Pressure relief valve mounting

hunter29

Hi guys, trying to charge my system, I installed a 30 psi valve in the horizontal position and it's leaking as I try to fill the system.

It's leaking at 5 psi .

Im wondering if the valve is bad or is the horizontal mounting the problem ?

thanks

hot_rod

are you sure your gauge is accurate?

hunter29

yes, it's brand new, I'm using a cheap circulator pump to fill, I can't see it doing over 30 psi on low setting. And the other end of the system is wide open.

PC7060

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1829644#Comment_1829644

other side of what system is wide open?

hunter29

The loops in the floor, im filling them pushing the air out the other end, so it's wide open.

hot_rod

it would be rare to see a brand new valve fail.

Or to see a small circ used like that to develop 30 psi

Diesel it have a fill valve that could be leaking by?

hunter29

If I'm understanding you correctly, no , the water is coming out of the valve, I turned it upside down so I could see it better.

when I turn off the pump the water in the valve will be drawn back in due to the vacuum created.

Its weird, I ask because I read a horizontal mount could cause a problem, however there mounted that way on water heaters..

Go figure..

EdTheHeaterMan

Can you take a picture of that leaking valve and post it here? I have scene lots of mistakes here on this site. One of the mistakes was a relief valve was installed backwards, the outlet side was piped to the boiler and the side that was supposed to be holding the pressure in the boiler was exposed to the atmosphere. Some of those valves are not water tight on the outlet side and you will never get the boiler pressure up above 3 to 4 PSI without water leaking from the operating lever stem.

SuperTech

Most of the boiler installation manuals I have read usually specify installing the relief valve vertically. Sometimes I find a relief dripping when the boiler pressure and the expansion tank are fine. I'll remove the pressure relief valve that was installed horizontally and find it corroded or full of crud. I'll installed the new pressure relief valve vertically and the boiler never has any further problems with dripping relief valves.

hunter29

Im going to mount it vertically but can't believe it would matter. Its not leaking drip drip, it's streaming.

pecmsg

Have you looked at the internals? If a new valve it wouldn't be the 1st bad out of the box…………….Unfortunately!

GroundUp

Very common with Watts and Zurn relief valves. They need to be mounted vertically (water heaters use a T&P, which is a very different item and can be horizontal) in hydronic systems and you may simply have a piece of crud in the seat, but you may plan on replacing it after you rotate to a vertical position.

hunter29

yep, I'll let you know after I change the position.

I'll check for debris as well, thanks guys..

hot_rod

Just get a brass street ell to make it quick and easy to put it in a vertical position.

I don't see why it would not work horizontal, air compressors use a similar valve and they are mounted like that, often.

Vertical helps keep crud out of the valve mechanism is the only difference I see. I doubt the spring and washer inside know what direction they are in :)

Small backflow preventers should not be vertical port up, but they are installed that way often and they seal.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Code requires the valve to be installed vertically. But they were installed horizontally so the position is not the issue with it leaking but they should be verticle.

Could be dirt or a pipe chip in the valve. Make sure it is a 30 psi valve or whatever rating your boiler is supposed to use.

Why is the valve not on the boiler? Is this a relief valve to protect domestic hot or cold water which is usually a 150-175 psi valve and you have a 30# on it?

We need to know more about your system with pictures from farther back.

hunter29

It's for radiant floor, I can blow air through it both ways with ease, got a new one on the way..