flow check problem- what should I do?

Joseph_4

Hi. I have a customer with multiple zones, some 180 degree some radiant. the supply and return manifolds all have temperature gauges to see water temperature. he is zoned with circulators and has  taco flowchecks on all zones. on one radiant zone the, the water seems to be flowing back up the return and heating up the zone, even when its zone is off. ( I can see this cause the supply side temp stays same and feels cold to touch) where as return zone  gets hot to touch and temp guage goes up to 150f. and that zone gets uncomfortably hot. Have done tests. when i close the isolation valve on the return side of this zone, it doesn't get this backward heat rise up the return.

Now for the question, should I replace the flowcheck and assume it would prevent any movement of water if it were working properly. so must replace. or should i install a zone valve on the return set to close whenthe zone is off.

If flow check is bad, shouldnt i see the supply side temp rise a well.

should i install a regular copper swing check on the return. will be a lot less expensive. should prevent back flow?

would appreciate all comments

Thanks

Joe

Joe

Unknown

take some

Take some pixs of the boiler and near pipings before you do anything.. bet its piped incorrectly

STEVEusaPA

Sounds like...

thermo siphoning (don't know how to spell it)

Put a check on the return. Not a swing check. Not a zone valve either.

You could repipe and trap it.

If you follow the return, how far up the return is the water hot?

Weezbo

hmmm...

well today has definitely been interesting , i think rjb and steve have good points i only wonder , is there any indication of some other take off from the radiant zone ?

lot of things just way different today for some reason.

gravity radiant seems a bit avant guarde though... thru reversal of flow .. i think that there might be easier ways to do that.