Old Taco Airscoop Q

Alan_2

There is a Taco Airscoop that is connected on the boiler outlet side with the 'air' line leading up to a steel expansion tank.
Another line exits at the side to supply the zones.
It is part of a 1950's vintage oil boiler installation.

There is a automatic bleeder attached on top of the airscoop.

Taco doesn't have any info on this airscoop.

Do these require inspection/rebuild/replcement ?

I am trying to reuse some components when the boiler plumbling is switched over to a pumping away configuration.
Currently, the two circulators and citywater feed line are on the return side.

thank-you

Steamhead

The Airscoop can stay where it is

install your circs and flow-checks after the scoop. I'd remove the automatic vent and plug the opening, you want all the air to go up into the tank to maintain the air cushion there. Make sure the line pitches up from the scoop to the tank, and use a gate or full-port ball valve in the line instead of a stop valve.

We still install this setup where there is an existing plain-steel compression tank in place and in good condition. When done properly, it works great.



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Alan_2

Steamhead -

Thanks so much for the practical info.
I'll keep in mind your suggestion next spring when the boiler room plumbing is modified to pump away.

So....will the Taco Airscoop of unkown age require at least an inspection or is this an item with no moving components inside ?
I have no info on the innards and Taco hasn't replied.

Thanks again !

Steamhead

There are no moving parts

in an air scoop- just a couple of baffles. It will outlast both of us.

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Alan_2

Wow - thank you again for the speedy reply.

Sounds like the Airscoop will be a keeper.
There is a pipe pitched up to the tank from the scoop.
I will eliminate the automatic bleeder first chance.

We have a steel tank in another house.
Thanks to this forum and B&G web site, I haven't had to mess with the wet portion of the system for several years.

Steve Eayrs

A question....why remove the auto air vent?

Steve

Alan_2

re - A question....why remove the auto air vent?

------

Please read Steamhead's first reply to this thread...
As an owner of two systems using steel tanks, it makes sense.
However, there are probably opposing views out there.

Boilerpro_3

Two type of air systems.

When you use a conventional tank you have an air control system. The air separator is always working on putting any air that gets dissolved in the water from the top of the tank back into the tank. The air up in the tank can disslolve in the water and get sent out into the system. The air separtor is constantly trying to put it back in. There should be no automatic air vents anywhere on this type of system.

When you use a diaphragm tank, you have an air elimination system. The diaphragm in the tank prevents the air and water from mixing, so it no longer can redissolve in the system water. The automatic vent simply removes all air from the system at start up and then there is no air in the system. In a perfectly sealed system, once all the air, both the bubbles and that dissloved in the water...is removed at startup, you could remove the air separator and vent.

I see systems both new and old with auto vents and a conventional tank. They almost always have waterlogged tank problems.

The other thing to watch out for is multiple connections to a compression tank. This causes a whole set of problems of its own. I have seen this on multiple boiler systems. Multiple air separators are fine if using a diaphragm tank.

Boilerpro