DHW Coil

I hate to keep bothering you guys with basic questions but here I go again.

I have a DHW coil in my oil unit. I have the output of the coil connected to the input of my electric water heater. Lately we've had low hot water pressure so while I'm piping in the oil unit I took the connections off of the coil. There is a flow restrictor ( I think that's what they are called) on the input of the coil. I thought that might be blocked, it was. Quite a few chunks of black stuff. I'm thinking it might be excess pipe dope that fell into the restrictor. I also found that the water coming out of the coil is black. The consistency of water but the color of used motor oil. I put some on my hands. It sticks and smears like oil.
I drained off some of the water in the Electric tank. The first 10 seconds or so I got the same stuff out. Could the coil be leaking and allowing boiler water into my domestic water? How can I check the coil out? Thanks.

Could the coil be leaking and allowing boiler water into my domestic water? How can I check the coil out?

Usually, the flow is in the other direction, as the domestic water has more pressure than that, which is in the boiler. So, you would see the boiler pressure rising to the higher pressure level. The gunk you see, does sound like the stuff found inside the boiler. ??

billw wrote: Could the coil be leaking and allowing boiler water into my domestic water? How can I check the coil out? Thanks.

Have you notice any color change in your drinking water? Do you have a water filter connected to the incoming water of your house? Any chance this stuff came in from the outside water source? I'm not an expert and don't clam to be one but the only boiler water that I have seen is more of a milky brown color and not like oil and it's been years since I've seen any boiler water. Maybe try flushing out the boiler, water tank and your whole system and then run it and recheck it after wards?

Bill I agree with adam. The water from my BOiler is milky brown, rusty. whereas the water from my well, if not filtered, is black, slimey and sticky.

I don't know if you have a well of course either!

could make possible sense as to why its at the restriction

Thanks guys.
You're right it can't be boiler water because of the pressure differences. I didn't take the time to think it through. If it was leaking the boiler would be filling up. Our neighborhood is on a municipal well. Years ago before I moved here it was operated as it's own entity. They were bought out by a water company that consolidated all of the local municipal wells. Most of my neighbors have already installed water filters in their homes. I guess that will be my next project. I never would have imagined there was so much dirt and crud coming in from the public water system.

I don't have a lot of experience looking at boiler water but the boiler water I have dealt with has always been black or gray and will stain everything it touches.

I have a well. I get pretty good water from it. Seven grains of hardness so a water softener and particulate filter were the two best things I ever installed on the water line. Before I installed the filter a glass of water looked absolutely crystal clear. After the filter installation it looks the same but you should see the filter media after three months. It is dark brown. You will be amazed by what is in your water if you put a particle filter on your water line.

Bill

We have a filter setup something like this bought at HD http://www.waterfilters.net/Watts-W10FFPH1CBPR-Cl ... using.html it's clear but it's a GE brand. It works good depending on your needs. We tried using this cheaper filter http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servle ... =100041014 but found that stuff got past it and just clogged our water filter in the refrigerator. So we went with the higher cost one http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servle ... 260+502379 which is suppose to be good for 3 months or 5k gallons and we at most can only get a month an a half from it before it drops our water pressure down. I found these http://www.waterfilters.net/Pentek-Culligan-RFC-B ... lters.html for less money but they still only last a month and a half.

My case of those filters are almost gone so I was looking at maybe going with this type of set up http://www.waterfilters.net/Pentek-BBFS-222-Three ... ystem.html since it's larger and I could have the cheaper filter before the 20 micro(GAC-20BB) one and should be able to get at least 3 months out of it because it's rated for 25k gallons. I figure using 2 of the first ones for 25.49 a piece @ $50+ every three months that it would be cheaper using the 20-BB ones once every three months @ say $47.99 or less if more then two are bought at a time. Less work more money saved seems like the way to go.

Note the three filter setup for 1 inch pipe is also available under the instructions section for 3/4 pipe.

Thanks Adam. For some reason I thought this was going to cost in the thousands of dollars. My wife has been at me for years to install a filter system. I kept blowing her off telling her pour a glass of water and look at it. It's nice and clean. You don't know how hard it was to say Honey, I was wh...whh...wrong.

Hey Bill

Do ge that filter. I am amazed every month or 2 just how much junk comes out of the lines with one.

Does your municipal Auth flush the lines regularly? if not I think they should!!! I know around here in the towns with water supplies they usually flush lines once per year. it makes sense that it would help. but who knows.

Good luck on that filter. Those are chump change compared to all the Piping costs we have had lately how about it!!! heh.

Yeah Mark no doubt. Building materials are outrageously expensive these days. I may have to take out a second mortgage to cover the costs of all those ball valves I bought.

billw wrote: You don't know how hard it was to say Honey, I was wh...whh...wrong.

Hold your horse's bill there's no need to admit to anything! All you have to tell her that after you spent all that time and money on all the new shiny plumbing that you think it might be a wise idea for the two of you to protect your investment incase the water company should happen to screw up and send some junk in the line. This isn't for clean water, the water's fine! The water is fine Bill! Nothing is wrong with the water! This is insurance for your new heating system and all of your appliances that use water.

Admit you were wrong? Not a chance