"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
. net...
Doug Miller wrote:
In article , Speedy Jim
wrote:

Adjust the FillTrol regulator to give the required system pressure
when Cold. This has nothing to do with the air pressure in the
bladder; this adjusts the pressure of city water connection to boiler.


Nope -- you didn't check the link he provided. The FillTrol is expansion
tank and pressure-regulating fill valve in one unit. The air pressure in
the tank bladder is what regulates the system pressure.

Do NOT drain the boiler. Admitting fresh water to the boiler
only results in increased corrosion.


Phooey. He HAS to drain the FillTrol tank, at a minimum -- and since his
problem is that the system isn't full, he can't possibly avoid admitting
fresh water to the system. He doesn't have enough water in it. There is
_no_way_ to fix his problem without admitting fresh water.

In any event, as soon as the oxygen that's in the fresh water is used up,
there won't be any *additional* corrosion. The real big corrosion problem
in hydronic systems comes from the *continual* admission of fresh water
in the case of a slow leak (which is why it's recommended to close the
fill valve once the system's full).


Apologies. I misunderstood what was being said.

Although the instructions state that FillTrol must be
empty, I'll wager that simply pumping the air pressure
higher will admit more water and raise the boiler pressure
without draining any part of the system.

I hope you are right, Jim, I don't want to drain anything. I think that the
simplest way to get an answer as to whether or not the system needs to be
drained is to e-mail the manufacturer. If they are responsible enough to
answer, I will know what to do. If I do have to drain the boiler, I will
come back here for advice. I have modern shutoffs on both sides of the
circulator pump and I have two ancient (I assume original to the system,
75-90 years old) shutoffs that seem like they would insulate the boiler from
the system piping. I'd seek your guidance on what should work. Hope I
don't need to do that.

In any case, it is not much effort to drain the standard expansion tank. I
can shut off the connection between the system and the tank and then drain
the tank and reopen the connection.
--
Peace,
BobJ