Terence McCann Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Hydronic boiler retrofit with no city water pressure reducing valve present, just a ball valve. What is the code or common pratice regarding this? I've always thought that a pressure reducing valve was mandtory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghentjr Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 If there is no feed valve the city pressure (90 psi) will blow out the pressure valve in an instant. There must be a valve you have not identified. Check for a brass valve on the expansion tank. A hydronic boiler only needs enough pressure to get the water up to the highest section of radiation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 A pressure reduction valve IS mandatory. Street pressure (in my locale) is typically between 60 and 80 psi. The boiler should be fed at roughly 12 psi. Without a pressure reduction valve, the boiler's pressure relief valve would pop whenever the boiler was filled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Lewis Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Hydronic boiler retrofit with no city water pressure reducing valve present, just a ball valve. Sounds like there is a shut off valve there. I hope there's at least a low water cutoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Sorry, should have been more clear. There is a ball valve on the city water line so you can fill the boiler to 12# - just thought a pressure reducing valve should have been there as well. From my Google searches it would appear that it is not mandatory to install a PRV but is common practice type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghentjr Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Sorry, should have been more clear. There is a ball valve on the city water line so you can fill the boiler to 12# - just thought a pressure reducing valve should have been there as well. From my Google searches it would appear that it is not mandatory to install a PRV but is common practice type of thing. http://www.pexsupply.com/Expansion-Tanks-353000 This site shows an amtrol expansion tank, (right side bottom picture) with an auto water feed valve. Did you see something like this??? A ball valve feed from street pressure will not work on a hot water boiler but would be usually found on an oldertimey steam boiler with a site glass, so you could see how much water you were putting in. To try to finesse the pressure to 12 with a ball valve would be very hinkey. Also, most hot water boilers in this area do not have a low water cutoff, which would be found on a steam boiler. If the boiler feed fails and there is insufficient water then the water would overheat and the hi temp setting would shut it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I looked all day in code class and never found it to be a requirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Lewis Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 A ball valve feed from street pressure will not work on a hot water boiler Also, most hot water boilers in this area do not have a low water cutoff, which would be found on a steam boiler. John, Why wouldn't a ball valve feed work on a hot water boiler? Open it up ocasionally and put a little water in. Low water cutoff is now required for hot water boilers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghentjr Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 A ball valve feed from street pressure will not work on a hot water boiler Also, most hot water boilers in this area do not have a low water cutoff, which would be found on a steam boiler. John, Why wouldn't a ball valve feed work on a hot water boiler? Open it up ocasionally and put a little water in. Low water cutoff is now required for hot water boilers. Well, I find it hard to believe one could keep a 12lb pressure on a boiler with a ball valve that has 70 to 90lbs of pressure when it is opened. I guess if you don't have the money to install a proper feed then you could do it if you visited the boiler frequently. Did not know LWC"s were required now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 In New Jersey, it was inserted in the 2006 IRC M2002.5 Boiler Low water cutoff. All steam and hot water boilers shall be protected with a low water cutoff control..... Boy, that Neal is on top of everything!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 A ball valve feed from street pressure will not work on a hot water boiler Also, most hot water boilers in this area do not have a low water cutoff, which would be found on a steam boiler. John, Why wouldn't a ball valve feed work on a hot water boiler? Open it up ocasionally and put a little water in. Low water cutoff is now required for hot water boilers. Well, I find it hard to believe one could keep a 12lb pressure on a boiler with a ball valve that has 70 to 90lbs of pressure when it is opened. I guess if you don't have the money to install a proper feed then you could do it if you visited the boiler frequently. Did not know LWC"s were required now. Once the boiler fills to 12# very little attention to makeup water is needed. If you have to keep adding water to the boiler you've got a leak somewhere. This is for hot water/hydronic system boilers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 True enough, but boiler drain cocks leak frequently, pressure relief valves open occasionally, and backflow preventers open from time to time. Not to mention the fact that radiators should be bled every so often. A pressure reduction valve is a no brainer around here. They may not be required by code, but then, neither is a circulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Lewis Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Originally posted by Darren Boy, that Neal is on top of everything!! [/quote OK, what happened. Did I inspect that stucco house previously?![:-paperba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Can't we take a compliment? By the way, did you get thoses storms yesterday AM? My house got hit with lighting; lost my fax/scanner; coffee maker, garage door opener, am older 35 " TV (mine for watching the games), a 42" Plasma and a 32" HD. My wife was sitting at the kitchen counter whn it hit; the sparks came shooting out of the now burnt GFCI. Lost cable, phone and internet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Boy, that Neal is on top of everything!! Huh, I won't be impressed unless/until he proves to me he's been on top of Angelina Jolie. [] OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 True enough, but boiler drain cocks leak frequently, pressure relief valves open occasionally, and backflow preventers open from time to time. Not to mention the fact that radiators should be bled every so often. A pressure reduction valve is a no brainer around here. They may not be required by code, but then, neither is a circulator. Absolutely - no argument here. I told the client that the installer took the skinny on the entire installation. Like I said, I can't remember ever seeing a h/w boiler without a PRV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Can't we take a compliment? By the way, did you get thoses storms yesterday AM? My house got hit with lighting; lost my fax/scanner; coffee maker, garage door opener, am older 35 " TV (mine for watching the games), a 42" Plasma and a 32" HD. My wife was sitting at the kitchen counter whn it hit; the sparks came shooting out of the now burnt GFCI. Lost cable, phone and internet Wow, hope everyone is OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Lewis Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Darren, hope you have a good insurance company. Yeah, incredibly black sky with the storm; not too much lightning over here. Mike, I'll get to work on that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Bad post; Never mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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