Help me troubleshoot please

[DIYMissus]

So we came home after being away for the winter and the in floor heating doesn't seem to be working. Our water literally has more calcium than milk so every connection get fuzzy (. Yes the awesome guys on here got me through a new water softener system ) if the t stat calls for heat the pump hums along but the pipes don't get hot or warm even .

The pipes are shared with a hydronic HVAC upstairs that is working properly.

So I wanted some advice b4 diving in fix it

Thanks again Cynthia

 

[DIYMissus]

 

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[Fitter30]

Is this a open system where well/ city water gets heated for dhw and heat? The pump has to be locked up. Nevervhave seen a cartridge pump leak like yours. There isn't a motor shaft turning a impeller. All those connections looks like leaks. Most are push to connect. Pics of boiler and piping.

 

[DIYMissus]

Thank you so much ! I will do tomorrow it's a propane fueled dedicated heating system boiler is about 5 years old. The original soldiered valves were fuzzy . We had someone come out he acted like they were going to blow any second and we were irresponsible for leaving them so we replaced the worst ones with push connect. 2 years later they are fuzzy again. We are over 2000 gpg TDS really! ( the water isn't drinkable wo RO ) . It's really not leaking as in water on the floor or on your hands

. I suspected it was 20 yr old recirc pump. Is it worth taking the mixing valve apart ? It turns easily so I'm guessing it's OK but start with the simple fix . More pictures coming!

 

[DIYMissus]

Is this a open system where well/ city water gets heated for dhw and heat? The pump has to be locked up. Nevervhave seen a cartridge pump leak like yours. There isn't a motor shaft turning a impeller. All those connections looks like leaks. Most are push to connect. Pics of boiler and piping.

 

[Fitter30]

Don't see a expansion tank ,water makeup reducing valve, air separator. and gauge. Relief valve can't see but it's probably design for a water heat not for heating. Heating would be a 30 lb relief valve. This lp heater isn't for faucets or bathrooms?

 

[DIYMissus]

Sorry forgot this picture . No the lp heater doesn't provide dhw the smaller electric one is for dhw There used to be an oil fueled heater about where the ladder is it was converted to lp by the previous owner.. (it was done by a reputable company and had the appropriate tags )

 

[Fitter30]

Sorry forgot this picture . No the lp heater doesn't provide dhw the smaller electric one is for dhw There used to be an oil fueled heater about where the ladder is it was converted to lp by the previous owner.. (it was done by a reputable company and had the appropriate tags )

Can't make any sense of your piping. Off the heater both line go in another direction. Last pic of the air handler piping disappears behind the duct work along tank along with the expansion tank piping. Haven't seen the make up water. Pump for upstairs where is it and the lines?

 

[DIYMissus]

Its complicated. The up stairs doesn't need a separate pump there's a blower fan like a regular HVAC but the air is heated by being blown over copper pipes and fins hydronic they told me i assume the pump is in the unit.There is a way for make-up water The upstairs is being heated just fine. There is no guage that I can find bc it's a water heater and not a proper boiler maybe I have listed this inthe wrong forum
The downstairs is heated by a radiant in the floor hydronic system . It not work I suspect the recirc pump is toast but
I m. not sure that it couldn't be something else

 

[Fitter30]

Its complicated. The up stairs doesn't need a separate pump there's a blower fan like a regular HVAC but the air is heated by being blown over copper pipes and fins hydronic they told me i assume the pump is in the unit.There is a way for make-up water The upstairs is being heated just fine. There is no guage that I can find bc it's a water heater and not a proper boiler maybe I have listed this inthe wrong forum
The downstairs is heated by a radiant in the floor hydronic system . It not work I suspect the recirc pump is toast but
I m. not sure that it couldn't be something else

There call fan coil units like the one next to the lp heater. There has to be a pipe with a valve or just a valve piped into the system from city water line into the heating system. The lp heater has a relief valve on the heater. Need the info off the tag just take a pic of it. Boiler systems with water temp 100° normal operating pressure is 10-12lbs where city water pressure is 60-80 lbs.

