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Contemplating going to 100% water

ewang
ewang Member Posts: 81
in Radiant Heating

Three years ago a friend and I installed a low temp gas fired radiant heating system for my staple up and radiator style heating. At that time I elected to incorporate some glycol from sentinel, but I think I underestimated the amount I needed to get at least 15-20%. Since the install, I’ve noticed that some of my connections have slight weeping and a concentration test shows. I’m sitting around 10% glycol. I can see there are some lines that have either sediment or some type of growth in them and I’m wondering if I need to do a system flush and refill.


I originally wanted some glycol due to the corrosion, inhibition properties and freeze protection. I don’t think the freeze protection is absolutely necessary unless I were to have a power failure for several days, but at that point, I probably have bigger problems than just my radiant system.

At this point, what do you guys think I should do? Drain and refill? Top off with more glycol?

Part of me would like to go to 100% water for simplicity but I know it will be challenging to properly flush all the lines.


Boiler is a Weil Mclain evergreen. Steel radiators, staple up, uponor pex.

Comments

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,108

    Glycol only if absolutely necessary. 30% is about as low as you want to mix, according to the manufacturers. The inhibitor that protect the metals are too weak below that. Including anti bacteria protection. That will take a few days of running all the zones to get all the gunk out.

    Fernox, Rhomar, Adey, Hercules and others have hydronic cleaner.

    Flush it, run a cleaner, flush again, add water that meets the Weil spec. Test your on site water to see how it compares.

    Screenshot 2024-11-16 at 9.57.23 AM.png

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    ewang
  • ewang
    ewang Member Posts: 81

    thank you!

  • ewang
    ewang Member Posts: 81

    @hot_rod I’ll get some cleaner ordered up. For the final refill, would you suggest some type of inhibitor to go in along with my well water? My well water is 7.5 PH and very little hardness, or solids.

    Thanks a lot for your help - I’m very grateful you replied.

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,108
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1820716#Comment_1820716

    I like to use a hydronic conditioner. It protects the equipment and balances ph.

    Unless you have the exact hardness and chloride and TDS you are just guessing. It's rare to have well water below 7 gpg. A test kit for hardness is around 30 bucks. TDS stick meters under 100 bucks. Or find a water treatment company to test your water.

    If any of those numbers are out of range you can buy a basic one time deionizer, or by water to blend with your well water to get it in spec.

    If you live in an area where they use deicers on the highways, you may have high chloride levels. Wells along interstates are see 300ppm chloride levels!

    Screenshot 2024-11-16 at 8.11.42 PM.png
    Screenshot 2024-11-16 at 8.13.00 PM.png

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    ewang
  • ewang
    ewang Member Posts: 81

    Thank you once again!

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