Air vent accessories

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in hot water

New Member
Jul 31, 2008
895
SW Missouri
Here are a few add on for air vents. On the left is an anti- vacuum cap. If you have a problem with air re-occuring it may be getting sucked into you system due to a piping problem. This cap allows air out, but not in.

The middle is a hygroscopic safety cap. It replaces the standard cap as a second level of protection. If fluid leaks past the shut off mechanism, this cap has a series of discs that swell within seconds of the fluid touching them, giving you a second protection. Installers commonly install these on air vents locates on equipment above finished ceiling, for example.

The 3rd is a check valve that allows you to remove a vent for service, cleaning, or replacement.

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I have those check valves on both my vents and my expansion tank and they're really awesome. My bleeder has had to be cleaned once or twice and this makes it very simple.

The only thing is I can't seem to find them (they were installed by my plumber in the initial oil install) and I'm not really sure what to call them. The other kicker is my stuff is all Watts which uses 1/2" fittings and not the 1/4" like the more common Taco stuff.

K
 
I'm planning to put on one of these air vents at a high spot in my plumbing. My thinking was I'd put a ball valve in-line with the air vent and then keep the valve open during initial fill and for a few days, until I'm convinced my other scrubbers have all the air out, and then open the ball valve every now and then (months) to assure any trapped air in this high spot is released. That way, my air vent can never leak...and I can remove trapped air over time.

Is there a problem with this? The vent is located in a "local high spot" of the plumbing, but it isn't in a spot which is readily looked into....though accessible.
 
bpirger said:
I'm planning to put on one of these air vents at a high spot in my plumbing. My thinking was I'd put a ball valve in-line with the air vent and then keep the valve open during initial fill and for a few days, until I'm convinced my other scrubbers have all the air out, and then open the ball valve every now and then (months) to assure any trapped air in this high spot is released. That way, my air vent can never leak...and I can remove trapped air over time.

Is there a problem with this? The vent is located in a "local high spot" of the plumbing, but it isn't in a spot which is readily looked into....though accessible.
Click to expand...

I vented all our radiators many years ago and haven't found any air in them to speak of ever since, so I figured for the new system I'd go with 1/8" pipe and valves. Vented all the air during system startup a year ago and checked it a month later and at the beginning of this season and no air has magically appeared.

Here's my high-point central between boiler and the tanks. One is the tank top manifold, another is the boiler to manifold pipe, and two are the system load PEX lines through the ceiling to the house.
 

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ewdudley said:
bpirger said:
I'm planning to put on one of these air vents at a high spot in my plumbing. My thinking was I'd put a ball valve in-line with the air vent and then keep the valve open during initial fill and for a few days, until I'm convinced my other scrubbers have all the air out, and then open the ball valve every now and then (months) to assure any trapped air in this high spot is released. That way, my air vent can never leak...and I can remove trapped air over time.

Is there a problem with this? The vent is located in a "local high spot" of the plumbing, but it isn't in a spot which is readily looked into....though accessible.
Click to expand...

I vented all our radiators many years ago and haven't found any air in them to speak of ever since, so I figured for the new system I'd go with 1/8" pipe and valves. Vented all the air during system startup a year ago and checked it a month later and at the beginning of this season and no air has magically appeared.

Here's my high-point central between boiler and the tanks. One is the tank top manifold, another is the boiler to manifold pipe, and two are the system load PEX lines through the ceiling to the house.
Click to expand...

Most air vents have a cap that will seal them off tight. So you would not need an isolation valve to shut 'er off completely.

You can buy these male x female ball valves, some times called gauge cocks if you want isolation and a good shutoff. Jomar, Webstone, most valve brands have these 1/8" valves.

That cast iron "ramp style" purger that E dub shows really wants to have a vent like show here to operate properly. Notice this vent has a small tab that sticks down into the purger to help catch the air bubbles as the flow moves them thru. It's tough for that air to find that small 1/8" hole to escape, the tab helps grab the bubbles from the fluid stream.

