checking for PH level

[warno]

This sort of stems from the softened water thread that was posted recently. It got me thinking about my water in my system.

I've been curious about the PH level of my boiler and storage water. They are 2 different systems tied with a plate HX. I drew up a sample from each source and brought to work to check the PH. I haven't checked them yet because our meter is getting calibrated but the samples in the bottles look completely different. The boiler water was from my garden hose (hard water) and the storage was from my friends water softener. The boiler has typical nitrate treatment in it from boiler solutions and the storage has no treatment at all. Boiler is open system, storage is closed pressurized.

I did a 3 rinse and 4th draw I saved in each bottle and here's how they look.

So 2 questions

Why would my storage water have the brownish look to it?

And what is a safe PH range to run at?

 

[mustash29]

I recall following your storage install thread as you posted it. Nice setup.

I would say the storage water probably has a bit of corrosion particles in it. Draw a full bottle sample and let it settle for a few days to see if it is suspended solids that settle out or what.

Our trash to energy boilers at work contain various steel & stainless alloys. We run coordinated phosphate control (mono, di & tri sodium PO4) with a pH of 9.8 - 10.2, 15 - 25 ppm PO4, and a conductivity of about 100 umhos in the water side. Make up water is city water via carbon filters, RO unit & anion / cation mixed demin polishing bed.

 

[warno]

I recall following your storage install thread as you posted it. Nice setup.

I would say the storage water probably has a bit of corrosion particles in it. Draw a full bottle sample and let it settle for a few days to see if it is suspended solids that settle out or what.

Our trash to energy boilers at work contain various steel & stainless alloys. We run coordinated phosphate control (mono, di & tri sodium PO4) with a pH of 9.8 - 10.2, 15 - 25 ppm PO4, and a conductivity of about 100 umhos in the water side. Make up water is city water via carbon filters, RO unit & anion / cation mixed demin polishing bed.

The bottle i put my sample in is still sitting on my bench from this morning. I'll look at it tomorrow morning and see if it has settled any to the bottom.

That seems like a pretty advanced treatment system you guys run. To say the least. Lol

Is that PH level pretty common in household boilers too then?

 

[jebatty]

pH of 6.0 - 8.5 is pretty normal for potable drinking water. Usually it's pH below 7.0 that can cause problems with corrosion in boiler water. Additives normally are required to get potable water for a boiler above 8.5.

 

[warno]

pH of 6.0 - 8.5 is pretty normal for potable drinking water. Usually it's pH below 7.0 that can cause problems with corrosion in boiler water. Additives normally are required to get potable water for a boiler above 8.5.

If my pH is way out of range what is best used to raise or lower the levels?

Our meter at work still isn't calibrating right. I guess I'll have to take my samples somewhere else to test. After sitting for a whole day there still doesn't seem to be any settling going on in the storage water sample. Whatever is in there must be pretty tiny to stay suspended.

Here's some pictures i took this morning. The close up is the bottom of the storage sample bottle.

 

[jebatty]

A swimming pool water test kit usually includes pH test paper which probably is good enough.

 

[warno]

Finally got the meter right at work. Here's the storage water sample. How's this look?

I'll get the boiler sample later today.

 

[maple1]

I think I would be happy with that. Quite sure I wouldn't try to raise it - alkali can do damage also I believe. Thinking maybe right around 8 would be ideal, but not sure.

Likely was a no-no, but I filled my system from our pool. It was about time to drain it & put it away for the winter, so I just spent a few days ahead of time cleaning it well & adjusting Ph to around 8, using pool stuff & test kit. I think Ph was pretty close anyway so didn't have to adjust much. Then in it went. Maybe it's been slowly digesting itself inside ever since, I wouldn't really know, but no screens or anything else have been plugging and everything is still transferring heat the same way. I have had to let a little water out of my upstairs zones a couple times to get rid of an airlock, water looked clean in the (dirty) bucket.

 

[warno]

Here's the boiler water.

 

[Bob Rohr]

Ph will be changed if you added any chemicals or additives. Check the tap water you filled with, then look at the data sheet on any chemicals you added, it should give you the acceptable Ph range.

TDS is another good number to check, it's the scaling minerals that you want to keep out, especially if you occasionally add water to the boiler.
TDS shows all the positive and negative ions in the water. Softening water only removes some of the minerals, and can actually raise TDS from the ion exchange process.

https://www.caleffi.com/sites/default/files/coll_attach_file/idronics_18_na.pdf