I cant get Uponor Truflow zone valves to seal - any suggestions?

ksdehoff

I've got a new brass truflow manifold with 11 valves. My problem is that the zones aren't sealing when closed, so when 1 zone runs I get hot water throughout the entire system. The installation of the actuator seems very simple and there are no adjustments possible on the valves. Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong?

Uponor suggested loosening the actuators 1/8 of a turn because they are too tight - but that seems counter intuitive. Looking for some help if anyone has some experience with these:

Jamie Hall

Why not try Uponor's suggestion? It wouldn't be the first time -- in many applications -- that a slight overtorqueing on an actuator or hydraulic cylinder or what have you jammed it.

ksdehoff

I did try and it didn't work. They actually gave a confusing answer. They said the top of the actuator needs to be 'as flush' as when the actuator is not on the valve, and that this is achieved by turning the grey adapter 1/8 turn. But my experience of 1/8 turn didn't change the fact that the actuator sticks up about 1/16" further when on the valve, than when off. Confusing so I'm looking for more experience. I also tried loosening the valve to the point the actuator was 'flush' - that took nearly a full turn and then when the valve was active (open) the gray adapter was very very loose on the brass adapter - that can't be what they are after - it would be sure to move every time the valve activated

hot_rod

you have a spacing tolerance issue with the closed actuator and the pin on the valve. Screwing on the actuator should push the pin down completely to close the valve. When powered it allows the pin to move up to open. Sounds like it is not pushing the pin down enough, the spacer is not tightened properly. Or not the correct spacer for that pin stroke?

ksdehoff

I agree with you hot rod - why on earth would they want the wax actuator further away from the pin. My plumber came out and has proposed it may be misaligned from the factory. Both the valve and the valve seat are screwed into the header (makes them replaceable) - perhaps they weren't done properly. The actuator install isn't rocket science. Again I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the uponor manifold and can speak to problems they've seen.

TAG

You have a radiant system with only one zone running ?

HomerJSmith

Is this a new first time installation? That's a lot of actuators for a 3/4" piping. Is the supply and return piped to the manifold correctly? Is the wiring correct to the thermostat(s)? When I do it one thermostat controls one manifold and if there are a lot of actuators I use a RIB relay with a transformer to provide power to the actuators and the thermostat operates the relay. How many thermostats do you have?

If you have several zones, like different rooms in the house, you would need a thermostat for each zone which would control those actuators for that zone. The actuators wouldn't all be wired together. Check your wiring. If you have only one thermostat, it is operating correctly.

ksdehoff

It is definitely not a wiring issue. The valves are not seating that is the question. I monitor via a tekmarnet gateway. This is a valve seat issue I'm trying to figure out. The image below shows the floor temp sensor response when one of five zones was turned on and yes I checked, the actuators didn't come up - see the original picture

pedmec

I'm sorry but maybe i'm missing something with your graph. How does this prove that you are getting flow in other zones. each block represents a four hour window. And i don't see them opening within a hour of each other. The floor office doesn't do anything for almost 20 hours

Shane_2

Couple of questions.

When I used the Uponor blue actuators last year, they came with 3 spacers. Was the correct spacer used?

Are the manual screw caps that come on the manifold still on the Job?

If they are, could you remove the actuator and install the screw cap in the closed position to verify no debris in the Truflow manifold valve itself?

ksdehoff

my chart shows what happened over 4 hours when only one zone valve was opened, we used the 'green' spacer confirmed to be the correct one, and I think the debris theory is the best working theory we have now. Any suggestions on how to clear debris on the inside of a header? would running zones at maybe 25 psi do any good?
We don't have the caps, trying to get some though so we can further isolate the problem.

hot_rod

taking totaling the actuators off and putting the caps on, Orr figure some other way to hold oall the pins down. It’s rare, but not impossible to have debris that the circulator could not wash through

Only other option is to pull it apart and take a look inside.