It SHOULDN'T be on the return, unless you really want to hear water and air working its way around your house.



ME

Ron Jr._3

I agree with Mark

We try to pipe the expansion tank as close to the air separator and circs as possible . In that order out of the boiler of course !



Since space is always a premium , we hardly ever pipe the tank directly into the air separator . Usually it's right into a tee on the header . Where to pipe the boiler feed valve is not critical if you have a LWCO and keep it shut anyway . We pipe it into the supply or return depending on the install .

Jnugget

.

4 pumps are going on the supply. I was going to come out the bottom of the air separator with a nipple tee nipple . . . tank on the bottom feed valve in the middle. What about the returns?? Should I put the returns on the manifold in the same order I put the circs on the supply manifold or does it even matter?!? Thanks again

Jnugget

Anyone?

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ColoradoDave

Manifold Order

The order you pipe the zones supply and returns on the manifold is not a factor.

We like to try and plumb them 1-2-3-4 and 1-2-3-4 so they match up, but sometimes,that just makes a nightmare of jumping pipes over each other and ends up making a mess of plumbing, so it sometimes makes sense to go for whatever is going to look organized in the mech room.  If they don't go in identical order, I'd recommend marking them, either with a marker or a hanging tag so that you'll remember which one goes where 5 years from now.

If at all possible, we try to make sure all our pumps are pumping UP to help keep any big slugs of air moving instead of cavitating a pump... purging a system and pumping away are both great practices but just in case you get a slug of air in the system (leaking baseboard 90, non-barrier tubing, etc).

Jnugget

This is what I did

I think it came out pretty good. . anything I could have done better or different? Thanks

Tim P._3

looks great to me

Sure, there will be those that will comment how it can be improved.. reality is that your job looks better than most.



What's with the boiler drain on the supply header?  I saw this in another post, and am not following the reasoning.



ps- like the globe + ball valve combo.

Jnugget

Boiler Drain

I've seen it a few times. . . it's so you can purge the air from the zones through the boiler. . thought it was cool so I used it.

Tim P._3

thanks for the info

Thanks for info on the valve.



Thought those valves on the return were globes for balancing.. caught a glimpse in another photo and see they are drains.



Anyway, congrats.. looks to be a fine job.

furnacefigher15

power purge

Nicely done. This is a strategy I employ every where I can.



Close the ball valve between the drain and feed water.



Put a hose on the drain valve and run to a floor drain, open the feed water, and then open one supply valve at a time and bleed air till there is none left.



For anyone who does not do this, start. Its a huge time saver, especially in apartments where its difficult to get at the baseboard vents (if there even are any).

Robert_25

nice job

I think you did a nice job repiping this boiler. I also install a boiler drain at the top of the supply header...it is handy to vent the boiler when filling or draining, or you can purge the zones right back into the boiler.



How does it run so far?

Jnugget

Runs Awesome!

Thanks, the house is so much more comfortable now. . .no more air problems. . the upstairs of the house isn't like an oven anymore,now that its on its own zone. I just hope everythings still good once it gets really cold out, just have to wait and see. - John