4 inch zone valve

Snowmelt

Wish me luck this week I finally had the chance to pull the 4 inch steam zone valve off....... I ordered parts but they ga e me a hard time because I also wanted the bonnet, the bonnet was out of round almost like they forced it together. The question I have is when I do get it together should that be part of the yearly maintenance. Or should I say do they get maintained and how

EBEBRATT-Ed

I can't think of any maintenance other than operating the valve and checking for leaking around the bonnet and adjusting or replacing the packing

Snowmelt

Not like you take the bonnet off and regress anything

retiredguy

As @EDBRATT-Ed mentioned, there is little to do as far as yearly maintenance is concerned and since I can't see it in the piping before the valve I have to ask if there is a steam trap in the piping just before that valve? Also, if that valve closes as most zone valves do, when it opens does the piping and system after the valve yield any steam hammer?

Snowmelt

No steam trap before valve, it never worked before, there’s two of them, so what’s happening is both zones are being heated when only one is being called. I replaced the two inch valves last year. ( no brainer ) the 4 inch I decided to rebuild

dopey27177

This zone valve is basically an automated globe valve,
Under the best practices rule the valve should be installed vertical.

A steam rated ball valve is the best valve for this install.

Jake

The Steam Whisperer

If the valve is installed vertical, water will collect on top of the valve when it is closed, potentially creating water hammer.

dopey27177

to steamwhisperer

Look at the inlet of the valve. Steam enters the bottom of the valve and stops at the seat when the valve is closed. When the valve opens steam flows up the valve body and out to the system.

Additionally, Honey well requires the valve to be upright or upside down.

See the steam trap before the zone valve, it drains the water out of the stem supply pipe, therefore no banging will ever occur.

taken from my book steam the perfect fluid for heating and some of the problems.


Jake

Snowmelt

Thanks all for your input on which way the valve supposed to lay, vertical or horizontal, that might explain why the valve was beat up, but it was beat up bad before I got there. The bonnet was actually out of round so I ordered a new one. Hence the question of should it be serviced so it doesn’t freeze up.
Now the question would be when that zone gets satisfied and water does go back, is there a bypass for the water to go back....... or is it going to be minimum water

retiredguy

@ Snowmelt; what does this statement mean. "Now the question would be when that zone gets satisfied and water does go back, is there a bypass for the water to go back....... or is it going to be minimum water". Please explain.

If this zone valve hasn't worked for some time, and you get it to work properly, make sure that the valve opens as slowly as possible. If the piping and equipment downstream experiences steam hammer a 3 minute 160degree Honeywell or equivalent actuator should be installed. Also if there is steam hammer other changes may be needed.

Snowmelt

Ok well wish me luck on this, I think I said I had to order a bonnet, the original one was out of round......... that is a 1 - 2 week delivery time

Snowmelt

Guy, what I meant was when the t- stat satisfies and the steam condenses back to water at the same time the zone valve is shut. The steam in the piping after the zone valve condensate back to water does it just rest on top of the zone valve?

The Steam Whisperer

dopey27177 said:

to steamwhisperer

Look at the inlet of the valve. Steam enters the bottom of the valve and stops at the seat when the valve is closed. When the valve opens steam flows up the valve body and out to the system.

Additionally, Honey well requires the valve to be upright or upside down.

See the steam trap before the zone valve, it drains the water out of the stem supply pipe, therefore no banging will ever occur.

taken from my book steam the perfect fluid for heating and some of the problems.


Jake

It looks like you were talking about installing the valve stem vertical... I partially agree. Honeywell's instructions specifically say that the valve stem needs to be above horizontal, preferable 45 degrees above horizontal. Not pointing down.