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My zone valve won't open can you help?

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bender1227
bender1227 Member Posts: 50
in THE MAIN WALL
I have a Weil Mclain Gold CGT boiler and I have attached images of my zone valves and one of boiler. I just started the boiler up for the winter season and one of my zones is not working. The second-floor zone works perfectly, but the first-floor zone does not. The basement zone is not hooked up yet and is the third zone as the basement is still under construction. How can I troubleshoot why the one zone valve isn't working and not warming the pipes?

Thanks everyone.

Brendan

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  • Docfletcher
    Docfletcher Member Posts: 487
    edited October 2018
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    You could try disconnecting power to the zone valve that is not working. Then manually slide the zone valve lever on the side of the zone valve to manually open the valve.. Then when you have your thermostat call for heat see if the zone radiators get warm. They probably will and that will get your zone warm until a pro chimes in.
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,625
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    Do you have a multimeter that will measure 24 volts? Do you know how to use a meter? If you have a meter and know how to use it see if when the thermostat is calling for the zone in question the valve is powered with 24 volts? Does the zone valve with the cover removed make a whiring noise as it opens? If you have 24 volts and the zone valve is not opening then the zone valve head probably needs replaced. The zone in question should work just like the zone that is working.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,841
    edited October 2018
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    You can simply raise the thermostat on the 2nd floor, manually open the zone valve for the 1st floor using the lever on top and locking it in place.

    If the return for the 1st floor doesn't get hot, the loop is probably air bound and needs to be purged.

    If the return does get hot, like @Tim McElwain said, you'll need a meter to check for 24v at the motor.

    What's the pressure on the boiler?
  • bender1227
    bender1227 Member Posts: 50
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    The system says its "mawp" is 30 psi and the gauge is saying that it has 20 psi of cold water in it now. I do have a multimeter that I believe can test for the 24 volts as it can test for 120 volts coming out of my wall outlet. The multimeter I have is the Innova 3320. Where do I put the terminals to test for the 24 volts?

    I have tried to manually open the 1st floor zone valve and I don't believe it will open where the second floor will manually open and electronic open. How do I manually open the 1st floor zone valve?

    I believe the issue is the zone valve as I can't get water past the zone value to purge the system on the first floor.

    Thanks everyone (=

    Brendan
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    First you want to check if the valve is opening. If the lever slides easily, it is open. If there is resistance, it is closed.
    If it is not opening, the first step is to jump the t-stat and see if it opens.
    If that doesn't work, you will need the voltage meter. One of the yellow wires on the zone valve is connected to a wire coming from the t-stat. You want to know the voltage from that wire to ground.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • bender1227
    bender1227 Member Posts: 50
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    I think I was able to fix the issue. The last plumber that was in moved a ball valve and I didn't realize it was turned off. I turned it open, purged the line, and everything seems to be working. I'm going to run the system and see how it works. Thanks for chiming in everyone.

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