Hot Water Boiler Circulating Noise


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Old 12-04-10, 07:21 AM
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Question Hot Water Boiler Circulating Noise

Ive noticed this year that when the water circulates through seems that its very noisy,not a banging noise just like when you are filling a container from the sink.It seems to be heating the home ok,my question is could there be air in the lines or too much water it does have automatic bleeders on it? Thank you?
 
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Old 12-04-10, 07:52 AM
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Whats the make and model of your boiler? What is the pressure and temp say on the gauge?

We need this info as a start if we are going to help.

Welcome to the forum

Mike NJ
 
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Old 12-06-10, 05:17 PM
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Burham Model P208A-WNV/Pressure 90 /Temp.170.Thank you!
 
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Old 12-06-10, 07:16 PM
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Jim, that's GOT to be a mistake... no way you've got 90 PSI in your boiler! They would be scraping you off the ceiling...

The MAX before the pressure relief valve opened would be 30 PSI.

Please check again!
 
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Old 12-09-10, 05:58 PM
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How does 60 psi&180 degrees sound?
 
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Old 12-09-10, 06:12 PM
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No... if you have that much pressure in your system, you've got BIG problems, and you need to get those problems resolved STAT!

It could be that you are reading the gauge wrong.

It could be that the gauge is shot.

It could be that the relief valve is stuck shut, plugged, or non-existent.

It could be that you are in DANGER!

Take a photo of the gauge. Set up a free account on Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket and upload the pic there. Come back here and post a link to your public album. While you've got the camera out, might as well post pics of the whole system, but get the pic of the gauge up quickly so we can tell you whether to RUN or walk ...
 
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Old 12-09-10, 07:53 PM
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Also, look on the boiler nameplate where it will list the Maximum Allowable
Working Pressure or MAWP. It may have different numbers for hot water and steam.
 
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Old 12-10-10, 03:08 PM
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Looks like the Series 2 boilers are water only, 30 PSI MAWP.

That 208 is huge... 232 MBH input... 191 DOE, 166 IBR.
 
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Old 12-10-10, 03:19 PM
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Sorry for all the confusion!Its 10psi&180 degrees.Thank you!
 
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Old 12-10-10, 03:47 PM
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OK then, now that we've got that out of the way...

IF your gauge is accurate, and the third time is a charm and you've read it correctly, the reason that you are hearing water noises is because you do not have enough pressure in the system. When the boiler is COLD, you need at least 12 PSI. When at 180° there would be more... as much as maybe 10 PSI more... because water expands when it is heated.
 
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Old 12-10-10, 10:03 PM
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How do I boost the pressure?
 
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Old 12-11-10, 08:02 AM
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Lift the fast-fill lever on the pressure reducing valve (a.k.a., automatic fill valve) - while closely watching the pressure gauge.

If you would post photos of your system, we could guide you through the process. http://forum.doityourself.com/electr...your-post.html
 
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Old 12-11-10, 08:11 AM
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One thing that must be kept in mind when doing this is that there is some likelihood that your fill valve is plugged up... or maybe you don't even have one... and that when you lift that handle to raise the pressure there is also some likelihood that when you let the handle back down, it won't shut off... and ALSO:

if your system has not been maintained properly for the past several years, when you do raise the pressure up you might find that your expansion tank needs service too.

There's much more too it... it's NEVER as easy as it seems. All these things need to be known.

Honestly, I'm skeptical of the pressure reading... I don't see how it could be said to be 90, and then 60, and then 10 ... you want us to help you? TAKE THE PICTURES!
 
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Old 12-13-10, 06:46 PM
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I bled some water from the relief valve but ,I wasnt able to watch the Gauge&now lost the heat to the upstairs,there are 3 zones&3thermostats,how do I get the heat back to the upstairs?Also I now have only 5 psi water pressure&180 degree temp.&I know that Im reading the gauge accurately!Thank u!
 
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Old 12-14-10, 07:54 AM
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I bled some water from the relief
Why? nobody said anything about bleeding water out of the boiler.

you want us to help you? TAKE THE PICTURES!
 
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Old 12-15-10, 05:44 AM
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PLEASE HELP ME!I was ale to refill the Boiler with the quick fill regulator,but I cant seem to get it past 10psi,didnt you say it should be atleast 12psi ?I still have no heat upstairs &its been cold outside 14degrees please help me,I do know basically how this system works&would not jeopardize my familys safety,sorry,but I really dont have time to send pictures,Im just trying to get heat back in the house,I really appreciate all of your time,Thank you!
 
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Old 12-15-10, 07:44 AM
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What do you want me (or anyone else) to do, hop a plane and fly across the country? To drive to your home and then fix whatever your problem is and then leave? If you can't take the few minutes to shoot some pictures and upload them why should anyone take the time to write out every little step that might possibly be needed to try to repair your system?

It's been ten days since your first post, you could have put up the pictures in the beginning.
 
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Old 12-15-10, 10:07 AM
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Mr. Furd,You dont have to get cocky about it,Im just asking for a little help that we all need at times,if u cant help me maybe theres another person who can!Can anyone else help me get some heat to my bedrooms&batht its very cold out 14degrees please!!Thank you!
 
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Old 12-15-10, 10:33 AM
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Without being able to SEE what it is you are working with makes it almost impossible to help from a distance... you want us to help you? TAKE THE PICTURES!
 
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Old 12-15-10, 11:50 AM
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Hey Trooper,I dont have a camera &dont think Santas going to bring me one atleast not until ChristmasHA!HA! but I have been good though!Im thinking that we may have air in the system& I only found 2 airbleeders next to the boiler &they have a steady flow of water to them,&there are no air bleeders anywhere else upstairs!I hope that we can find a solution somehow.Thank u!
 
