Ghost flow problem solved....Boilerpro

Boilerpro_2

Was having a back flow problem through the brass sweat B&G flow control valves. Valve mounted on return pipe and return pipe would get hot and supply cool when other zones were running. Checked for dirt, none, replaced valve, no change. Installed a new spring check on supply with rubber sealing surface and problem solved. Apparently the metal to metal seal of older flow check does not hold tight enough with the higher pressure drop headers used with newer pumps. Now I am going to go back and install these new spring check vavles on the other zones and in another home with the same problem. thought this might be of interest.

Boilerpro

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

That's great

information; thanks for sharing. Just be careful when using check valves that have different materials. I just ordered some Nibco check valves that have teflon seats and Buna N disks; they are rated at 180* at 0 psi. I still use them because they don't chatter and I've never had a problem with them.

Alan

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Big Ed_2

Flowmatic

I find Flowmatic checkvalves fall apart over time ..... Also 3/4" flowvalves are not reliable brass or cast.....

P.S. Tip.......Bump up one size from the supply when choosing a flowvalve.....

Boilerpro_2

Thaniks for the tip and I wonde why? NM

Boilerpro_2

Thanks for the tip and I wonder why? NM

Big Ed

Flowvalve and Ghostflow Problems

As far as the 3/4" flowvalves I think they are too light in the weight or maybe too small of a surface seating area.., but what ever the reason they fail way too often.I gave up on them years ago . Now , if I receive a too much heat call and there is a 3/4" is on the job ,I just upgrade to a 1"......Done!

The Flowmatics center scew that holds the flapper falls out in time and the loose guts will plug the flow...Seen this once too often for my liking..

Now as far as uping the size flowvalve....The extra weight is the key......This was a old practice from the old timers(My Dad and Grandpappy taught me)Now I know they installed in the big pipe days ,converting old gravity systems , upgrading the stokers on them bad boys. Once the water moves in them large vertical risers it does not want to stop....I still up them as to not have to do it again....Sometimes two flowvalves are is the best way , one on the supply and one on the return.. I should add upping is ok for the small stuff . You could get a flowvalve chatter and damage the seats on the big stuff.

All this stuff I would say is flowvalve problems. Ghost flow problem I would say you see on a parrallel system. The overheating problem where you are in the basement scratching your head saying" How the he!! can the @#&$ hot water flow up that way when the other zone is running" or something on that line.... The cause of this problem usually is with sloppy return connections ....The best way to correct this problem is to make sure all the returning lines from each zone joins it's common return first.Then bring it back to the boiler....

Big Ed

Flowvalve and Ghost Flow Problem

As far as the 3/4" flowvalves I think they are too light in the weight or maybe too small of a surface seating area.., but what ever the reason they fail way too often.I gave up on them years ago . Now , if I receive a too much heat call and there is a 3/4" is on the job ,I just upgrade to a 1"......Done!

The Flowmatics center scew that holds the flapper falls out in time and the loose guts will plug the flow...Seen this once too often for my liking..

Now as far as uping the size flowvalve....The extra weight is the key......This was a old practice from the old timers(My Dad and Grandpappy taught me)Now I know they installed in the big pipe days ,converting old gravity systems , upgrading the stokers on them bad boys. Once the water moves in them large vertical risers it does not want to stop....I still up them as to not have to do it again....Sometimes two flowvalves are is the best way , one on the supply and one on the return.. I should add upping is ok for the small stuff . You could get a flowvalve chatter and damage the seats on the big stuff.

All this stuff I would say is flowvalve problems. Ghost flow problem I would say you see on a parrallel system. The overheating problem where you are in the basement scratching your head saying" How the he!! can the @#&$ hot water flow up that way when the other zone is running" or something on that line.... The cause of this problem usually is with sloppy return connections ....The best way to correct this problem is to make sure all the returning lines from each zone joins it's common return first.Then bring it back to the boiler....

Boilerpro_2

Yep, Big Ed....

Seen that. Got suspicious as soon as I walked into the boiler room... there were flow control valves and check valves all over the place. The owners' had the engineers drawings and sure enough, they had the supplies to each piece of radiation throughout the structure on two different zones coming off a single supply as it wound around the structure. System was put in just like it was drawn. Started up one zone pump on the return and sure enough some of the convectors on the other zone started heating. Pretty funny how that happens and sad that it was left that way. The owners didn't even know they had a problem.


Boilerpro