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Boiler water Ph

Boonierat
Boonierat Member Posts: 58
G'morning Wallies:
What is the optimum Ph for boiler water in a typical forced hot water heating system ??
What would cause the Ph to degrade over time (one/two years) ??
Thanks
Nels

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Comments

  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    Is it just plain tap water?

    this typically falls in the 7's somewhere, but you need to test it before it goes in the boiler to really know. It could be a simple as the solder flux used that changed the initial ph. Was the system cleaned and flushed?

    Now as you add treatments, or anti freeze to a system the ph gets buffered. Hydronic anti freezes will run mid nine to mid 10's when new and clean. Glycol when overheated or the buffers get "used up" will change the ph. I have seen bad glycolled systems drop to 5.5! this will start destroying components quickly.

    This nipple came from a 5.5 ph glycolled system. This went from brand new to this condition in less than a year!

    Hydronic conditioners will also change the ph. A TSPed system may read 10 or 11 after a cleaning or flush. same with off the shelf treatments and cleaners.

    The manufacture of the product will give you the acceptable ph range and a meands to check and adjust if needed.

    Other things to look for. Continous water make up from a small pin hole leak somewhere, very possible on a radiant system with tubes buried in concrete.

    improper piping and pump to air vent locationcan in some cases allow additional O2 into a system.

    Non barrier tube allows more O2 ingress, especially at the higher operating temperatures.

    So test the water that went itnto it the first time, check where you are now, adjust accordingly, if needed.

    I would like to see all new hydronic systems be cleaned and treated. It protects the owners investment, and is crucial with the high eficiency type of boilers with small low mass stainless or aluminum HXers.

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