How do I raise the psi in my boiler system?

moparkid

I don't know much about boiler systems, but my house came with it. Today I bled air out of the radiators, and went from 20psi to 10psi. I cannot figure out how to add water to raise the psi. I have a pcg-6 weil mclain. My radiator on the 3rd floor has no hot water whatsoever flowing to it, this is the reason I bled air out. A few years ago the repair guy replaced the water pump, and all the water in the system was on my basement floor. I'm guessing he did not completely bleed the air out, I havnt had heat on the 3rd floor attic since. I never use that room, so it wasn't much of an issue I didn't think. Now I do have use of it, that's why I tried bleeding the rads to get things flowing up there. I had allot of air come out of both the 2nd and 3rd floor rads, and the big drop in pressure. My water inlet valves are all the way open, but I can't figure out how to add the water. There's no lever like in the you tube videos, just piping and 2 water valves. One at the T at the start on the line from the main line, and one at the very end of the line. I've searched all day and have come up with nothing. Any help is appreciated!

leonz

What type of heating system do you have? Hot water or steam?
Can you provide photo images with lots of detail starting with all the piping in and around the boiler and then pictures of each radiator each valve at each radiator and the vents on each radiator?

STEVEusaPA

You'll have to keep the pressure up in the 25lb range while bleeding, and the system off. Then when all the water is bled, back it off and down to probably 18psi. Also you'll need to check this with a gauge you know works.
The static pressure lifts the water to the top of the system.
Like @leonz said, show us some pictures of the piping, so we can hopefully show you how to get water into the system.
It wouldn't hurt to have your heating professional come over, and go over the entire system and give you a tutorial about your system.
You may need a water feed, could probably use a low water cut-off.
After you purge the system of air, if you have a steel expansion tank, you'll want to make sure it is properly charged, and not water logged.

moparkid

This is the motor side, water line running around the backside of the expansion tank, it stops at the front of the tank with a shut off knob

moparkid

The pictures all around the boiler.

leonz

Can you take a few more pictures of the opposite side of the boiler as we are getting close to finding what you need to do.

Your boiler needs some work though.

moparkid

My radiator on the second story floor. They are all basically the same style.

moparkid

The opposite side has nothing, just the flat panel of the boiler

leonz

Someone will know for sure better than me but I believe your water feed valve is the one closest to the airtrol bladder tank.

Your boiler needs to be brought up to code with a backflow preventer and BX power cable and at least an isolation valve to allow changing the circulator without draining the system.

I would also change the amtrol tank out for a 15 gallon steel expansion tank and an airtrol valve to make the system simpler. you can do this by removing the automatic air vent in the steam chest, my thoughts anyway.

moparkid

The previous owner was a plumber, I assumed everything was set up right. Obviously not. The feed knob is turned all the way out. From what I've read, the connector at the front of the tank, that the feed knob is on, is an automatic flow valve? Its this maybe not working?

leonz

I would hesitate to even open that that pressuretrol valve on the bladder tank simply because you do not know whether the system will work and regulate the pressure properly.

I would strongly suggest you have a licensed plumber come by to check you system as you do need to have the back flow preventor installed to be brought up to code.

If you have a manual water fill valve installed you can bypass the system to fill it when cold then you can bleed the air out of the system when it is cold and then the automatic air vent will remove the rest..

If you do anything you need to have the back flow preventer installed and then you need to have a ball valve installed below the automatic air vent so that you can change the air vent when it leaks with a new one of the same type or a spirovent if you decide not to use a steel expansion tank. a ball valve under a spirovent will not be a waste of money either.

In my personal experience a steel expansion tank is much simpler and as a result the heating system is easier to manage at much lower pressures and it will provide you with better heating too at lower temperatures..

You have to remember that every gallon of hot water will only deliver so many BTU per gallon of water.

Was your heating system a one pipe steam system at one time?
I only ask as I see that you have 2 flue outlets there in the photo you so kindly provided to us.

moparkid

I have no idea what was in place before. It was a licensed plumber that worked on this before, when that red part (transducer I believe) was installed. I wish he would have told me all that I needed on this! I do appreciate all your info

STEVEusaPA

There's alot wrong there, and I still don't see a way to add water to the system. Also, the rubber hose on the relief valve is a no-no.
Take a picture a little farther back.
Follow your cold water coming into the house until you find a branch, with a valve, that goes into one of the pipes (probably return) on the boiler. That's where you should be able to add water to the boiler.

moparkid

Yea the beginning and at the end of the cold water line have valves, and both are fully turned out. Everything is just as the repair guy left it. In the online manuals I read, the rubber line is supposed to be there, and is going to the drain in the floor. But I'm sure the codes have changed allot since it was new and your most likely correct in that it shouldn't be there now.

HVACNUT

Anybody?
Is that brass fitting with the valve and extrol attached a PRV?

clammy

that brass tee fitting is the prv that combo set up was called a filltrol they where the cheaper way to go as a prv ,they sucked when u had to bleed just about anything more then 1 floor i would suggest you call a plumber or better yet a heating specialist and have them bring your boiler water feed line up to date .Ask him to install a califee combo prv backflow they have a pressure fill indicator which is great for manual bleeding rads u set it at 25 psi bleed your rads and then lower to your operating pressure when done bleeding .They are the only prv backflow combo that i use i would also suggest you have some isolation valves installed and of course you will need a new expansion tank .peace and good luck clammy

leonz

If have the old amtrol tank removed and you have a steel expansion tank with an airtrol valve installed above the boiler you can fill the entire system to the second floor, shut the fill valve off and and then drain the excess water out of the steel expansion tank to create the proper air cushion volume and then you will have heat. While your at it you should probably replace the vent valves on the radiators too.