Taco 008 clogged with rusty sludge

Renato

I have a drip coming from what looks like the outlet (approx 1" cylinder coming out of bottom) of the Backflow Preventer. Is this supposed to be dripping? We've lived in this house for 4 years and this is the 1st time we've seen this drip. The boiler system is only 6? yrs old. Should there be a hose running from the Backflow Preventer to the drain? Right now it drips on my basement floor and streams to the floor drain.

Steve Garson_2

Taco 008 clogged with rusty sludge

Just turned our radiant heat on today and noticed that the circulator wasn't circulating water. I removed the Taco 008 and noticed that it was filled with rusty sludge, which, I guess, froze the device.

I replaced it with a Grundfos, but want to know how to prevent this from happening again. The circulator was only in service for five years...or is this a normal occurance?

From an installation viewpoint, the circulator nearly at the lowest point of the loop, since it circulates water from a two loop hot water heater. Due to a low ceiling, there really isn't anywhere else to put it.

The loop has a Spirovent, so I am surprised that there was enough air in the water to cause so much rust. Is this because the water doesn't get hot enough to force all the oxygen to escape.

Any tips on preventative maintenance? I assume that I should NOT be flushing the system with fresh water, since that would introduce more air to the system.

Thanks for any advice.

Steve
Newton, MA

Ted_9

heating

Are you talking about this circ? Edit: what I meant to say was, its installed wrong and that could shorten its life. Dont know about the slug. Unless there's a leak external or internal to the hot water tank, in which case you keep feeding fresh water and oxygen, thus causing this rust.

Is it a domestic loop or a separate closed loop? I dont remember and I cant tell from my pics.

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Dave_105

Steve............

is the radiant system "closed" loop to your water heater? What I mean is, is that the only thing your using-it for, or is the water heater also used for domestic?

Steve Garson_2

Ted:

I can't believe you found that old picture. Yes, that's the circulator that I removed. The installer should have never installed it with the motor vertical. The new one is in with the motor horizontal.

Steve

Steve Garson_2

Dave:

Yes, it's a closed loop. Using Bradford-White water heater that has a separate sealed loop for radiant heat.

Steve

Steve Garson_2

Not a very good ad for Nally Plumbing.

Dave_105

Steve............

other than the fact(I`m sure you are aware), it shouldn`t have been mounted that way in the first place, I`m at a loss to explain! Please excuse me, as I "scratch-my-head" for awhile.

Ron Schroeder

I'm with Dave at a loss

I am assuming that this is a radiant loop with all copper and pex except for the circulator.

Steve Garson_2

All copper but not PEX, but a flexible rubber type hose for staple up radiant. I would recall the name if you mentioned it.

Ron Schroeder

Onyx/Onix

Are you sure it was rust hoping that the tubing is not deteriorating

Pinball

It would'nt be EntranII would it? (Non-barrier tube made by Goodyear)! red in color, spring clamps attaching it to the manifolds?
Al

Steve Garson_2

No. It's black. Onix tubing by Watts Radiant.

Dave_105

Gees Steve..............

I don`t know, I`ve never used anything other than PEX, Here`s a shot-in-the-dark, I wonder if some "crap" got-in the tubing before installation? (I`m really "stumped" myself)!

Ron Schroeder

Look like this??

http://www.wattsradiant.com/professional/onix.html

Steve Garson_2

Yep.

Weezbo

strainers are good.

i like strainers. or over size the teturn with a drop like a gas drip leg with a Blow down valve like that.... the cause,... i dunno . just a quick fix to get it back around to real.

Dave_105

Weezbo..........

That is a really great idea, I never thought of that! Thanks Man!

Steve Garson_2

Interesting idea...so you suggest installing a drip leg on the line feeding the circulator with a ball valve to blow it off? But then I'm introducing new water with air into the system.

Dave_105

Steve............

didn`t you say you had a "Spirovent" anyway, I don`t think you would have to do it very often, maybe 1 or 2 times a season and blow it in a clean bucket to see.

Ted_9

closed loop

Steve, does this radiant loop have the following: its own water line feeder, backflow preventer, expansion tank?

Or, is the water going through the Onyx directly from the steam boiler?

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Steve Garson_2

The radiant has an expansion tank and water feeder. It's heated by the gas hot water heater.

Ted_9

ok

I see the tank and back flow connected.

So no steam boiler water is in the radiant.

Then it seems like corrosion.

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