Furnace Always Building Pressure

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Wed. Oct. 07, 2009 9:49 pm

Hi,
What is the back flow valve?
What I have is this http://www.taco-hvac.com/en/products/Boiler%20Fee ... tegory=115
Thanks
Den

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Wed. Oct. 07, 2009 10:09 pm

Even if you are on well water, you are required to install a backflow preventer on the inlet line to your boiler. Where I live, when we aren't playing the 'cow tipping' (meadow muffins) game we install a combo unit from watts that has the same type of valve you do for rapid fill and a backflow device attached that prevents any water from returning from the boiler cavity and getting into your drinking water by accident. Boiler water is not to be consumed, hence the backflow valve. Looking at the Taco you have, understand that there is the ability to adjust the inflow pressure and operate a fast fill valve by tipping the little lever straight up to bypass the preset pressure. If you have done this and thought it was OK to leave straight up, YOU LOOSE! Release the spring tension on the little lever and see if you notice any difference.

You are testing my little brain, and I know the solution is simple. We don't have any 'Pressure Regulator Czars' on-line tonight, so we may just have to make a real decision without one! OMGawd..make a decision without the input of 12500 over educated, panty wearing, shaved legged ......oops, off topic.....that was Washington, DC, not NEPA!
Pilgrim: did you have the valve lever up straight? I sure hope so, I'm old and have to go to bed, and I want you to be happy with your new-found BOILER!

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Thu. Oct. 08, 2009 7:29 am

Morning,
The lever is in the closed position. The taco has a built in back flow stopper. After work today I will take it off and see if I can clean it out.
Thanks for your help and Ill update asap.
Den

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Thu. Oct. 08, 2009 9:10 pm

Still building pressure. I took the taco valve off and took it apart and it was really gunked up with rust and sediment. I cleaned it up real good and the problem is still there. Any idea what the adjustment screw is for on the top?
Den

Post by **stoker-man** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 6:31 am

That adjusts the pressure of the boiler. I'd set it for about 12 pounds when the boiler is cold. Did you shut off all cold water to the domestic coil. Relieve the pressure in the line by opening a hot water sink tap and let it open overnight. See if that stops the pressure buildup.

Warning:

There is one problem: If you have a pinhole leak in the coil, with the cold water supply closed and an open hot water tap, you could get boiler water in the plumbing.

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 8:17 am

**Broken Link(s) Removed**
page 5 or 6 may help you understand the contraption

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 2:57 pm

The Bellgosset page you sent says I should shut off the valve before the feedvalve after I get the correct pressure. I had that valve open,
Could this have been my problem?
Den

jim d · Post by **jim d** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 3:12 pm

if you shut off the valve be fore the feed valve and it is holding and your pressure still goes up then it's not the pr valve causing your problems does it stay up all the time and continue to rise or does it go back down when the water cool s down that would be your ex tank or like stoker said it could be your coil if you shut the cold feed to the coil over nit you couldfind that out thats about all there is that could be causing that the pross of elimination will tell you

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 5:00 pm

ODDSNENDS4U wrote:The Bellgosset page you sent says I should shut off the valve before the feedvalve after I get the correct pressure. I had that valve open,
Could this have been my problem?
Den

Could be

Close the valve per your reading and see

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Fri. Oct. 09, 2009 6:27 pm

Try to make only one change at a time. Don't shut off the boiler feed and the domestic hot water at the same time. Isolate the potential problem by areas, but not all at once. If your water feed was pretty nasty, you may later want to install a water filter so at least that won't reoccur.

I am still wondering about a pinhole in the coil, but one step at a time. You must have a pressure relief valve on the hot water discharge also. Most are set at 70 to 80 psi. This is NOT the boiler PRV, it only applies to the domestic hot water discharge.

Just remember, it isn't rocket science, but it sure can be frustrating reading between the lines.

e.alleg · Post by **e.alleg** » Sat. Oct. 10, 2009 1:28 am

How hard is it to repair a pinhole in the HW coil?

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Sat. Oct. 10, 2009 5:44 am

e.alleg wrote:How hard is it to repair a pinhole in the HW coil?
How hard is it to repair a pinhole in the HW coil?

I've never known it to be successfully done. Even if it could be repaired, if there's one pinhole, there are 50 that are just about to leak. It's time for a new coil. That's not to say you can't try. A repair might work for a few days or a few months. Remove the coil, locate the leak, make a lead free solder repair. The problem lies in that with most coils only about 25% of the coil can be seen or reached. Every leak I've ever seen has been in a place that you couldn't solder if you wanted to.

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Sat. Oct. 10, 2009 8:33 pm

Hi,
Latest update on my pressure problem on my "boiler" . I had the valve before the feed valve turned off all night and the pressure still went up. I can tell by the bucket I have under the prv line. When I checked the pressure this morning it was at 20psi so I suppose the prv released enough to bring it down. Any way. I turned the valve back on before the feeed valve and Tonight I am going to shut the main valve to the domestic water off and see if I get water in my bucket again. I am going to open a hot water tap in my bathroom next to the boiler.
Ill update tomorrow.
Den

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Sat. Oct. 10, 2009 8:36 pm

With your TPR releasing as much as it is, it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace it with a new one after you find your problem. They get weak, after they release a few times.

ODDSNENDS4U · Post by **ODDSNENDS4U** » Sat. Oct. 10, 2009 9:07 pm

Hi,
Something else I kept forgetting to mention. We seem to be not getting hot water all the time like we used to. The wife just reminded me after her shower that she ended her shower with warm water instead of hot like it used to be. Any thoughts?
Den