Boiler Condensate Neutralizer Question

[Dwassner]

I made my own neutralizer out of 2" pvc, 30" long, tilted upward, so that the condensate needs to fill the entire pipe from the bottom before exiting out the top.

The pvc is filled with crushed marble.

After a few years, I just checked the filter and it still had marble chips in it, but not nearly full.

I'm just wondering how to gauge when the time is to replace the marble. When it's nearly empty? Sooner than that? Will the marble loose its ability to neutralize at some point even if the pipe is full of chips?

Thank you,
Dustin

 

[Breplum]

There is no exact right answer as to how little chips are still effective w/o using test strips and sampling.
Clear neutralizers like this one from Navien is how to easily keep tabs:

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

Chat works also. Change it once or twice year. If you have the room the floor drain is close 5 gallon bucket with lid filled chat bulkhead fitting out the side piped high ,pipe or hose to drain

 

[Jadnashua]

The amount of surface area compared to the flow rate (and the actual incoming pH) will all play into how well the thing will work, so, hard to tell without testing the outlet's pH. Dwell time compared to surface area will determine. Low volume, low surface area could work, to get the same results with a higher volume would require either more surface area, or more dwell time.