Hi. I had to reroute the supply feed for my boiler. On the line is a shutoff, a pressure reducer valve, what looks like a pressure relief valve and another shut-off. The manual for the boiler has all these parts except there is a check valve in the place of the pressure relief valve. Should I swap out the pressure relief for the check valve like the manual has it or should I just add the check valve after the first shut off and leave the rest in the order that it was in? Thanks in advance.
boiler supply
- Thread starter jpiazza
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CattleDog
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Jack--
Are you sure it is a pressure relief valve and not a back flow preventer which is also designed to vent water.
I don't know if your boiler is steam or hot water, but for hot water applications many (all?) codes require a back flow preventer in the incoming water line. I don't know the requirements for steam boilers, but I would expect its similar.
If you don't already have a back flow preventer, you may want to consider adding one instead of a simple check valve.
Are you sure it is a pressure relief valve and not a back flow preventer which is also designed to vent water.
I don't know if your boiler is steam or hot water, but for hot water applications many (all?) codes require a back flow preventer in the incoming water line. I don't know the requirements for steam boilers, but I would expect its similar.
If you don't already have a back flow preventer, you may want to consider adding one instead of a simple check valve.
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hj
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The generic drawing shows an engineer's concept of how it goes. He usually doesn't show the relief valve there because he thinks they are always on the boiler itself. He probably doesn't know that the reducing valve has an internal check valve capabilities. Do not eliminate the relief valve unless you replace it elsewhere or there is one on the boiler. You do not need a check valve for the automatic fill side unless your municipality requires it. You do want a check valve on the manual bypass, if you have one, to prevent water loss if the house pressure drops and the manual valve is opened.
The generic drawing shows an engineer's concept of how it goes. He usually doesn't show the relief valve there because he thinks they are always on the boiler itself. He probably doesn't know that the reducing valve has an internal check valve capabilities. Do not eliminate the relief valve unless you replace it elsewhere or there is one on the boiler. You do not need a check valve for the automatic fill side unless your municipality requires it. You do want a check valve on the manual bypass, if you have one, to prevent water loss if the house pressure drops and the manual valve is opened.
hj
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We never used one when I was there.
We never used one when I was there.
Furd
Engineer
The Bell & Gossett combination pressure reducing valve and pressure relief valve assembly is commonly used in closed-loop hydronic systems that have steam-to-water heat exchangers. Most of these are in commercial or industrial installations.
Forty-plus years ago this combination assembly was also commonly used on residential hydronic systems. Sometimes the boiler-mounted safety valve was not installed in the mistaken belief that the B&G relief valve served a similar purpose.
For at least the last thirty years (and probably longer) an ASME steam or BTU rated safety valve has been REQUIRED to be mounted directly on the boiler or with as short a nipple and one ninety as practicable. The addition of the B&G relief valve on such a system is not needed.
Forty-plus years ago this combination assembly was also commonly used on residential hydronic systems. Sometimes the boiler-mounted safety valve was not installed in the mistaken belief that the B&G relief valve served a similar purpose.
For at least the last thirty years (and probably longer) an ASME steam or BTU rated safety valve has been REQUIRED to be mounted directly on the boiler or with as short a nipple and one ninety as practicable. The addition of the B&G relief valve on such a system is not needed.
Furd, That picture is what I have it is just separated by a nipple. I think the pressure reducer was upgraded with the boiler and they kept the old pressure valve which is red and looks older. As I said before there is a relief valve on the boiler itself. So in the end I will be going shut-off, pressure reducer valve and shut-off. Thanks for all the responses.
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