An air gurgle solution... thanks ME!

kcopp

A customer of mine called me in to replace a indirect water heater and to get an existing air bubble issue in his system resolved.

 After a number of purges , a hyvent replacement and increasing the water pressure to 20... still a 2nd fl.  gurgle  that was driving him nuts at night ... to the point of waking him up.

So remembering a trick that Mark Eatherton shared about the addition of some dishwashing detergent to the system, I added about a gallon on water and a cup and a half of Ajax via my transfer pump.

I got a call tonight...problem solved! Thanks Mark!

pipeking

explain...

 thats a good trick. whats the basis, how does it work?

kcopp

I will let the....

Sensei explain.

Gordy

Dish soap

Relieves surface tension, and turns big bubbles into little ones,

Can't remember which chemical in the dish soap does it though.

I also believe the sudsing action quiets things down. Hence little bubbles are quieter than big gurgling ones, and move through the system to the point of exit.

Mark Eatherton

Eggzachary... ;-)

Gordy hit it on the head. He's a pretty good student for having shown up here as a carpenter eh.. ;-)



And you are welcome Kevin. We are here to learn and share. Thanks for doing both and paying it forward.



The key ingredient is a surfactant. It breaks surface tension and allows, as Gordy said, the bubbles to be swept to whatever means of air elimination you employ.



I was first introduced to it on a Solar Thermal system. We could NOT get the bubbles out of the system. An associate of mine, known to me as Dranoel Kezor showed me that trick, and it had been imparted to him, by a dearly departed associate (spelled old guy).



Jeez, listen to me. I'm one of OLD guys now... ;-) Guess I'd better be careful what I say about them.



Glad I could help in any case.



I prefer Dawn dish detergent, but probably any liquid detergent would work. (What is it that Madge sells on TV, "Your hands are soaking in it...") I think Brad White prefers that one... ;-)



EDIT: One additional benefit is that it will raise the pH of the system fluid, which if you are running aluminum components in the system, should be taken into consideration...



ME

Gordy

What makes a good student?

The people who teach, and the institution they hang out in. Thanks to all I have learned from in both what to do, and what not to do.



Alas I'm a wallaholic I'm proud to say.

Tinman

Stephen Minnich

The first step is always the toughest.