storage tank losing heat

Ericjeeper

I found a pine needle stuck in the check valve. so I changed the spring vertical check to a horizontal swing check. and now my temps above the checkvalves is 55 on each line to the panels . Basically outdoor temps. Thanks for looking

Ericjeeper

well one of my checkvalves is not doing its job

I have two spring checkvalves in my storage collecting system.
Night before last I lost less than two degrees. last night I lost over 10. I felt the pips coming up out of the tank. The return to the tank flowing down was 82 degrees.the one coming up to the panels was cold ..
What doesn't make sense, is the valve should be pushing up and closed...maybe the valve spring did not like the heat of 129 degree water?
The weight of the valve on that check is basically hanging on the spring.
What should I do? add in a couple of 90s to make a loop and position that checkvalve so that the weight is pushing it closed? rather than tugging itself open?
Thanks, Eric
edited to ad link to pic Notic check valve lower left plumbing
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/image/68463393

jp_2

eric,

one thing you have to remember, tank losses are depend on temp of water vs surrounding ground temp.

as you raise the tank temp the delta T increases and so does your losses.

as i recall, the previous tank temp was 95F, now its 34F higher at 129F.

Ericjeeper

I understand that

But one pipe is cold. and the other is warm.way above the checkvalve. The panels ran for only a brief period today.as it was cloudy.I will check to see if the pipe is warm now too. or if something had the checkvalve held open.. Thanks for your reply.

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

check valve

Is the check valve installed on a vertically mounted pipe? How high up is the pipe getting warm? Just a couple of feet? I used a circ. pump with a built in check valve and it worked great. I wonder if you are losing heat into the ground around the tank. I am, and I measured it by digging holes near the tank and measuring the temp of the soil, and comparing it to other hole temps. further from the tank.
Good Luck, Bob Gagnon

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Ericjeeper

Thanks..but

these are just cheap checkvalves, brassbody and a spring and valve inside.. no adjustment..

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

I just edited my reply

I didn't want to confuse you. I just figured out how to get to your pictures. Bob Gagnon

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Ericjeeper

warm up to the top of the pipe in the mechanical house

The checkvalve going up to the panels. is 64 degrees shot on the brass. and the retrn to the tank is 89. so evidently the checkvalve is not sealing.The 64 degree pipe is cool almost down to the tank. where as the 89 is that temp almost to the roof.I think for ninties would get the check vavle inverted so theweight of the valve is pushing down.. am I correct? The system is easy to drain back,.