Of course you lose that ability of the tab to do it's job if you put it in a check valve as shown above, or a ball valve. Actually that tab may hit the ball in those small gauge cocks, so watch for that.

I agree that once all the air is purged out, you should not have a re-occuring air problems. Some of the older non barrier radiant tube would allow O2 into systems and after time cause corrosion. Usually the thin steel expansion tanks failed first.

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Ditto on the supplier source.You can't just leave us hanging Hot Rod.
 
in hot water said:
ewdudley said:
bpirger said:
I'm planning to put on one of these air vents at a high spot in my plumbing. My thinking was I'd put a ball valve in-line with the air vent and then keep the valve open during initial fill and for a few days, until I'm convinced my other scrubbers have all the air out, and then open the ball valve every now and then (months) to assure any trapped air in this high spot is released. That way, my air vent can never leak...and I can remove trapped air over time.

Is there a problem with this? The vent is located in a "local high spot" of the plumbing, but it isn't in a spot which is readily looked into....though accessible.
Click to expand...

I vented all our radiators many years ago and haven't found any air in them to speak of ever since, so I figured for the new system I'd go with 1/8" pipe and valves. Vented all the air during system startup a year ago and checked it a month later and at the beginning of this season and no air has magically appeared.

Here's my high-point central between boiler and the tanks. One is the tank top manifold, another is the boiler to manifold pipe, and two are the system load PEX lines through the ceiling to the house.
Click to expand...

Most air vents have a cap that will seal them off tight. So you would not need an isolation valve to shut 'er off completely.
Click to expand...
The question was can you do it with a valve and an air vent. The answer is that you don't even need the air vent, just the valve. In my case the photo was take before the area was enclosed in insulation, so servicing a capped air vent was not an option.

As far as the the air scoop goes, it was all plumbed in before I realized it wasn't even needed, any air would continue to the tank upper manifold.

--ewd
 
Jeff S said:
Ditto on the supplier source.You can't just leave us hanging Hot Rod.
Click to expand...

I don't want to push my luck with product promotion... If you go to caleffi.us you can enter your zipcode and find a supplier, and all the part numbers. There are also some suppliers that sell online if you Google around.
 
OK, so question about auto vents.

I have a Watts FV-4M1 on my Watts AS-B air scoop.

When I started my boiler install the vent that was originally installed worked but then seemed to get stuck. I replaced is with a new one and everything seemed to be fine, I filled my system and I could hear it venting as it worked the water through. I then had to replace my expansion tank (needed a bigger one), again the new vent seemed to be stuck, I took it out, rinsed in out real well, reinstalled and it seemed to be venting again.

Since then I found a small leak in one of my Unions and seem to have picked up a bit of air in my system again (every now and then I can hear the pump gurgle). I plan to fix it this weekend BUT it seems like that blasted vent should be working but it isn't. The pump that I can hear gurgling in sits right under the scoop.

Is it common for these things to get stuck all the time?

K
 
they have a tiny valve and seat, somewhat like a tire stem (schrader valve) So they are very sensitive to dirt. A tiny speck of dirt, debris, teflon tape, you name it, will cause them to seep or plug up. Many installers, myself included have learned expensive lessons by locating an air vent over a boiler, electricial component, relay box, or circuit boards in boilers.

It's not a matter of IF they will drip, but WHEN. Caps with drain tubes and the hygroscopic caps have all been developed to help protect from drip or spray damage.

A good dirt filter or dirt separator can make a huge difference, for all the sensitive components really. Safety relief valves, zone valves, mixing devices all have some sort of disc, orfice, seat, etc that needs to be kept clean of debris. I liken it to a oil or gas filter on your car or truck.

hr
 
That makes sense. I have one of those check valves on my vent so I can take it out and clean it easily. I may have to do that again. That darn union drips maybe 4 or 4 times a day but it's enough to drive me nuts (I'm rather particular).

What about some of the more elaborate air removal devices? I see the Taco 4900 series is suppose to remove air and dirt. The Spirovent just air. Since you can buy 2 or three scoops & vents fro the price of one of these units they must do something pretty well?

K
 
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