Pressure seems high in the system, is it normal?

Salvatorparadise

Hey guys, I have a radiant heating system and had it overhauled completely about a year ago. When it was overhauled I was told that the pressure was set on 15 psi. Lately, however, I've seen a bit of water beneath a pressure release pipe, and today saw a bit more water than i've noticed before, although I infrequently go down to this part of the basement. Anyway. I looked at the pressure at it was reading 30 PSI. Is this normal? The heater has been on for about 4.5 hours as it brings the house from 60 to 66. We had been away for a few days.



Is there a problem here or does the pressure just go up when the system is on for a long time? See my photos below:

Gordy

No

  Your system pressure should be 15 psi. 30psi is to high, and that is causing the relief valve to weep which is 30psi.



  What kind of expansion tank is on the system diaphram, or compression tank? compression tank will hang from the floor joists, Diaphram will have a shrader valve on it, and is smaller. Could be improper charge on the diaphram tank type, or water logged compression type.



 Could bef the supply water valve to the boiler is open. Check that first. If it is could be the water feed valve is stuck on trickling water into the system, or not adjusted to 15 psi.



Gordy

STEVEusaPA

Nope

Not normal...it could go up slightly, but not that much.  Some causes...

1. Air in the system.

2. Failed or water-logged expansion tank (depending on type).

3. Undersized expansion tank

4. Fill valve faulty, allowing too much water into system.

What was 'overhauled' and why?  I think you may need to get the 'overhauler' back out.

Darn...Gordy beat me again

Salvatorparadise

pressure

thanks guys. you may remember me, my house froze up about a year ago, well, before we bought it. After inspection, before closing. Bad bad. Several frozen/cracked radiators replaced, cast iron elbows in the piping cracked so were replaced, in the mean time, boiler, which did not freeze, had new gauge and expansion tank put in place. will go down and take a photo of the tank. This work occured in February. Since the job cost more than an economy vehicle, we told them to also do what was needed to bring the boiler and peripheries up to speed, and I thought they did.

Salvatorparadise

expansion tank

Went down and took some more photos. Tank is new, so are two nearby valves.

Slimpickins

brings to mind

a quote made by my auto mechanic, "Just because its new, doesn't mean its good"

icesailor

High Pressure, Dripping Relief Valve:

Everyone here has said what I would have said. For what that's worth.

But try this.

When the water pressure in the system is at 30#, take a hose in a 5 gallon bucket (I always use washing machine hoses) and open the drain. If the pressure immediately drops, the diaphragm tank has no air. If it goes down slowly, there may be air. If when the pressure drops, you hear the fill valve start filling the system, when the system hits 12# +/-, the fill valve is working. Close the valve to the fill valve. Let the pressure go to zero if the water stopped quickly (tank has no air), Open fill valve. Does the fill valve stop at 12# +/-? If it does, and the system is cold, turn up the thermostat. If the pressure starts to climb quickly as the boiler heats the water, The Extrol has no air. It may be shot and needs to be replaced.

When they fixed the system, did they replace the fill valve/Pressure reducing Valve? If they didn't, it is very likely overfilling the system because it isn't completely shutting off. Replace the fill valve.

If you replaced the broken radiators with more radiators, and the boiler is cold start, look and see what model Extrol you have. It should be at least a #60 which is over 2 feet long. You need the bigger tank for the cold start expansion.

Send a picture of the tank and the fill valve. It's my experience that old fill valves, that fill, do not close completely and leak bye. 

Don't be fooled if the pressure drops immediaately when the system pressure is at 12#. Pressure only works above the Extrol pre-charge.

Jean-David Beyer

"Just because its new, doesn't mean its good"

That is so true! I took my car in for a tunup once. Afterwards, it worked far worse than before. Old days with distributer, condenser, points. Turned ouj the brand new condenser was bad. So the mechanic put in another. Rinse and repeat. Turned out his whole box of new condensers was bad. So he had to return them and get a new box.



It can happen.

STEVEusaPA

Also..

The elbow/air scoop/elbow piping doesnt look kosher to me.  I was wondering if anyone has piped a system like that and have it remove air?