P-WGO-6 Weil Mclain relief valve leaking


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Old 08-20-19, 08:28 PM
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P-WGO-6 Weil Mclain relief valve leaking

Hi, I am hoping someone can suggest. Our boiler is just over 20 years old. The relief valve recently started leaking. I can pick up a replacement valve. What is required to replace?


I am also curious how efficient this boiler is at 20 years old. Has the technology changed much? How long should I expect this one to last?
 
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Old 08-21-19, 09:33 AM
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What is the pressure of the system? Sometimes relief valves leak because the boiler is over-pressurizing due to some other issue.

To replace the relief valve, you will need to either (1) isolate the boiler from the system piping by shutting off isolation valves, if they exist, or (2) you will need to drain the water from the system. If you have to drain the system you will need to refill it after the repair and then purge the air out.

It looks like you have an Amtrol "indirect" hot water tank which uses hot boiler water to heat up the domestic hot water used in the home. That might make things a little trickier regarding draining, refilling and purging the system.

More pics of the near-boiler piping , including the piping that connects the boiler to the Amtrol tank, would help to determine what needs to be done.

If the boiler is doing it's job and not leaking, then leave it alone. Replacing it merely for the sake of "new technology" would not be cost-effective, IMO.
 
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Old 08-21-19, 01:26 PM
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On hydronic boiler systems designed to provide heat with 140F to 180F water not much has changed. There is no established life for this type of boiler.

My Weil-McLain is 60 years old and a lot easier to clean and keep efficiency up than Novice134 in picture. A downside of newer boilers is they are harder to clean.

Because of added insulation, new windows, etc. most boilers are over sized. Using smaller $5 nozzle can increase efficiency while still providing desired heat at coldest design temperature.

To improve efficiency newer boilers like yours come with Out-door-reset "ODR" and electric stack damper/vent "OVD". They can easily be added on and fuel savings provide quick pay back. If you ever buy a new boiler they can be reused.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Tekmar-2...iler-4150000-p

https://www.supplyhouse.com/sh/contr...il+vent+damper
 
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Old 08-21-19, 05:59 PM
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Thanks for the replies. After I posted this I noticed the sticky post on leaking relief valves. https://www.doityourself.com/forum/b...sion-tank.html

It was very helpful.
I added a wider view of the boiler.

I will read up on the efficiency devises suggested by doughess.
 
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Old 08-21-19, 07:58 PM
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I can see the pressure/temperature gauge mounted on the boiler in the pic above, but I can't read the numbers on it. What is the system pressure?

The boiler system expansion tank (smaller gray tank on right) looks like it's been leaking for a while. A failing expansion tank could allow for system over-pressurization causing the relief valve to discharge.

It appears that you may indeed have some boiler isolation valves... there is one after the circulator on the boiler supply side (yellow handle, far right in pic), and then another one on the boiler return side (yellow handle, on the vertical black pipe, in front of the Amtrol tank in pic). But to drain the boiler and replace the relief valve, you will also need to isolate the pressure reducing/fill valve from the system, which is piped into the horizontal pipe coming out of the top of the expansion tank....I don't see a valve for that in the pic.

As for the pressure reducing/fill valve, if it is failing, than that too could cause system over-pressurization, and thus a leaky relief valve.
 

Last edited by Rockledge; 08-21-19 at 08:22 PM.
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Old 08-22-19, 07:45 AM
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Two things make boiler service and clean-out easier for the DIYer:

1. Lengthen electrical BX cable to Beckett burner so you do not have to disconnect to remove or to open door.

2.Install flexible oil line hose so burner can be removed or door opened without having to disconnect oil line.
MITCO P131-18M 24” LONG 1/4” npt MALE x 1/4” NPT MALE
http://www.mitcomfg.com/catalog/mitcofull24.htm

https://www.globalindustrial.com/sea...tors-both-ends

On a cold winter night if oil nozzle clogs or whatever, it is as lot easier and faster to service burner.
 

Last edited by doughess; 08-22-19 at 08:23 AM.
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Old 08-22-19, 06:51 PM
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Rockledge, The leakage on the pressure reducing tank is from 2012. Pretty sure we dealt with that back then. There is a valve just above the tank.

It looks like the pressure is about 10/12 PSI

doughess, thanks for the suggestions. I will take a look.
 
