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Tips for venting air?

RayWohlfarth
RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
Greetings all
I am working on my new book and wondered if you had any tips you use for venting hydronic boilers. These are the tips I gathered so far

Some buildings are problematic when venting and stubborn air pockets may make the task more difficult.

• I prefer to do much of the air venting with the circulator or pump off. It allows the natural buoyancy of the air to find the highest places.

• Verify the system pressure is high enough to reach the top radiators. Divide the elevation of the highest radiator above the boiler by 2.3 and add 3-4 pounds.

• I like to start with a higher pressure than required because the system pressure will drop as you are venting the air.

• Remember to take a radiator key, screwdriver, and old cup along with you. Some vents require the key while others use a flat head screw

• If you have a stubborn air pocket blocking the water from entering an area, I like to move it by cycling the pump on and off or raising the system pressure.

• Be sure the system has an air removal fitting in the piping. This will eliminate the air and quiet the operation.

• I like to use a ¾” ball valve on top of the riser to quickly remove the air.

• Every automatic vent leaks after time. I like having a ball valve between the vent and the piping to allow isolation if it leaks and allows you to shut off the valve to replace the vent.

Thanks
Ray
Ray Wohlfarth
Boiler Lessons

Comments

  • Alan Welch
    Alan Welch Member Posts: 265
    Locate all the vents, remove any covers and check for corrosion on the vents before pressureizing system.  Much easier to replace first.
    OliverB
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @Alan Welch Good point!
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    Sometimes a small zip lock bag is better for catching water than a cup. Fits into tight spaces. Having the pumps pump away from the expansion tank helps as well
    STEVEusaPASuperTechmattmia2
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796

    Having the pumps pump away from the expansion tank helps as well

    THIS! Years ago I repiped my boiler to Pump Away and never went back. It's the only way to pipe a hot-water system.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    SuperTechEBEBRATT-EdMikeL_2
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    edited May 2021
    Besides pumping away and all the other good points, I'm always surprised to see poor piping practices that get ignored during repairs. Things like you have to drain an entire system to change a circulator, but you don't put isolation valves on. Sure it may not need to be replaced in your lifetime, but you're making it much easier for the next person, the next time.
    Anytime you are draining a system, you should point out and try to make the changes that will make life easier for the next person, the next repair.
    -No ball valves on both sides of a water feeder is ridiculous to me, or both ends of water feeder/backflow/ strainer train. If they had them, simple maintenance could be performed instead of more expensive component replacement.
    -Any baseboard job should be piped so all purging can be done at the boiler.
    -Isolation of boiler so relief valve can be checked and changed quicker and with minimal fuss.
    -Bleeding column radiators, especially a 3 story house is so much easier with a helper or a 'helpable' homeowner. One can keep the pressure up in the mid 20's until all the bleeding is done. Then if it's a stubborn set up, I'll run the circulator for a bit, and repeat.

    Sometimes a small zip lock bag is better for catching water than a cup. Fits into tight spaces...

    That's a good one Ed. Usually I'm trying to form a plastic cup to catch the water, and it usually cracks by the 3rd or 4th one.

    This will always be my favorite video of the simple reason for pumping away and what happens when you don't.
    https://youtu.be/tZRuqiQkukE


    steve
    OliverB
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    If I do a boiler replacement I always put valves on the supply mains and return mains down stream on the supplies and upstream on the returns of all zone valves, pumps and flow checks.

    Then you only have to drain the boiler to change something. No bleeding upstairs, hate moving furniture and getting dirty water on the floors and walls. The cost of the valves and labor is paid for many times over during the life of the system JMHO
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Wow lots of great ideas Thanks @Steamhead @EBEBRATT-Ed and @STEVEusaPA
    I agree with the cup cracking I am using a zip lock bag from now on
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    Clarify where to measure the system height.

    Recommend microbubble scrubber air separator.

