Can someone guide me on how to bleed this gas powered boiler heating system?

misterv

https://imgur.com/a/D86LN

Hi Newb here, can you help me bleed this system? I saw a plumber do it once but I forgot how. This is a gas powered boiler heating system which runs to water baseboards on the 3rd floor. The baseboards are lukewarm but it isnt warm enough.

What are the steps that I need to do?

Pull Yellow Lever

Insert Hose where labeled hose

Let water run out for how long?

Thanks and I appreciate your help.

misterv

I followed these steps but half of the unit's baseboards are not working while the other half is. Also, water that came out of the hose was red/dark. It also didn't gulp or appear that there was air in it. A few minutes after I did these steps, water started leaking out of the TPR valve heavily. Am I missing a step? thanks

STEVEusaPA

Keep in mind you are pumping toward the expansion tank, so this may never solve your problem as the top of your system (3rd floor) might just not get enough pressure to keep out air while it's running. You may need some re-piping.

Your second picture is correct as far as setup. Are you sure your circulator is functioning correctly?
First, did you check to see if there are any bleeders up on the 3rd floor, on the ends of the baseboards? If so, you should bleed from there while maintaining about 20 psi in the basement.

If not, turn off the system, close yellow handled ball valve.
What you want to do is all at the same time...
-feed water into the boiler, keeping the pressure at 20 psi, while you:
-open the boiler drain (circled in your 2nd photo). There should be a hose connected onto that. Ideally the hose should be in a bucket, in the sink so you can monitor air removal.
-keep purging until all air is removed. You can kink your hose to control the pressure and keep it up at 20 psi, or try to find the right balance in the boiler drain to keep the pressure up.

Then again, all at the same time:
-close feed valve, close boiler drain, making sure pressure doesn't exceed 25 psi, and dropping it down to 18 psi when your done.
Then, open the yellow handled ball valve, turn on system.
You may have to do this twice.

Water leaked out of your relief valve because you probably got up to or exceeded 30 psi. A light tap on the stem (once the pressure drops) might re-seat the valve and stop the leak. Otherwise you'll have to drain some water out of the boiler (close all 3 pictured ball valves, and replace the pressure relief valve.

hot_rod

Gosh, for the small cost and great importance I would always replace a relief valve that has leaked, or drips continuously.

pecmsg

The potable water supply is around 60#'s the relief lets go at 30#'s. Its not difficult to exceed that plus your purging with potable water that has a lot of air in it.

Better to use a small pump and bucket. that way you don't overpressure and can see the air coming out of the discharge hose.

HomerJSmith

Your system pressure should be between 15-19 psi for 3 stories. I set mine for about 19 psi. That would mean that the air charge on the X-tank is set to the sys pressure that you decide on.

If you don't have coin vents on the baseboard to let the air escape, you need to force high pressure water thru the zone. BUT, I came across a 3 story installation once, I've only seen this one time, someone had put ice maker tap valves that clamp on to the pipe, in this case the baseboard, and screws into and punctures the pipe. To bleed the baseboard, un-screw the t-valve and let the air out, then screw it back to seal it. hmmm, it worked, tho. Ingenuity is the Mother of invention!

I don't recall if the needle screwed into the 90 deg ell or the baseboard tube which is very thin.

HVACNUT

Isn't that something the landlord should be responsible for?

misterv

thanks for your help everyone