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Old 12-15-10, 02:54 PM
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Jim, I really would like to help you... but how can I tell you what to do if I can't see your boiler system? They are all different... just like fingerprints and DNA ... no two alike ...

Do you know anyone that has a camera?
 
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Old 12-15-10, 06:24 PM
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I have the pictures but i cannot figure out how to attach them to a message on here. it does not give me an attach file option please tell me how thanks


NEVERMIND Found it
 
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Old 12-15-10, 06:48 PM
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Pictures by Jimfh - Photobucket thats the link for the pics thanks alot.
p.s. I can get heatflow to the upstairs valve but there is no flow to the air bleeder above it
 
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Old 12-16-10, 12:25 PM
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Hey Trooper!I didnt realize that my son had a camera on his cellphone to upload the pictures he knows a lot more about computers than I do ,dont know how I would have done it without him!Have u been able to look at the pictures?Please let me know,what u find!Thank u,Jim
 
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Old 12-16-10, 05:02 PM
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Jim, that's a start... I can't see nuthin' on that pic of the gauge...

The close up shots are ok I guess, but in order to see how it's all connected, I need to have at least one shot of the whole thing.

If you lift that fast fill and you can't get the pressure over 10 PSI, then there is something wrong with the valve. OR, it could be that your gauge has bit the dust...

I can't see where in relation to the rest of the piping that the water actually feeds into the boiler. This needs to be known...

I THINK that you should be able to hook a hose to the drain valve ahead of the second floor zone... OPEN that drain valve, and LIFT the fast fill lever to force water at a higher speed through the zone to flush the air that is now stuck there.

BUT, there are so many BUTTS to this whole thing...

1. Those drain valves will probably leak once you close them.

2. Your pressure reducing valve is apparently not working.

3. It's highly doubtful that your expansion tank is properly charged, so even if you ARE able to get pressure into the system, the PRESSURE RELIEF valve will probably SPEW.
 
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Old 12-16-10, 05:03 PM
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This is one of those situations that if you go messing with it, you will likely have a BIGGER problem on your hands... and we may not be able to help you with that!
 
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Old 12-16-10, 05:53 PM
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trooper take a look my son uploaded a better pic of the gauge and a pic of the whole system Pictures by Jimfh - Photobucket
 
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Old 12-16-10, 06:14 PM
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That gauge is showing about 8 psi so you definitely need to add water and raise the pressure. I don't even want to get started on how many things I see incorrectly installed in that overall picture.
 
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Old 12-16-10, 06:48 PM
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Yeah... me too... Jim, my previous messages I think have given you some information that you can use. Re-read them and I think you should be able to get the heat back upstairs...

Me personally, I would slap a red tag on it and walk away. I'm sorry to hand you such a tough pill to swallow, but I don't want to be liable for anything that happens.

That GAS PIPING! OMG!
 
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Old 12-16-10, 08:01 PM
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I aded weater now I have 15#pressure&heat in the up stairs,what dont u like about the installation? Its probably atleast 19 yr plus old&Ive lived here since 93,1st problem that weve had. Let me know! Thank u!
 
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Old 12-16-10, 08:19 PM
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My main freak out is the gas piping... it's just wrong... and probably dangerous to some extent.

The system looks like it GREW there... there is no rhyme or reason to it at all... no intelligent design... seriously, like someone planted a 'boiler weed seed', and it sprouted and pipes started growing out of it in all directions... it is just so convoluted that I can tell which pipe is which!

God Bless ya that it's been working all these years. I wish ya 19 more!
 
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Old 12-17-10, 04:54 AM
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Trooper,I know what u mean,butI didnt install it God Bless you&have a Merry Christmas!Thanks for all of your help!Jim
 
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Old 02-24-11, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by jimfh
trooper take a look my son uploaded a better pic of the gauge and a pic of the whole system Pictures by Jimfh - Photobucket
Hi Trooper!Im having circulating problems again ,but a diiferent type Ive lost all the heat to the basement&partial heat to the 1sr flr,I have 15 psi on my gauge,is it possiible that I coud have 2 bad zonevalves out of 3? Thank u!
 
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Old 02-24-11, 04:37 PM
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is it possiible that I coud have 2 bad zonevalves out of 3
Anything is possible!

What is not 'probable' though is that it's a pressure problem. Even if your gauge is not accurate, and even if there isn't enough pressure, the basement zone should still get heat, being the lowest zone.

If the two upstairs t'stats are turned all the way down, and you turn the basement t'stat up to call for heat, does the boiler fire up normally ? or does it just sit there and look at you and say... "yeah, so what are you lookin' at?" ... and then, if you turn the basement t'stat all the way down and raise the 1st floor t'stat to call for heat... what happens then? boiler fire up or no?

If the boiler DOES fire up for either of these scenarios, check to see if the circulator is running or not... feel and listen for vibration of the pump motor... then follow the heat... feel the pipes... start at the boiler and feel if the pipes coming out of the boiler get hot, and where that heat goes.

If the pump IS bad, it's likely that the 2nd floor is getting heat by GRAVITY flow, aka THERMOSIPHON... that's where the more buoyant hot water floats up the pipes, and pushes the cool water back down. Water flows without the pump.

The 1st floor being at less of an elevation difference would get less flow, and the basement none...

So, my bet is that the circ isn't running.

Did you say that you have and know how to use a multimeter?
 
 

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