    Explain that automatic air elimination is for bladder tank systems only but that conventional compression tanks have to move the air back to the tank and can't remove it.(maybe just qualify and explain elsewhere and reference that section).
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @mattmia2 You bring up some good points
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • aperson
    aperson Member Posts: 66
    edited May 2021
    I half read half skimmed Pumping Away and not being 100 percent sure I want to say that it did say that it was more critical for large boilers in large scale buildings( pumping away) and that for the small boilers in an average residence the drop in pressure at the pump has a negligable effect. I say this because my little boiler pumps toward the compression tank and for close to 30 years no problem with air until I had a HAVC tech. screw up my pipes by introducing a lot of air. Then when I asked for help on Heating Help, trying to explain what happened I got a lot of comments about how I should be pumping away. Not saying given the choice I wouldn't choose to pump away but it is a more complicated solution than I need nor is practical for my situation. I had a hard time finding simple step by step and through instructions on how to purge my boiler and I drew information from many sources. And crossed my heart.Things like the levers on the zone boxes moving at their own will. That threw me. Someone tell me to hook them. Please. Also is it better to have more volume or more speed when purging because if I am using the fast fill valve there will be a trade off.
  • aperson
    aperson Member Posts: 66
    Also because of how air was introduced into my system the bubbles were small, billions, trillions.. of small bubbles, NOT large bubbles capable of blocking water flow. So when I was bleeding my rads I was getting air and water coming out at the same time.This difference in bubble type is worth addressing. As I would have been bleeding an entire zone of water out of my rad if I kept at it. 
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    This is what a microbubble separator is for, if it is circulating, no need to remove it manually.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,452
    @aperson

    Many systems work fine pumping towards the expansion tank. But pumping away makes the air removal easier.

    Air removal can be troublesome with any system. Best way is to open the zone valves and bleed everything you can with the pump off. Then run the pump. The pump should bring the air back to the compression tank or to a main vent or air separator whichever you have
  • aperson
    aperson Member Posts: 66
    I don't know if they were micro bubbles. And my system was not venting them all. Check out my youtube video "Opposite of purged aerated" I purged it untill the bubbles stopped coming out, maybe just a few drifters were left and my system is almost back to normal. I also posted the video on this site but I only got a few comments and I think it was misunderstood.
  • aperson
    aperson Member Posts: 66
    @EBEBRATT-Ed Before I bled the rads I let the boiler get up to temperature, 180, and let all floors call for heat, then I turnned down all thermostates, waited about 15-20 minutes and then bled the rads. But doing it this way the zones were all closed? To have the zones open and the circulator not running I would have to shut off the power to the boiler and open the zones by putting the switch to manual, maybe I could do this without cutting the power and just have the thermostates turnned down. Why do the zones need to be open. Should you bleed hot or cold? Anyway I don't think this was the right process for what I had going on. It was like the bubbles were impregnated inside the water. 
  • MikeL_2
    MikeL_2 Member Posts: 486
    I'm a big fan of isolation valves and install them at every opportunity. Several companies I've worked with had an opposite view; they wanted fewer valves thinking it made for more billable hours.
        When purging at the boiler, I like to do so with the hose end in a pail below the water line. You can see when bubbles of air slow down, etc.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    @aperson, more air dissolves in cold water than hot water so when you heat the water more air will come out of solution. Microbubble scrubber type air eliminators like a Caleffi Discal are designed to coalesce and remove tiny bubbles in a mixture with the water. They should be located at the point of lowest pressure and highest temp. If the circulator, tank, and boiler aren't oriented the way is suggested by pumping away then the ideal point might not exist. The point that is hottest is usually the best choice if the circulator is located such that the outlet of the boiler isn't lowest pressure.
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    wow Im going to have lots of tips Thanks everyone I appreciate all the expertise
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • aperson
    aperson Member Posts: 66
    @mattmia2 If I don't have an incompetant HAVC person get a lot of air in my pipes I don't need a "Caleffi Discal". Hot water does hold less air than cold but if the same water is under pressure the hotter water will be under more pressure so it is more complicated than temperature.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    It is temp and pressure that is why the air elimination ideally goes at the outlet of the boiler at the suction of the circulator. You get air in the system any time you open it or add fresh water for any reason. Microbubble separators cause that air to collect at a central point and be removed automatically. Getting rid of that air as quickly as possible reduces corrosion in the system.