Heating circuit-can anyone identify this leaking valve pls?

[RichardLKent]

Hi,
This valve is sitting on the old gravity feed heating circuit; now fully pumped, and its weeping approx 1 drip / second when the pump is running.

//www.diynot.com/network/RichardLKent/albums/7452/29364

Can you help me identify what it is?
It almost looks like some type of automatic bleed valve with the holes around it & the drip seems to come from those holes rather than the valve joint itself.


I'm not at the solution point yet - just trying to identify the problem...

Happy to accept solutions too though


Many thanks in advance.

Regards;

 

[Agile]

Its an old pressure relief valve which was used when it had a coal boiler.

You could remove it on an open vented system as long as your vent/feed pipes in the loft dont freeze up! They are no longer fitted.

Tony

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Its a safety valve, designed to release pressure in the event of thermostat failure, and prevent possible boiler explosion. I would think it should be ok to remove and cap off, but I'd wait for a second opinion to make sure.

 

[heatingman]

its an old style pressure release valve, and its knackered. the easiest thing is remove and fit a plug. a system drain down or other method will be required.

 

[RichardLKent]

Great ! - thanks for the quick responses.

Makes sense, the new system is pumped now, S plan, with a new bypass & still open vented system.

Presumably theres slightly more pressure running around the system now and this valve is seeing more pressure than it used too.


Should it adjust then? (i.e. I fully realise its probably ceized) but the knurled end would it adjust to release pressure only at a certain point do you think?


Seems the long term solution is to have it removed and capped off.

 

[spraggo]

It is a spring safety relief valve that used to be fitted as standard on old solid fuel boiler circuits, they are now obsolete. You will need to remove it and fit a 3/4 brass plug in it`s place if it is leaking.

spraggo

 

[doitall]

It is a spring safety relief valve that used to be fitted as standard on old solid fuel boiler circuits, they are now obsolete. You will need to remove it and fit a 3/4 brass plug in it`s place if it is leaking.

spraggo

Obsolete my ass, you can still them from merchants such as BSS and Pipeline.

You buy them for different pressures (springs are colored) as well as different bsp thread sizes.

 

[spraggo]

It is a spring safety relief valve that used to be fitted as standard on old solid fuel boiler circuits, they are now obsolete. You will need to remove it and fit a 3/4 brass plug in it`s place if it is leaking.

spraggo

Obsolete my ass, you can still them from merchants such as BSS and Pipeline.

You buy them for different pressures (springs are colored) as well as different bsp thread sizes.

Go on then and waste your money. Happy New Year.

 

[doitall]

How do you work out it's a waste of money, depending on the boiler it could save your life.

Yes, some old boilers insisted on a safety valve, not just solid fuel boilers.

 

[doitall]

The Potterton Kingfisher in this thread for example.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=255469


Safety Valve
A non-adjustable spring-loaded safety valve, preset to operate
at 3 bar (45lbf/in²) shall be used. It must comply with BS 6759:
Pt 1. and include a manual testing device. It shall be
positioned in the flow pipe either horizontally or vertically
upwards and close to the boiler. No shut-off valves are to be
placed between the boiler and the safety valve. The valve
should be installed into a discharge pipe which permits the
safe discharge of steam and hot water such that no hazard to
persons or damage to electrical components is caused.

 

[RichardLKent]

Yup - Kingfisher was in residence until 4 months ago... and the old pipework left behind to avoid pulling the house apart to upgrade the boiler.

In a good spot for 'no hazzard' ... just drips into some MDF boxing, swells it up and makes a bl****dy mess .. so no hazard as such - just a hold in the wall now I didn't need.


Seems like the sort of job I'm capable of doing myself, but taking 3-4+ hours - I think I'll invest in a professional's time to cap this thing off now and pay to have it done quickly and with less mess than I could.

 

[doitall]

You could screw the cap on as far as it goes, which put extra tension on the spring, it may work, at least for now anyway.

 

[spraggo]

How do you work out it's a waste of money, depending on the boiler it could save your life.

Yes, some old boilers insisted on a safety valve, not just solid fuel boilers.

With respect dotail these safety valves have been replaced by the PRV as used on all modern sealed systems

 

[doitall]

How do you work out it's a waste of money, depending on the boiler it could save your life.

Yes, some old boilers insisted on a safety valve, not just solid fuel boilers.

With respect dotail these safety valves have been replaced by the PRV as used on all modern sealed systems

Respect is something you earn.

You said they were obsolete, and I'm telling you Nabic and Bailey pressure relief valves are anything but.

The prv on modern boilers is just a cheap rubbish variant of the real thing.

And another thing you were giving the impression you don't need a PRV, and now you saying modern boilers have a PRV.

 

[spraggo]

How do you work out it's a waste of money, depending on the boiler it could save your life.

Yes, some old boilers insisted on a safety valve, not just solid fuel boilers.

With respect dotail these safety valves have been replaced by the PRV as used on all modern sealed systems

Respect is something you earn.

You said they were obsolete, and I'm telling you Nabic and Bailey pressure relief valves are anything but.

The prv on modern boilers is just a cheap rubbish variant of the real thing.

And another thing you were giving the impression you don't need a PRV, and now you saying modern boilers have a PRV.

I do not understand why you are getting agressive, I thought the idea of this forum was to give friendly helpfull advice to the OP. I did not give the impression that you did not need a PRV, I said that the safety valve in question was obsolete or at least as far as BS6759 is concerned, as it states in pt 1, that it must have a manual testing device, which the valve in question does not have, can we be friends now????.