Rusty Expansion Tank

GaryDidier

I thought you would all like to see what the result of a saturday service call entailed... It was fun trying to get the remainder of the tank out of the air scoop. What do you think?

Gary from Granville NY

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Awesome

colors on the rusted iron x-tank.

That's a terrible place for an air scoop if you've got to work on it. Looks like the auto air vent got some debris in the valve and let water trickle down and sit on the x-tank.

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GaryDidier

colors

Alan,
Your right! this looks better than most modern art I've seen.
Gary from Granville

Arthur

X Tanks

If the tank rusted out like that it is obvious it was not installed properly in the first place. It means the water must of been expanding in & out of the tank a lot and also looks like there must of been a slight leak at connection point to allow air to get with the water to rust it.
Your tank over there must be real crap tanks, In over 30 yrs I've only ever had to replace 2-3 tanks in all that time.
Tanks should have a long heat loop between the tank and the tee into the system to prevent heat getting any were near the tank.

kevin coppinger_4

it was the hyvent that leaked.....

the vent on the air scoop leaked out and dripped out onto the top of the tank....no tank could hold up to a few years of constant dripping water on its shell, water and oxygen always win. kpc

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hr

What type

of system is that connected to?

Non barrier radiant tube systems will do that. The O2 seeping through the wall of the tube will destroy the tank from the inside out. Consider a DHW expansion tank if this is the case, they are epoxy lined. Be sure to adjustthe fill pressure, however, most are preset at 45 psi. Of course you will just move the problem to the next weakest ferrous component

Seeping air vents generally run down the side of the tank, stain and make them ugly, but could pool near the connection and rust away from the outside in. I keep a loop of surgical rubber tube to put on the bleeder and run to a safe spot. Air vents are prone to leaks.

Worse yet are the ones that drip on the boiler jacketing and electrical components

Locating the tank away from the purger will help them from seeing the high temperatures. I use PAP to remote pipe expansion tank often, although many are connected right on the purger like that. Lots of installation instructions show it that way.

Where is the pump located in relationship to the tank? What size pump?

hot rod

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Mark Eatherton1

In New Mexico...

it is illegal to hang the EX tank from the Air scoop fitting... Too many tanks rotting out due to O2 attack and falling off of the separator. So instead of outlawing non O2 barrier tube, or explaining the three recommended ways of addressing the situation, lets not allow them to hang the tank from the fitting for which it was designed.

Your gubbernmint in action...

ME

kk_2

Yet another...

sign of the government's expanding ineptitude.

GaryDidier

tank

Hot Rod,
The system consists of a Utice boiler approx 8 years old, taco 007 circs pumping towards the boiler. This was my first visit concerning this system. No pressure in system and noisy circulation. As soon as I replaced the PRV and charged the system up water rained down from the ex tank. I had been there in the summer to install an outside faucet and told the customer things looked iffy and he should have the system gone through and serviced. The house was purchased as a forclosure and was shut down for a couple of years. This seems to be the kiss of death to vents and parts with gaskets and rubber components. The water softener directly under the tank has rust stains on it from the leaking vent, so it appears it may have been leaking for awhile. It was lucky that this homeowner didnt come home to a foot of water in his cellar. Thanx for your responses.
Gaty from Granville

hr

Check for leaks

Is it a radiant system? Could the low water/ pressure be from the expansion tank leak?

Continous make up water will shorten the life of tanks also, lots of fresh O2.

Ya need an ingress of O2 to support rust and corrosion issues. It's coming in from somewhere.

Pumping away will, of course aid air removal, and quiet things down

hot rod

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Einsiedler

max temps

careful of max temps for domestic expansion tanks (140F)

EIN

steve_25

some of these answers are nutts

ok for example - "it's illegal to install an x tank on the 1/2" tapping of an air scoop, the water will damage it" I don't think so...very simple - on the 1/2" tapping just come out with a 1/2" blk st. elbow and 1/2" x 6" blk nip and a 1/2" IPS ball valve, and another 1/2" blk nip and then a 1/2" blk elbow... and then just spin on your x tank... wow ok... not to hard and at least its hard piped and out of the way.

Mark Eatherton1

Maybe...

if you had read all the answers, you'd understand what was said:-) I don't see ANYTHING nuts about what was said.

Care to splain Lucy??

ME