Rusted Amtrol EX-30

swvawethead

I think what hot_rod showed serves that purpose and what you suggest makes sense. I can add a drain under the tank shutoff while at it. Thank you!

WMno57

SuperTech said:

The ball valve is a nice touch but it would be a lot better to have another tee with a boiler drain between the valve and expansion tank.  No point in isolating the tank when it's full of water pressure.  

What he has now will work. Just relieve the system pressure at the boiler drain first. Then close the tank isolation valve.

swvawethead

Sorry to endlessly posting on this thread.
Reread the section on "pumping away piping" in "Pumping Away".

It appears the installation matches the schematic described.
(Printed out that section and gave to the installer December 2016.)

The question is for that little bit of water lost and air in that small isolated section during the tank removal, (now with the shutoff added for the tank), still go ahead and power purge one zone at a time?

I suppose fresh water pushed through the system will not hurt anything in the long run and I did this when initially filling the system in jan 2017.
(However, I was ignorant about matching the system and expansion tank pressure....)

I suppose there will be loss of some or even all of the 'dead water' in the system but hopefully not a concern in the long run.

Will go ahead and add a drain between the tank and shutoff before tank is delivered tomorrow.

swvawethead

re - "it would be a lot better to have another tee with a boiler drain between the valve and expansion tank."

I saw brass hose bibs at Fersusons while picking up the 1/2" nipple.

Should I get any specific type? Ball? Gate? Did not play close attention since I was in a rush to get the nipple before they closed.

swvawethead

SuperTech - your suggestion helped make perfect sense of the two service valves shown by hot_rod.
Back ordered on both items at Supplu House.
I will just go crude and add on under the ball valve.
That's not something I will be able to walk in and get at Fergusons but might be surprised.
Still have time to check before the tank is delivered.

swvawethead

My cobbled together setup above the expansion tank will look like an oil field christmas tree...
I see there are hose bib ball valves.
Thanks again!

swvawethead

So...still go ahead and torpedo power purge one zone at a time as described in Dan's book?
Will probably need to do that to properly set the system pressure - this time at 15 psi - before opening the valve to the expansion tank which will be set at 15 psi.

Also delivering tomorrow is the Milton low pressure tire gauge recommended by WMno57.

After removing the rusted Amtrol, checked the pressure with two gauges - 8.5 pounds.
So in addition to the rust pinhole the bladder may have been compromised.
Tank is 7 years old but could have failed after 6.

swvawethead

Is this going overboard while waiting for the replacement tank to arrive?
Add this under the vent?
The handle is always the tricky part.
Not sure if the handle can be mounted the other way if it becomes a problem.

hot_rod

swvawethead said:

Is this going overboard while waiting for the replacement tank to arrive?
Add this under the vent?
The handle is always the tricky part.
Not sure if the handle can be mounted the other way if it becomes a problem.

Remove the handle and use a small cresent to turn it off or on. Its not a valve you use very often.

swvawethead

Thank you hot rod.
I could also do that for the tank isolation valve - if needed.

First thing tomorrow morning heading to Fergusons for the tee and hose bib below the tank shut off and hopefully they will also have the 1/8" ball valve.
I am assuming it is 1/8" for the Amtrol vent, which seems to be a 400? I see only '15 46' on the top cover.
So many reports on vents acting up and want to be prepared.

Garden hose is connected to the bib on top of the boiler, boiler shuoff closed, ready to shoot water through each zones to push out any air.
Hose end is in a bucket with water in a shower stall so I can hear the bubbles.
I can do this before the EX30 is delivered and set the system to 15 lbs.

The low pressure tire gauge will also deliver tomorrow so I will use that to set the tank pressure to 15.

swvawethead

No surprise no walk in sourcs of 1/8" MNPT x 1/8" FNPT valve in our neck of the woods.
Two plumbing supply houses. Didn't bother going to the box stores.
Will punt that for the vent for now and order one to have handy when the Amtrol vent acts up.
Adding the hose bib between tank and shutoff.
Tank just delivered....

swvawethead

Here it is WMno57...
Just checked the tank and it is factory set at 15 lbs!
Have two other gauges, dial and digital, that were selected after comparing many against each other.

Tank seems to have survived whatever damaged the box.
After this season will get an Amtrol Pro tank to keep on standby.

swvawethead

Well, here goes nothing. It settled down after trickling, making strange noises here and there.
Checked tank with three gauges and brought it back to 15 lbs. Was reading 14.5.
Mosey back over to look around. All convector zones crackling and heating up.
Taco zone control does not show the second and third pumps in operation.

Thank ya'll!!

swvawethead

All three zones reaching set temp. Still don't fully understand this Aquasmart controller logic but things are heating normal.. When boiler was installed in 2016/17 Bosch did not have the LWCO fully out to market but should available now.

hot_rod

1/8" air vents that go into those ramp purgers often have a tab sticking out to help catch air. So an 1/8" ball valve will not work.
Experienced hydronic folk can change an 1/8 vent on the fly

swvawethead

Yes, I noticed something sticking out from the vent thread connection and wondered about that not seated into the scoop.

hot_rod

swvawethead said:

Yes, I noticed something sticking out from the vent thread connection and wondered about that not seated into the scoop.

Actually the tab hits the ball in the 1/8”
valve  and keeps it from closing

neilc

cut the tab off ?

swvawethead

I will just live without the ball valve for the vent.
Looks like I have shut offs close enough to be not too much of a hassle.
However, thank you for the tip on adding the hose bib after the expansion tank isolation.

swvawethead

Thought some of you might be interested in an update.
In particular hoping there aren't any under slab leaks.
Quite relieved the system pressure loss was caused only by the rust holed Amtrol EX30.
System is holding steady at 15 lbs, heat reaching all three zones.
Will start another thread to ask about the three speed settings on the Taco 0015.

Thank you everybody for guiding me.

swvawethead

WMno57 - I can see your cold standby pressure in profile pic!!