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Old 08-23-19, 07:47 PM
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A third technology up grade for old boilers is modern burner primary $50 controller with digital display of status and history that makes diagnostics easier. It also has alarm feature, that upon failure to fire or lockout, can set off alarm long before occupants would wake to a cold house.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.supplyho...s/R7284Bro.pdf
https://carlincombustion.com/gas-oil...imary-control/

While these are universal replacements for most old dumb R8184x controllers, 3 wire BX cable is needed to main 120 VAC at all times. Third wire is for aquastat activation/burner on off.

Note the Beckett 7505 Genisys controller only has a LED light. For digital display it requires additional Contractor Tool display/control for total cost of $170+.
 
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Old 08-24-19, 04:21 AM
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Due to some craziness around home I wasn't sure when I could get to this so I called in someone. It was just a leaking relief valve and it turns out the pressure gauge wasn't working. When he took off the pressure the gauge was still reading 12lbs. He replaced the valve and was nice enough to put on a used gauge at no charge.

He did give me a tip for checking if the pressure reducing tank had an issue by tapping the top of the tank and the bottom and listening for a difference in sound. If the pressure tank is completely full then the sound wouldn't be different.
Thanks again for the help.
 
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Old 10-30-19, 07:25 PM
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Its happening again!!

The same valve that was replaced in August is leaking again, very fast dripping so it is filling a large pot in 4 or 5 hours. The service guy came today and took a look but couldn't figure out what the problem was. He shut off the valve that lets in fresh water and let off some of the pressure. He said if the pressure comes up again then he thinks it would be related to our hot water heater. The pressure has gone up again to 30 lbs and the valve is dripping as fast as before.

I wasn't home but according to my wife he said it might be a pin hole leak. We have an Amtrol 41 gallon WH-7L. He checked the expansion tank by knocking on it and it is empty. It sounds like next step is to replace the hot water heater. Does this make sense?

Thanks
 
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Old 10-31-19, 01:17 PM
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N,
since you have an Amtrol Indirect tank you have coil that goes up through the middle that heats the surrounding potable water. If you get a pinhole in the coil you could be continuously feeding fresh water into the boiler.

You said your expansion tank sounds empty. It should sound solid on top and tinny on bottom, if the boiler is hot or cold. If you checked it when cold then run your boiler up to temp and tap it again. If both top and bottom are solid your extrol has either lost it's charge or needs replacing.

You can also feel your feed line coming into the boiler and see if it's constantly cold. If so, even though you have the valve off it could be leaking by.

Hope this helps a little.
 
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Old 10-31-19, 05:12 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions. A different service person came back today and decided it was the expansion tank and replaced it. Certainly less complex than changing out the water heater. We will see if it works. We also determined that when we had our basement finished that the way the door was set to close off the boiler area means that we would have to tear down part of the wall to get the tank out. Unless these tanks can be cut up and there is a smaller footprint replacement. Hoping the new expansion tank does the trick.
 
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Old 11-01-19, 03:16 AM
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the bucket is full again this morning so replacing the expansion tank wasn't the solution. Assuming that it is the water heater, are you aware of alternatives to the Amtrol? possibly same tech but smaller footprint that would fit in the closet? or other tech like on-demand or an electric water heater? we have a small propane tank that we use for the oven. I guess we could swap it out for a larger tank for a gas water heater if that made sense.

thanks
 
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Old 11-01-19, 05:14 PM
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too much pressure?

The service guy came this afternoon and determined it was indeed the water heater. He isolated the system to the point where there should have been no more pressure coming into the system. He relieved the pressure and then opened the valve controlled by the thermostat to the water heater. the pressure started building again. It turns out that the Amtrol water heater that I have has a life time limited warrantee so maybe all I pay for is the install but it is going to take two weeks to get a new tank delivered.

What I am worried about is that the pressure is going up to about 30 lbs, the setting of the relief valve. we have this draining to a pump so that part is ok. Will the 30 lbs create an issue somewhere else in the house along the baseboards or in places where we wont see?
I am thinking that I should replace the relief valve with something with a lower pressure trigger, like 15/20 lbs, to keep the overall pressure in the system down. I am not sure if such a valve is available.

let me know what you think.
 
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Old 11-24-19, 07:02 AM
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On Friday we had the Amtrol hot water tank replaced and this has solved the pressure issue. The plumber suggested to replace the relief valve and the hy-vent. I purchased a replacement relief valve and hy-vent but didn't have a picture of the hyvent. The plumbing supply sold me a taco 150psi Italy-240F replacement. The one currently on the boiler is an Amtrol with no specs that I can see. Is it ok to replace the amtrol with the taco? I replaced the relief valve but held off replacing the hy-vent.

Also, do I need to bleed the air out of the system after replacing these parts?
 
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