No heat coming from baseboard radiators

Kraftee

I have a 3 zone system with a thermostat for each zone. A few weeks ago, I noticed a noise in the baseboard radiator in my bedroom (zone 3). It kind of sounds like “blup blup blup”. The closest sound I can compare it to is the sound a water cooler dispenser makes when the reservoir is refilling.

Along with this sound, the baseboard radiators aren’t putting out much heat, if any. I can turn the thermostat up as high as 78° and the rooms won’t even warm up to 70°. I noticed about a week ago, that zone 1 wasn’t putting out any heat (basement level) and now zone 2, which was working fine, has today stopped producing any heat.

My husband tried to bleed a few radiators but neither air nor water came out.

The boiler is working as are the zone valves. I also noticed there is no pressure reading in the gauge. (attached photo)

Any idea what could be wrong? Thanks.

hot_rod

First you need to have 10-12 psi in the boiler. This fills the system and allows you to purge.

If the pressure recently dropped, look for a leak. Possibly a frozen and thawed pipe somewhere?

EBEBRATT-Ed

Your PRV water feeder may have failed. You are low on water in the system. Shut the boiler and all zones off. Get a garden hose and a female-female hose connector (or a washing machine hose) Hook 1 end to a supply of cold water at a hose connection or at the washing machine. Hook the other end to a boiler drain valve and fill the system that way

Feed the system slowly to 12-15 psi or so. Look for leaks anywhere in the system. If none are found (the water had to go somewhere) bleed all the baseboards and start the boiler and all zones.

Pictures will help

Kraftee

Thanks for your response.  How can we tell if the PRV has failed?  As for adding water, I’ve attached photos of the various connectors. If we add water using the boiler drain valve, will that fill all three zones?  Also, what if we have a back flow valve, would that be a problem?  We are on a well and I’m not sure if we have a back flow valve.  

Kraftee

Hot Rod - Thanks!  My husband will have to crawl under the house yo look for any leaks.  There aren’t any obvious ones.  

JUGHNE

Turn the power switch off.

Before adding water you have to be sure the boiler is not real hot. Cold water can crack the cast iron.
Feel the very bottom hose drain port. If you can keep your hand on it you should be good.

Behind the boiler there is a valve with yellow handle, the closest one to the wall, it is connected to your auto fill valve, it is a green device with a screw/nut on the top.

Under that screw is a lever sticking out towards the boiler, that is the manual fill by pass. If your boiler is not blazing hot, you can move that lever. You should hear water entering the boiler.
If that works than fill until the pressure gauge is up to 12 PSI.
If the pressure drops quickly you may have a leak, probably not.

If you get it up to 12 then bleed your heaters until water shows.]
You will have to keep adding water as you bleed air out.
But when done the pressure should be 12.

Then turn on the boiler.

Let us know.

Kraftee

I also just noticed the manual reset is tripped.  Could this be because the boiler is running but no water is circulating?  

Kraftee

Jughne- Thanks!  My husband had previously turned the lever to O but we didn’t hear any water running into the pipe. 

Kraftee

I should add that we have a Weil-McLain CGA boiler that was installed about 10 years ago.  We live in the boonies and, unfortunately, the man who installed it (the best boiler man in the area) has since passed away.  

JUGHNE

In your last picture of the first set, there is another yellow handle valve that is off.
Do you know where that one goes?

So where is the "Boonies" BTY.

Kraftee

I think it’s for if we wanted to add another zone - but I’m not sure.  It just goes into the return line.  On the label on it says differential bypass valve.  

The boonies is eastern Oregon. 

Big Ed_4

The one photo with the zone valves ,I noticed the one valve off ?

JUGHNE

Sometimes exercising the manual fill lever will make it work.

The galvanized pipe feeding goes up and over to the right, can you follow it to make sure that there is not another valve that is off?

If this does not work then, on the back of the boiler is a hose bib drain.
You could add water there with a double female hose fitting.
You could get water from the bottom of the water heater if that drain valve works.

Kraftee

I probably need to reset this as well.  How do I do that?  Pushing on the red part doesn’t work.  

Kraftee

Big Ed_4 - that just goes to the return line.  I think it was put in in case we wanted to add another zone. 

EdTheHeaterMan

A differential bypass valve is there in the event that the circulator is operating against closed zone valves. Is one of your zones very small? Perhaps that small zone has a flow restriction built in to balance it with the larger zones. If that smaller zone is the only one operating, the bypass will allow for additional flow to "Bypass" so the pump doers not pump against a restriction. Obviously someone thought it was needed, then someone decided it was not needed later because it is closed off.

Were you able to find any leaks?

Kraftee

Interesting.  It got dark before my husband could crawl u set the house so he’ll have to look tomorrow.  

hot_rod

EdTheHeaterMan said:

A differential bypass valve is there in the event that the circulator is operating against closed zone valves. Is one of your zones very small? Perhaps that small zone has a flow restriction built in to balance it with the larger zones. If that smaller zone is the only one operating, the bypass will allow for additional flow to "Bypass" so the pump doers not pump against a restriction. Obviously someone thought it was needed, then someone decided it was not needed later because it is closed off. Were you able to find any leaks?

Look like the PAB is set at 2 psi, maybe it bypasses some flow for return temperature mix?  Or a tiny zone.