In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Oil boiler is leaking water intermittently.

Discussion in 'The DIY Room' started by Warner, Mar 7, 2020.

  1. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    First supply store I showed the guy a pic of the valve he gave me a 35psi valve that did not work out well.
     
    brenndatomu likes this.
  2. TurboDiesel

    TurboDiesel

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2013
    Messages:
    16,048
    Likes Received:
    95,626
    Location:
    Hollidaysburg Pa
    Either the system is getting too much water pressure when cold (could be 7-10#) or the bladder tank is bad if the pressure is going over 35 psi
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2020
    Mitch Newton and brenndatomu like this.
  3. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Why would there be a 150 psi valve? That was the original valve in the hot water tank
     
    brenndatomu likes this.
  4. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    With the 35 psi valve water was shooting out of it
     
    brenndatomu likes this.
  5. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Hmm...I'm "speaking out of school" here, but I think that first valve may have been the right one...
     
  6. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Yes, makeup water valve/pressure regulator bad.
     
    TurboDiesel likes this.
  7. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    35 psi?
     
  8. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Different rules/design specs for DHW tanks and "boilers"...
     
  9. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Yeah.
    Although I have only ever seen 30 PSI used.
    Could you read the tag on the old valve?
    You definitely want to have the correct one on there...could get expensive (and even worse, dangerous) having a 150 on a 30 PSI system.
    See if you can find a data tag on the boiler somewhere that says what its rated to run at.
    And look at the makeup water valve/regulator, see what pressure it is...12 PSI is common...that means if the system pressure goes below 12 PSI the valve will open and allow water in.
     
    TurboDiesel likes this.
  10. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    The original valve I replaced was 150 psi it was what was on there since day one
     
    TurboDiesel and brenndatomu like this.
  11. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Make up valve says 12-15 psi
     
    TurboDiesel and brenndatomu like this.
  12. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Hmm...I guess I will have to defer to someone with more expertise than me on this one...but didn't you say the guy that put this system in was a hack?
    I'd still look for a data tag on the boiler...
     
  13. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    My "spidey senses" are telling me that 150PSI is wrong...maybe yooperdave would know something about all this...
     
  14. yooperdave

    yooperdave

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2014
    Messages:
    32,035
    Likes Received:
    194,010
    Location:
    Michigan's U.P.
    Sorry, my boiler experience is next to nothing!

    But, I do know that typical operating domestic boiler pressures are only 12-15 psi.
     
  15. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Yeah the guy was a hack but the system has been operational for 12 years with out issue.
     
    brenndatomu likes this.
  16. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Just got lucky? PRV only does its job when something else goes wrong...
     
  17. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Maybe he put a 150 on it because the makeup water pressure regulator was bad from the beginning?
     
  18. billb3

    billb3

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Messages:
    9,799
    Likes Received:
    50,301
    Location:
    SE Mass
    The hot water at your washing machine or anywhere else for that matter is isolated from the boiler water by a coil in the water tank.
    The hot water is at street pressure 35-50 PSI (or more), your boiler should be much, much lower, closer to 10 0r 15 PSI.
     
    Mitch Newton and brenndatomu like this.
  19. Warner

    Warner

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2017
    Messages:
    6,503
    Likes Received:
    41,178
    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Hmmm...
     
    brenndatomu likes this.
  20. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,438
    Likes Received:
    127,193
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    Do you still have the 35 PSI valve? (even that one is potentially a bit high) If so, you could put it back on and let it leak...then turn off the makeup water...if the leaking stops then the makeup regulator is bad.