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Expansion tanks

Anthony_10
Anthony_10 Member Posts: 23
in THE MAIN WALL
My heater has NOT been holding its normal pressure (12-15 psi ). I've drained the expansion tank and refilled it. My pressure now hovers at @10 psi sometimes lower. All my radiators get hot ( except for my bathroom , the smallest radiator ). My 2 questions are : How would I know if there is a pinhole leak on the top of the expansion tank ( I can't really see the top of the tank, because it is strapped up to the ceiling of my basement )? And How would I know if there is too much or not enough water in my tank ? Everything else seems to be working fine on the heater and I am getting heat in my home. I also read on this site that my tank may be UNDERSIZED for my home, but I have a standard 2 story single family home. Does anyone have any suggestions ??

Comments

  • Firedragon_4
    Firedragon_4 Member Posts: 1,436
    If the tank was leaking,

    you would lose the air seal and end up with a water leak.

    Only way to size a tank is based on a chart, try this:
    http://amtrol.com/website/content.nsf
  • B. A .LAROCHE
    B. A .LAROCHE Member Posts: 2
    CONTINOUS WATER FLOW FROM THE EXPANSION TANK TO THE OUTSIDE

    WE HAVE AN OLD,A VERY OLD HEATING SYSTEM WHICH STIL FUNCTIONS WELL. THE SYSTEM WAS MADE BY HOPSON & CHAPIN MNG. IN NEW LONDON,CONN..WE ARE IN THE HOUSE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE ATTIC AND TO BE EXACT IS WITH THE EXPANSION TANK.IT APPEARS AS IF THERE ARE TWO EX. TANKS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SYSTEM OPERATES BASED ON THE LAW OF GRAVITY.IT IS FEED WATER IN THE ATTIC AND THEN TO THE HEATING UNIT IN THE BASEMENT. FOR THE LAST WEEK WE HAVE WATER CONTINOUSLY BEEN DISCARDED FROM THE EXPANSION TANK AND INTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. LAST NIGHT WE SHUT THE WATER SUPPLY TO THE ATTIC AND AT THE SAME TIME TO A COUPLE OF BATHROOMS WHICH ARE FEED FROM THE SAME WATER SUPPLY. THE NIGHT BEFORE WE DRAINED THE EXPANSION TANK,ON THE LOWER LEVEL AND FILLED IT BACK HOPPING THAT WOULD HAVE SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IT DID NOT.WHATEVER WE DID LAST NIGHT IT WORKED AND FOR THE ENTIRE NIGHT WE HAD NO WATER BEEN DISCARDED.WE WILL KNOW MORE ONCE WE GO HOME THIS EVENING. IS IT SAFE TO KEEP THE WATER SUPPLY CUT OFF? AND FOR HOW LONG? ALSO, WE SHOULD INFORM YOU THAT TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM WE HAD A NEW PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAD WITH FOUR DIFFERENT CYCLES AND TEMPERATURE SETTINGS. THE OLD THERMOSTAD HAD ONLY ONE SETTING. DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALL THAT IS HAPPENING? WE SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT LAST YEAR IT HAPPENED ONCE AND THE WAY WE CONTROLLEDTHE PROBLEM WAS BY DRAINING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? WE DO NOT SEE A FEED VALVE ANYWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE ADVICE US AS OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
    SINCERELY, B. LAROCHE
  • B. A .LAROCHE
    B. A .LAROCHE Member Posts: 2
    CONTINOUS WATER FLOW FROM THE EXPANSION TANK TO THE OUTSIDE

