Water feed problem(mk)

Steve Miller

I had a system that I couldn't repurge after doing some baseboard additions and it had a Spiorvent too. I always put my make up water on the bottom of the Spirovent with the expansion tank connected to a tee. The problem was the black core of the wire mesh inside of the Spirovent collasped down onto the nipple I screwed into the botton of the Spiorvent and blocked off the flow. I spun the top of the Spiorvent and worked the wire mesh so it would sit above the opening and that worked. I don't know what suddenly caused this, the system had been in for about 8 years. There was no glycol in the system that could have caused the wire mesh thingy to deteriorate. It was a real head scratcher.

Steve

Mike Kraft

Spiro experts wanted!

Another install went online today.This is a Buderus sealed combustion,LP fired.Antifreeze is a must on this one.The home is heated with HWBB.

My problem,I piped my make-up(feed) typically,back-flow preventor,watts 1/2" feed/pressure reducing valve,tee on the run with a draw-off for anti-freeze pump.This finnaly enters a 1/2" tee on the bull,the run has the expansion tank and the rise of the run enters the bottom of my spiro vent.The pumps are pumping away.

Now........I connect my anti-freeze pump rig and get absolutely no flow into an empty system.I turn on the water and get no flow!!I feed through the draw off on the boiler (drain) and flow through the boiler and the zones.The vent is psssssttttttting as flow is circing through the zones.But no water or anti-freeze will go into the system.I aint never seen it!I pulled the lid off the Spiro and flow came freely through its port and onto the floor,as i opened the boiler feed.Putting the spiro back together would not allow feed to flow in.

I have several spiro's on the shelf and am going to change the lid and the wheel tomorrow.

cheese

rick_4

little black plug

we are also having some problems with spiro vents there is a little black plug and we are trying to find out if we can remove it. if u look in the bottom tapping u will see it. two days no response from manufacture

rick_4

little black plug

we are also having some problems with spiro vents there is a little black plug and we are trying to find out if we can remove it. if u look in the bottom tapping u will see it. two days no response from the manufacturer.

Mike Kraft

Little black plug

Yep I saw it............I jerked it out to.It still wont fill!I filled the freakn thing through the boiler drain!It took me 6 hrs to purge 3 zones!!!!I was climbing the walls of the insides of my freakn torso!!!I left the plug out,have a LWCO on line and left the feed off.Will return AM and gut the thing and replace its inards.Long day.

cheese

Mike Kraft

Those interested

I returned and all was well heating wise.I drained down and replaced the insides of the spiro and replaced the feed.Flow was accepted immediately from the boiler feed.I then connected my pump and attempted the anti-freeze to no avail.My zones are being controlled with Grundfos UP1542-FC.This means with flow checks.I have pumped anti-freeze in the past with these pumps and the exact same transfer pump.Why it wouldnt now is beyond me.I bought a new transfer pump(1/2hp) and was in like flint.I am still not sure what happened but its behind me now.

cheese

JIM F.

spirovent prob

i did a job using a voyager propne fired water heater/ht x-changer. i had the same problem. no anti freeze on this job. when trying to feed into the bottom of spirovent no water going in. drove me nuts. i found out that the 1/2 black nipple that was threaded into the bottom of spirovent was bottoming out on the inside causing a restriction. nipple only went in about 3/4 of the thread. not that applies to your problem, just fyi if you ever run into a situation like mine!!
jim f
milford, ct

hr

Always check the ph

when you see stuff deteriorate like that. Could be the solder flux residue was never flushed and attacked the wire in the spiro. Low ph can be caused by other water issues besides "cooked" glycol

hot rod

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