 

[DIYMissus]

Thank you for your patience in the picture the lines to and from the LPWH are white I hope this helps

 

[John Gayewski]

Most likley either your mixing valve is shot (this is the most likley) or there's air in the system. You don't have an air bleeder anywhere on the floor heat piping that I can see so if someone were to loosen the union on the mixing valve a little to see if any air comes out then that would be a way to check for air. But it's probably the mixing valve.

 

[DIYMissus]

I was adjusting it yesterday and a few drops of water came out so probably not air I like that fix a lot better then the recirc pump

 

[Fitter30]

Thank you for your patience in the picture the lines to and from the LPWH are white I hope this helps

Water heater more than likely has a 150 lb relief standard relief valve for water heater. Trade the cold inlet of the electric water heater see where the line ties into heating system take a pic and any valves.

 

[DIYMissus]

As i told you The electric hot water heater doesn't tie into the heating system at all. It's for DHW only so there's no tie in to take a picture of . There's no lack of hot water to the heating system it's just not getting to the under floor pipes. Can you explain how to tell if the mixing vavle is bad or the recirc pump is broke?

 

[Fitter30]

As i told you The electric hot water heater doesn't tie into the heating system at all. It's for DHW only so there's no tie in to take a picture of . There's no lack of hot water to the heating system it's just not getting to the under floor pipes. Can you explain how to tell if the mixing vavle is bad or the recirc pump is broke?

Trace the cold water line from the electric heater to the heating piping . Some how there has to be away to fill the heating and system. Piping room temp and pump motor? Heating water heater the piping leaves the heater lines go over by the electric heater next to rafters and go though the wall. Have no idea if the two pipes above the ladder coming down from the floor are the heating pipes or what's behind the duct work.

 

[John Gayewski]

https://www.amazon.com/Rotation-Tester-Detector-Circulating-Pumps/dp/B00VV6CLPO/ref=asc_df_B00VV6CLPO?mcid=67470d5a4fe232f389eda74aaf318f57&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693128046680&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11543807790015994924&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9053979&hvtargid=pla-350120542041&psc=1

 

[John Gayewski]

If you buy one of those (in the previous post) you can hold it at the center of your pump motor and it should spin if the pump motor is spinning. But it isn't a great test because it doesn't tell you if the impeller is moving. The only way to tell if a pump is working to to detect temperature change before and after you start the pump, or you can take the pump apart and see if it works when powered up. Your installer did a bad job of piping your system and didn't install isolation valves on both sides of the pump.

Buy a new pump with isolation valves and a new mixing valve. Replace both and be done.

 

[DIYMissus]

Trace the cold water line from the electric heater to the heating piping . Some how there has to be away to fill the heating and system. Piping room temp and pump motor? Heating water heater the piping leaves the heater lines go over by the electric heater next to rafters and go though the wall. Have no idea if the two pipes above the ladder coming down from the floor are the heating pipes or what's behind the duct work.

The cold water line goes directly from the main water line to the electric DHW it doesn't branch or anything . I showed you where LPWH was was receiving water from and explained which pipes were going where. I showed you the supply and return lines from the LPWH I can't explain any better.

 

[DIYMissus]

If you buy one of those (in the previous post) you can hold it at the center of your pump motor and it should spin if the pump motor is spinning. But it isn't a great test because it doesn't tell you if the impeller is moving. The only way to tell if a pump is working to to detect temperature change before and after you start the pump, or you can take the pump apart and see if it works when powered up. Your installer did a bad job of piping your system and didn't install isolation valves on both sides of the pump.

Buy a new pump with isolation valves and a new mixing valve. Replace both and be done.

That thing is cool! I'll get one! thank you. The pump motor gets warm after running for a while I can hear it and feel the vibes. It is what it is I can use the shut offs in place to isolate the radiant heat section that will have to do for now. I think you're right trying to figure it out is giving me a headache I may try taking the pump apart and see if I can free it. Thanks Cynthia