GOLD
7a Start-up — preparation
Determine if water treatment is needed
Do not use
resulting in substantial property damage.
Eliminate all system leaks. Continual fresh makeup water will reduce boiler life. Minerals can build up in sections, reduc- ing heat transfer, overheating cast iron, and causing section failure.
Verify water chemistry
Consult local water treatment companies for unusually hard water areas (above 7 grains hardness) or low pH water conditions (below 7.0). Boiler water pH of
7.0 to 8.5 is recommended.
Freeze protection (when used)
Use antifreeze made especially for hydronic systems. Inhibited propylene glycol is recommended.
Do not use ethylene glycol, automotive or undiluted anti- freeze. Severe personal injury or death can result.
1.Determine antifreeze quantity according to system water content. Boiler water content is listed on page 63. Remember to include expansion tank water content.
2.Follow antifreeze manufacturer’s instructions.
3.A 50% solution of propylene glycol/water provides maximum protection to about
4.Local codes may require back flow preventer or actual disconnect from city water supply.
5.When using antifreeze in a system with automatic fill, install a water meter to monitor water makeup. Glycol will leak before the water begins to leak, causing glycol level to drop. Added water will dilute the antifreeze, reducing the freeze protection level.
Check for gas leaks
Before starting the boiler, and during initial operation, smell near the floor and around the boiler for gas odorant or any unusual odor. Do not proceed with
Propane boilers only — Your propane supplier mixes an odorant with the propane to make its presence detectable. In some instances, the odorant can fade and the gas may no longer have an odor.
•Propane gas can accumulate at floor level. Smell near the floor for the gas odorant or any unusual odor. If you suspect a leak, do not attempt to light the pilot.
•Use caution when attempting to light the propane pilot.
This should be done by a qualified service technician, par- ticularly if pilot outages are common.
•Periodically check the odorant level of your gas.
•Inspect boiler and system at least yearly to make sure all gas piping is
•Consult your propane supplier regarding installation of a gas leak detector. There are some products on the market intended for this purpose. Your supplier may be able to suggest an appropriate device.
Fill the system with water
1.Close manual and automatic air vents and boiler drain cock.
2.Fill to correct system pressure. Correct pressure will vary with each application. Typical cold water fill pressure for a residential system is 12 psi.
3.Purge air from system:
a.Connect a hose to the purge valve (see drain valves, item 6, in suggested piping diagrams on pages 17 through 21, Fig- ure 6 through Figure 11). Route hose to an area where water can drain and be seen.
b.Close the boiler or system isolation valve between the purge valve and fill connection to the system.
c.Close zone isolation valves.
d.Open
e.Open purge valve.
f.One zone at a time, open the isolation valves. Allow water to run through the zone, pushing out the air. Run until no noticeable air flow is present. Close the zone isolation valves and proceed with the next zone. Follow this procedure until all zones are purged.
g.Close the
h.After the system has operated for a while, eliminate any residual air by using the manual air vents located throughout the system.
i.If purge valves are not installed in system, open manual air vents in system one at a time, beginning with lowest floor. Close vent when water squirts out.
Repeat with remaining vents.
4.Open automatic air vent
5.Open other vents:
a.Starting on the lowest floor, open air vents one at a time until water squirts out.
b.Repeat with remaining vents.
6.Refill to correct pressure.
Part number
27