Installed new zone valve, help bleeding?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Hey guys. On well water. Electric water heater, oil heat. I don't see any air bleeders on the system. With the heat off, I got the air bubbles after a bit to disappear. With the heat on, I get a steady set of bubbles about 1/2" size out of the hose. I have the hose in a 5 gallon bucket to see bubbles. Do I bleed with heat on or off? Don't want to drain well dry.

 

[Kaizen]

Heat off manually close all but one zone. Manually open the water inlet. With a hose to drain someplace let it run for a minute. Close that zone and open next. Continue till all are done. DO NOT let the water pressure build up with no zone open. Close the manual lever on the water feed. Note this is not a shut off valve. It allows water through if pressure is low.
The system should have a air bleeder near the furnace. Usually round silver about four inches tall.


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[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Heat off manually close all but one zone. Manually open the water inlet. With a hose to drain someplace let it run for a minute. Close that zone and open next. Continue till all are done. DO NOT let the water pressure build up with no zone open. Close the manual lever on the water feed. Note this is not a shut off valve. It allows water through if pressure is low.
The system should have a air bleeder near the furnace. Usually round silver about four inches tall.


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Is the air bleeder automatic or do I need to do it? Is it tin colored about the size of a shot glass with a Schrader valve on top? When you say close, is this the black rocker switch on the side of the taco valve?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

This is the valve I just installed. Don't make fun of my soldering skills, they held!

 

[fitter30]

Do you have radiators or fin tubes? Air bleeding works better with pump and boiler off and at the highest points of the system. Take some pic of your boiler,pump and expansion tank.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Baseboard heat.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

This is what the pressure gauge is at right now. (Cold)

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Here's another question for you. When I turn the manual switch on the side of the zone valve head on the upstairs zone, the boiler comes on. Doing the same for the downstairs zone doesn't cause it to turn on. Why is that? The heat does turn on and off now downstairs after replacing the valve. Before, it would not return closed all the way so when upstairs heat was on, it would circulate basement too.

 

[Kaizen]

Is the air bleeder automatic or do I need to do it? Is it tin colored about the size of a shot glass with a Schrader valve on top? When you say close, is this the black rocker switch on the side of the taco valve?

Yes that is it and it is automatic. When the water flows any air bubbles are at the top of the pipe in theory and are collected and expelled out that. It has a cap but not a Schaefer valve to my memory. This is a wear item so every five years or so it rusts shut.
There is a Schaefer valve in the expansion tank. Don’t touch it.
Yes moving the arm on the zone valve opens and closes it. So if one fails you can open it till replaced.
Also if you have enough shut offs you can use those to segment and bleed system.
Water pressure is fine. If it gets to high the pressure valve will open and flood which is why I said keep an eye on it. Normally 30 psi I believe. So your auto fill will open if less then 12 psi and the pressure relief keeps it from blowing up.
The furnace should not come in if it’s up to temp. If it’s not getting called it just sits. If one zone is not doing that then it’s miswired and possibly not connected to the control box on furnace. Careful lots of volts in there.


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[Kaizen]

Here's another question for you. When I turn the manual switch on the side of the zone valve head on the upstairs zone, the boiler comes on. Doing the same for the downstairs zone doesn't cause it to turn on. Why is that? The heat does turn on and off now downstairs after replacing the valve. Before, it would not return closed all the way so when upstairs heat was on, it would circulate basement too.

Misread your question. Possibly wire making contact by accident. Or just a coincidence? It should not do that if wires correctly


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[LS6 Tommy]

Misread your question. Possibly wire making contact by accident. Or just a coincidence? It should not do that if wires correctly.

Yes it should. Zone valves have an end switch that brings on the boiler. When you manually open it, the boiler will fire if the aquastat is not satisfied. The old downstairs zone valve that was not closing all the way was probably not opening all the way either, that's why it didn't bring on the boiler.

Tommy

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Yes it should. Zone valves have an end switch that brings on the boiler. When you manually open it, the boiler will fire if the aquastat is not satisfied. The old downstairs zone valve that was not closing all the way was probably not opening all the way either, that's why it didn't bring on the boiler.

Tommy

But why does the upstairs valve (which functions fine) turn the boiler on when I pull down on the manual switch on the valve but the downstairs valve(one I replaced) both before and after replacement never turned it on. When I flip that switch on the upstairs one with both thermostats off it'll turn the boiler on. But not the downstairs zone. Is this correct? Using the thermostats both up and down, it'll command the boiler on so I'd assume wiring is correct from thermostats?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

But why does the upstairs valve (which functions fine) turn the boiler on when I pull down on the manual switch on the valve but the downstairs valve(one I replaced) both before and after replacement never turned it on. When I flip that switch on the upstairs one with both thermostats off it'll turn the boiler on. But not the downstairs zone. Is this correct? Using the thermostats both up and down, it'll command the boiler on so I'd assume wiring is correct from thermostats?

I'm sorry, you posted before I had a chance to correct myself. I realized I explained that all wrong. The zone valve end switch turns brings on the circulating pump, then the boiler fires when the aquastat calls. The boiler doesn't come on immediately. Kaizen is right, sounds like something is not wired correctly.

Sorry, Kaizen. Been a long day.

Tommy

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I'm sorry, you posted before I had a chance to correct myself. I realized I explained that all wrong. The zone valve end switch turns brings on the circulating pump, then the boiler fires when the aquastat calls. The boiler doesn't come on immediately. Kaizen is right, sounds like something is not wired correctly.



Sorry, Kaizen. Been a long day.



Tommy

Wired wrong on the one that brings it on or the one that doesn't? I wired it exactly how the other one was. If so, how do I go about sorting it out?

 

[johnnyradiant]

The auto bleeder in theory is automatic as Kaizen stated but often with a setup like yours you will likely have bubbles scoot right on by the tee leading to the bleeder.

 

[Kaizen]

Wired wrong on the one that brings it on or the one that doesn't? I wired it exactly how the other one was. If so, how do I go about sorting it out?

Is there a box where the wires from the zone valves go that is not on the boiler itself?
Google taco zone control box. I think hd carries a three zone unit. Pricey but makes wiring them easier. One of the wires from one of this valves most likely is attached to the box in the boiler and the other one is not. Honestly might be easier to take it apart and rewire it. What you are describing should not happen.


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[Kaizen]

. Kaizen is right.



Tommy

I will resist putting that in my signature
[emoji38] [emoji38]


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[LS6 Tommy]

Wired wrong on the one that brings it on or the one that doesn't? I wired it exactly how the other one was. If so, how do I go about sorting it out?

If when you manually open the valve the pump and boiler never comes on at all or if the boiler comes on immediately, something is wrong.

The sequence of operation should be:

Thermostat in space calls for heat/you manually open zone valve.
End switch makes.
Pump starts.
Water temperature drops and then aquastat brings on boiler.

In your situation, since the stats in the spaces both make everything run properly, I'm wondering if it was just coincidence that when you opened the valve manually the boiler didn't come on because the aquastat was satisfied. Did you get heat in the space when you did that?

Tommy

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Yes, I turned the lever down on both valves (at different times) and both went over a minute and nothing happened. Boiler didn't turn in or anything. Fluke?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I forgot to post these... if they help. Both zone valves both wired the same. And the mess of wires.

 

[Kaizen]

Like I said sometimes best to just start from scratch with wiring. Use a four wire zip tied to pipe. Watch this and compare to what you have.

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