Using compressed air on a steam system for testing.

Toymotorhead

Hang on, slow down. Stop worrying.  Here is what is going on. While doing some other work today on my boiler, I found out that i have a several radiator valves that are leaking, or have bad packing or other issues. No real surprise, given the age of the system, and its lack of maintenance.



I am pretty maxed on the EDR for my boiler, and it has not been cold enough for long heating cycles, so the boiler never trips off due to pressure. So these problems rarely show themselves, unless I attempt to close all the radiator valves and let the boiler run really long, like I did today playing with main venting.



So my question is, can I buy myself a handful of 1/8" NPT plugs, and remove all my radiator vents, and plug them. (along with my main vents) Then hook a low pressure compressed air source to a port on the system to find leaks? I would need to keep the pressure under ~3psi or so, but it would save me a hell of a lot of time. And untold dollars in fuel playing around fixing things and having to steam the whole system up and down.



Am I crazy for thinking this?

Thanks

Richard.

Bio

Air pressure

I knew I read something done in the past that you could use as a reference, A well known contibutor to this wall post this: http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/138490/System-Losing-Water

Toymotorhead

Thank you.

In my brain doing this was ok, but reading the thread, and knowing that its been done before, that is helpful. Learning things like to close the valves on the gauge glass before you try. That is a damn good thing to learn by reading, not experience.



Thank you

Richard.

Hap_Hazzard

Instead of buying all those plugs...

You could just turn the vents upside-down, assuming they have floats. Most vents will close if you force enough air through them anyway. You only need about 5-10psi to check for leaks. At 15 psi the pressure relief valve should open.