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strange boiler sounds continue
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Posted by sunroomguy (My Page) on Fri, Nov 20, 09 at 7:23
| our 25 year old Weil McClain VHE hot water boiler has been making strange sounds and 2 different techs have not been able to determine the problem. it is a three zone/ one pump system. the best i can describe it is a low level clanking/ tapping sound that only occurs 10 to 15 seconds after the burner fires- after it reaches 180 the burner shuts down and the sound stops with the pump still running. it appears to be coming from the boiler and resonates thru the pipes. the system has a new pressure tank, auto fill valve, air purge valve and pump impeller. it operates at 13 psi. we have bleed the baseboard units and do not belive it is air in the lines. weil mcclain says the problem might be a build up of sediment and mineral deposits inside the boiler which could be cleaned out with a muratic solution. has anyone else had the problem and successfully tried the solution? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: strange boiler sounds continue
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| I assume that the water temp is above the low limit, there is a call for heat, the circulator starts, then the burner kicks in, and then you hear the noise. If you had said the noise continues, I would say you have the normal noise of flo-control valves. A buildup of scale can cause a popping type noise and that may be exactly the problem. |
RE: strange boiler sounds continue
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my old vhe does the same thing. It is a buildup inside the boiler. Mine has been making this noise for several years, and since i am a boiler man, one of these days i will boil it out.
You don't want to let it get too bad, if the buildup get too
heavy it will be firing on dry cast iron and that can crack a cast iron section. paulbm |
RE: strange boiler sounds continue
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| i installed the system originally and have used muratic often in the past so i am compfortable in trying this cleaning process. is this buildup typically sitting at the bottom of the cast boiler? is one or two acid applications needed? i'm told the 6% solution will bubble up when working and must be drained when this stops. realisticlly, can any damage occur to the system during this process? do you have any other words of wisdom before i start? thanx for your replies. |
RE: strange boiler sounds continue
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| I would suspect that IF there is a buildup, it would be in the high part of the flame area, up top. |
RE: strange boiler sounds continue
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The lime build up would be laying in the bottom of the boiler sections, that why if it builds too much the casting at the bottom will crack. There is one other thing that can make a boiler make this noise. Depending on the size of the boiler you have to pump the right amount of water through the boiler.
If your water flow has slowed down you could be flashing off steam in the hot spots in side the boiler. Some times this can happen if you have zone values and only one zone is open, you don't get enough water flow through the boiler.
I would not use muriatic in that boiler. Check with the suppliers to see what they sell to remove lime in a boiler that has neoprene gaskets between the sections. later paul |
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