Water color

Sukhoi29SU

I was relieved when I turned on the heat for the first time this winter and everything from my hydronic system seems to work like it should. I’ve battled flow issues in the past. A couple of years ago I made the mistake of hiring a local company that thought they knew better than the designer that I had professionally design the system. Then, without a proper filter in place; they opened the system to water from a well that I had just put a new pump in - thus picking up a bunch of particles and debris from the bottom of the well and introducing it into a brand new $$ system. Needless to say there has been a lot of troubleshooting since. A lot of cleaning out taco valve filters, pushing air out, etc. So I was happy everything seems to be working properly now. However, when I go to check the water flow at the manifold - the water is so dark that I can barely see the black indicator within the flow meters on the manifold. I messed around with one a bit and a small piece of the black gunk broke free from the inside of the gauge. I took a couple pictures…

Should I be concerned ?

I have put Sentinel in it, however I wasn’t confident that I put in the proper amount.

Thanks in advance

mattmia2

You could put at Dirtmag somewhere in the system to collect the debris that is already in the system. As long as it isn't getting more stuff in it it shouldn't be a problem.

hot_rod

Once water takes on the color of rust that is hard to get back to clear. Water doesn't flow through those flowsetter windows, so they are all but impossible to get cleaned.

If you want less color, flush the system, refill with a hydronic cleaner and run hot. Flush again, fill with DI water then add Sentinel. It may still be light grey after a run.

I'd use the Sentinel test kit, see what it tells you about that fluid. It may be fine but discolored. Or send a sample to Sentinel for a more complete analysis.

The quality of the water, for hydronics, is more important than the color.

Sukhoi29SU

thanks for the responses

I was unaware that water doesn’t flow through the flow setter windows - therefore I thought when that dark piece broke off the inside of the tube, I was seeing clear water behind.

I think I will get a sentinel test kit - I would like to see if I have an issue and need to bring in different water.

hot_rod

if you turn those plastic flow setters from all the way open to all the way closed the disc inside may rub some of that color off if it is not adhered

I like running a cleaner in a new system, get solder flux, cutting oil, pipe dope, assembly lube that the factory used, cleaned out. Then add good water.

Check your well water for hardness and TDS. The boiler manual will have a water quality spec.

New wells have a lot of turbidity. Turbidity is the optical property of water. Usually tiny micron size 1-200 micron, pieces of silica. Fill a clean glass hold it to a window. Is it cloudy, tan colored? Let it set overnight see what settles to the bottom. Alge spring run off also can contribute to turbidity. Our water provider sends a letter every spring alerting us to potential turbidity level increase. People see it when they fill a bath tub, and freak out

TDS is total dissolved solids, minerals, salts, in the water

TSS is total suspended solids, the term generally used with turbidity

mattmia2

turbidity also reduces the effectiveness of the disinfectant which can be important to commercial customers with recirculation systems and other systems where they are effectively storing water on site. i think the water quality rules require the utility inform the customers when turbidity limits are exceeded.