    WE HAVE AN OLD,A VERY OLD HEATING SYSTEM WHICH STIL FUNCTIONS WELL. THE SYSTEM WAS MADE BY HOPSON & CHAPIN MNG. IN NEW LONDON,CONN..WE ARE IN THE HOUSE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE ATTIC AND TO BE EXACT IS WITH THE EXPANSION TANK.IT APPEARS AS IF THERE ARE TWO EX. TANKS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SYSTEM OPERATES BASED ON THE LAW OF GRAVITY.IT IS FEED WATER IN THE ATTIC AND THEN TO THE HEATING UNIT IN THE BASEMENT. FOR THE LAST WEEK WE HAVE WATER CONTINOUSLY BEEN DISCARDED FROM THE EXPANSION TANK AND INTO THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. LAST NIGHT WE SHUT THE WATER SUPPLY TO THE ATTIC AND AT THE SAME TIME TO A COUPLE OF BATHROOMS WHICH ARE FEED FROM THE SAME WATER SUPPLY. THE NIGHT BEFORE WE DRAINED THE EXPANSION TANK,ON THE LOWER LEVEL AND FILLED IT BACK HOPPING THAT WOULD HAVE SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IT DID NOT.WHATEVER WE DID LAST NIGHT IT WORKED AND FOR THE ENTIRE NIGHT WE HAD NO WATER BEEN DISCARDED.WE WILL KNOW MORE ONCE WE GO HOME THIS EVENING. IS IT SAFE TO KEEP THE WATER SUPPLY CUT OFF? AND FOR HOW LONG? ALSO, WE SHOULD INFORM YOU THAT TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THIS PROBLEM WE HAD A NEW PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAD WITH FOUR DIFFERENT CYCLES AND TEMPERATURE SETTINGS. THE OLD THERMOSTAD HAD ONLY ONE SETTING. DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALL THAT IS HAPPENING? WE SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT LAST YEAR IT HAPPENED ONCE AND THE WAY WE CONTROLLEDTHE PROBLEM WAS BY DRAINING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? WE DO NOT SEE A FEED VALVE ANYWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE ADVICE US AS OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
    SINCERELY, B. LAROCHE
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    Can You See This?

    You need some quality help ...there are too many things that can go wrong to be honest with you. There is some possibility you have already put yourself and family in danger and all you did was tweak a valve. look in local newspaper for a tech or call a fuel supplier ,plumbing sales outfit and ask for someone to come aalong over and fix it for you. *~/:) you can even try Find a professional on this site it will tell you if someone is in your area and give you some contact info.
  • Firedragon_4
    Firedragon_4 Member Posts: 1,436
    Weezbo's right, you

    need a pro now. That sounds like an old downfeed system, get it checked. There is a feed valve somewhere, FACT!
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    Mr. Laroche...

    In the words of Weezbo, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???

    Sir, please do our collectives eyes and ears (internal) a favor and QUIT SHOUTING. Find your Caps lock key and shut it down, and find your shift key. Pronunciation, grammer, and capitolization are not requirements to hang around here...

    Don't be afraid to type without your caps lock key on..

    We ALL use to do it at one point or another.

    Anyway, what was your qwestion??

    Welcome to The Wall.

    ME
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    Yo Tony...

    It sounds like possibly your pressure reducing valve has decided to reset itself to a lower pressure, or...

    Tell me more about your system. How tall is it. Is it really radiators, as in the humonguous cast iron radiator type of system, or one of them skinny baseboard systems?

    HOw old is the heat generator, and what flavor of fuel does it prefer, other than money...

    You say your'e getting "heat" in the buidling. Heat is but one component of many required to maintain perfect comfort. If all you need is "heat", you could get yourself a wood burning boiler and burn all your wood furniture and get "heat".

    You've got a cold bathroom? My wife would n't stand for it. SHe has a towel warmer, a heated tub that serves as a radiator. and sooner or later, it will have a warm floor. Just waiting unitl I have a reason to replace the water damaged ceiling in the bathroom below. WHat a perfect time to do floors, AND ceilings.

    Anyway, I digress. You need heat in your bathroom for total "comfort". We'll get you heat AND comfort in your bathroom, and the rest of the house if your'e willing to buck up.

    Answer these questions, and it will cause us to ask you more, but we WILL eventually get you back to a normal state of being.

    Welcome to the wall..

    ME
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