Boiler Pressure & Dripping System

vicki1990

I’ve struggled to figure out how to drain the boiler and refill it again and I’ve read every article online on how to do so but I couldn’t find anything that is helpful.

I know that there is air in the system because of the noises that are coming in from the baseboard. I do have a hose and ready to follow some instructions to drain and refill the entire system (I do not mind the wait or the cost);

Here is a photo of my Weil MClain boiler that is way too old with an older expansion tank. Any help would be very much appreciated.

I’m going to attach some photos and number them, so hopefully someone can help. Appreciate it.

EdTheHeaterMan

You don't want to drain the whole system. All you want to do is remove the air from the radiators and get some air back into that expansion tank. There is a piping design that will do that for you automatically... BUT, unfortunately, the original installed did not use that design. I will be back shortly with instructions for you.

JUGHNE

Do you have air bleeders on all baseboards?

Can you isolate the overhead compression tank from the system with valves?

Your last picture is dark where some piping is needing to be seen.

vicki1990

After i turn off the power switch for the heat on the main circuit board and empty the "old" expansion tank which i suspect gets full of water (Perhaps more than it should [I'm not sure], it gets refilled again. thank you i would very much appreciate instructions on how to remove the air from the system. I did use the baseboards (especially the one upstairs ) to bleed some air out of the boards but i still have pressure issues. I am going back downstairs to take more photos! thank you!!!

Jamie Hall

There's nothing really hard about this -- but it does take some patience.

First off, there's no need to drain the whole system down just on principle.

However, you may need to drain your compression tank -- that's the big steel cylindrical tank. It's hard for me to see exactly from the photos, but it looks as though there is a valve on the pipe from that tank connecting to the rest of the system. To drain that tank, you need to close that valve and then open what looks to me like a drain on the tank at the left end of the picture. Probably need a hose for that. Just let it drain (glug glug) all the way out. Then close the drain and reopen the valve to the system.

Then check the pressure on the pressure gauge. Unless this is a very tall house, it doesn't need to be -- and shouldn't be -- more than 15 psi when the system is cold. If that gauge reads more than that, find a drain on the whole system -- it looks like there is one down low beside the boiler -- and drain a bit out of that -- not too much and then check the pressure gauge.If it shows a drop, fine, keep draining until it shows 15. If it doesn't show a drop -- stop. The gauge is probably busted (in fact, I think it is) and, for the moment, we can leave it alone.

Are there any bleeders on the baseboards? If there are, the place to start with getting air out is with them -- open them and let any air out, then close them.

How does new water get into the system if it's needed? Can you add a picture of that? And can you add a picture of where the pipe from the compression tank joins the rest of the system? Both would be helpful going forward here.

EdTheHeaterMan

The first thing you want to do is to "Drain the Expansin Tank" Here is a shortcut to that process.
https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1620527#Comment_1620527

vicki1990

I've included some images and a video i just took; Thank you all for helping me.

VIDEO: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1fdw331zyqc80to/IMG_3526.MOV?dl=0

EdTheHeaterMan

After the expansion tank is properly charged with air pressure... see my previous Post.

Next, you want to purge the air from the system



Here is where to start.
1. Connect the hose to the boiler drain valve just above the circulator in the picture
2. Close the valve in the circulator flange indicated by the arrow.
3. Open the boiler drain
4. Open the fast-fill on the auto water feed valve.
5. Maintain the pressure below 30 PSI on the boiler or the relief valve will pop off and release water all over the floor.
6. You may want to close the boiler drain to build up pressure from time to time in order to force the air out of the loop maintaining about 25 PSI is a good pressure for purging.

You will need to do this on each baseboard loop. Assuming the baseboards are copper tube with aluminum fin type heaters.

EdTheHeaterMan

If you look at my profile, there is a great video on how to purge baseboard radiators. I am trying to find it so I can post it for you.

vicki1990

EdTheHeaterMan said:

If you look at my profile, there is a great video on how to purge baseboard radiators. I am trying to find it so I can post it for you.

I did all the stuff you suggested and after I went to try to put the screw back into vertical position it won't. I have been trying for an hour with non lack and it is almost completely stripped; see attached photo. Any ideas on how to turn it back to vertical position clockwise again? I even sprayed it with pb blaster without any luck. Let me know Thanks

EdTheHeaterMan

Did you try both clockwise and counterclockwise? Sometimes a little heat from a torch can also help

vicki1990

I didn't know I could do that; I'm going to give it a try! Eventually i will change that in both to Webstone isolation flanges. I did a lot of research and it seems appropriate!

mattmia2

Make sure you have a big, thick screwdriver that fits well in the slot, isn't loose in it, and push in hard on the end of the screwdriver as you try to work it back and forth.

EdTheHeaterMan

A brand new screwdriver has sharp edges. You can take a dull screwdriver and sharpen the corners with a metal file.

You can see how to keep this problem from happening in the future if you follow some simple ABCs of tools. Check out this video. Screwdriver usage starts at about 5min:30 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGkOOtd3GmY

Respectfully submitted
Mr.Ed

vicki1990

I was able to break so many parts but I can say that I finally put all the gaskets and everything back together. I went to turn the circuit breaker back up i can hear the two zone pumps running, water gargling in the pipes (Which I am sure it's a lot of air) but the boiler is not firing up. how do i remove the air now that I filled everything back up after draining everything (i had to to fix the flange and gaskets that were leaking); yes, call me dumb, i deserve it! But I need heat LOl

vicki1990

vicki1990

Found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuIPvghj46A

JUGHNE

Is the pilot light still burning?
Do you have a low water cut off device?
Or a manual reset hi temp limit control?
Did the flue damper open...that is the first thing to happen.
There could be a plugged flue reset button on the exhaust somewhere.

vicki1990

JUGHNE said:

Is the pilot light still burning?
Do you have a low water cut off device?
Or a manual reset hi temp limit control?
Did the flue damper open...that is the first thing to happen.
There could be a plugged flue reset button on the exhaust somewhere.

I was able to launch the boiler using the video above, Thank you! One of my pumps is too hot to touch. should both zones be hot? one is more hotter than the other (I guess it takes time for the water to circulate? I continue to purge air out of the bleeder valve on the baseboard and that's all i know; The water inside the baseboard is very hot in certain areas; warmish on others. any other advises is very much appreciated;

mattmia2

How hot is the pipe leading to the circulator? the circulator is going to reach the temp of the water circulating through it more or less.

JUGHNE

I bleed BB heaters by heating up the water and then shutting the system off.
Wait....patience is needed.
The theory is that the air will migrate upward to the BBs with a little time.
You have to have the water fill (PRV) valve on to feed your set pressure into the system (typically 12-15 PSI) Then you open the bleeders and let air out....you may have to make several rounds.

This keeps your pumps from running dry and your hands from being burned.

vicki1990

JUGHNE said:

I bleed BB heaters by heating up the water and then shutting the system off.
Wait....patience is needed.
The theory is that the air will migrate upward to the BBs with a little time.
You have to have the water fill (PRV) valve on to feed your set pressure into the system (typically 12-15 PSI) Then you open the bleeders and let air out....you may have to make several rounds.

This keeps your pumps from running dry and your hands from being burned.

Thank you so much this make sense! I started the process you suggested and will report soon.