How to drain a boiler

[cableman]

After i installed my geospring hphw heater ive been straightening up some wiring on the boiler while its off for the summer.
Id like to pull the domestic hw coil and install a plate/new gasket and fix a small hole i drilled through a pipe which is temp fixed right now.

So how do i go about draining all this?

Is it possible to solder a drill bit hole or do i have to cut/install slip collar?

 

[kennyp2339]

Turn off supply of water - the 3/4 pine in front of your boiler top right (blue gate valve), install hose to drain (gate valve) located on the boiler bottom right, open both zone valves and put them in manual to keep open. Whole system should drain, refill to 15lbs of pressure, cycle water and drain to remove air build up (pia for some people) turn on and make sure you pressure is between 15-20 lbs, some people think that its to low, boilers are low pressure units.
To pull the coil you don't need to drain the system since there different loops.

 

[cableman]

Ok thanks. The coil is not hooked up any more but is still in boiler, is that section full of water? Theres a gasket and 8 or 8 bolts holdong it in there.

 

[kennyp2339]

Yes, the coil is full of water, lay some towels on the floor to keep the mess down, be gentle taking it out, they can be resold for decent money, its all copper.
You may want to consult your manual 1st, you may have to jump some wires out on the boiler control box to keep a code from calling for heat.

 

[cableman]

I still have to shut supply off to pull coil? Instead of buying the cover plate and new gasket i was gonna cut old one out plug holes and install new gasket, bad idea? I save copper scrap for return.

 

[kennyp2339]

No, you only need to drain / turn off if ur reporting that broken line in the ceiling assuming that it's part of ur heating loop

 

[cableman]

Ok got it and yes its on the heating loop. Can a very small hole be soldered instead of adding collar?
So i should save that dhw coil and sell it? The cover plate and gaskets 60 bucks or so.

 

[kennyp2339]

No, cut out section

 

[cableman]

On the jumping the wires out, i pulled the blue aquastat wire which i read on the net keeps the boiler cycling for hot water. Once i pulled that it no longer came on and should only come on when a thermastat calls for it. Ill find out when i turn heat back on i guess!

 

[kennyp2339]

That should work, unsure what u have under the cover, some systems need to be forced jump out and others just need no wire connection, it's all relative

 

[cableman]

So this coil doesnt sit in this cavity filled with water? I loosend bolts and water started to drip out. Its a peerless wbv3

 

[kennyp2339]

I had a brain fart, I was thinking about the new buderiss boiler I did about a year ago.
Your unit like mine will need to be drained to remove the coil, you will need the covers and gaskets to do the job, you will also want a tube of tru blu sealant to put on any bolts you take out

 

[cableman]

Ok i shut return line and opened lower drain and bleeder valve on output line, got boiler drained and pulled coil.
Would i get more selling coil then a cover plate cost? Or just cut coil off plate and plug holes?

 

[kennyp2339]

That's all up to you, I would call the supply house and ask what a new cool costs for your make boiler, when they tell you the # you'll know what to do

 

[cableman]

156 bucks online for a 5gpm, cover plate is 60. This coil is 18yo along with the boiler

 

[cableman]

This is the one i have!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NVN94JG/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[Dougsey]

I'm wondering why bother to pull the coil, why not just cap off the lines and leave it?

 

[cableman]

I'm wondering why bother to pull the coil, why not just cap off the lines and leave it?

Wanted to change gasket in case the dry rotted one started to leak since i made it a cold start boiler now. I like the clean look of the plate too vs the old cut pipes!

 

[cableman]

Nother question, the gauge on this boiler is a temp/pressure combo, the pressure side never showed any pressure. Is this a bad gauge? Maybe clogged? Not sure how this gauge works...

 

[cableman]

Pretty sure i fixed the pressure gauge, had some black crust clogging the holes on the probe. Cleaned what i could, blew some compressed air and watched the needle move.

 

[cableman]

Is there a way to bleed the air out of the boiler only with out opening up a zone? I repaired the pipe that needed fixing with a buddy and we filled/bled the zones but i have a leaking pressure valve i gotta replace now....

 

[velvetfoot]

Where is this pressure valve?

If the zones aren't involved, why not isolate the zones, make-up water, and anything else connected to the boiler, and use the pressure relief valve to let in air and drain the boiler from the lowest boiler drain valve?

 

[cableman]

Its on the top back left. I can shut main and zone return line, open this valve and once water stops coming out i should be able to remove it. Now if i fill it back up with this valve open does that remove all air in boiler, that i dont know....

 

[velvetfoot]

#1, you didn't get all the air out of the system when you did the zones. In my experience, that's a given, lol.

I would think it'd be close, no? Is the pressure relief valve up a little higher-maybe that could be used as well.

Having a good air separator in the right place makes it nice when the system is started up and things get warm.

 

[cableman]

From what i understand once you use the pressure relief valve they always leak after, guess i wont touch the new one after install. Maybe this valve on top bleeds air out?

Im learning this boiler stuff, my last house was so easy with forced hot air!