boiler safety valve leaking manufacturer

A common sight in a hydronic boiler room is water dripping from the discharge pipe of the boiler relief valve. While it may appear to be inconsequential, it could cause extensive damage to the heating system.

Some boiler rooms have a bucket under the relief valve discharge pipe to mask the problem. The following are some suggestions if you would like to resolve the problem.

Leaking water from a sealed hydronic system can reduce the life of the system by introducing untreated makeup water containing oxygen and solids to the system. The oxygen can attack and pit the boiler and piping, causing corrosion and leaks.

The solids can affect the efficiency and safety of the system. Solids form scale on the hottest surfaces in the boiler lowering the heat transfer ability and efficiency of the system. A leaking relief valve can allow solids to form on the seat of the relief valve increasing the rate of the leak.

A worse situation occurs when the solids form on the spring side of the relief valve as it could alter the opening pressure. A relief valve was a contributing factor in a fatal boiler accident as scale formed on the relief valve, prohibiting it from opening properly.

The relief valve, rated for 30 psig, was tested after the accident and did not open until the pressure reached 1,500 psig. Diagnosing the cause of the leaking relief valve is time-consuming and sometimes frustrating. I like to explain this to the customer to prepare them when the diagnosis and repair may take more than one visit.

The first thing I check is the system pressure. Most hydronic boilers have a gauge called a tridicator, or PTA (pressure, temperature, altitude) gauge. How much pressure do we need for the system? Each pound of system pressure will raise water 2.3 feet. The way to calculate how much pressure you need is to determine the height of the tallest radiator and divide the height by 2.3.

The next step is to verify the pressure rating of the relief valve. The pressure rating of the relief valve should be at least 10 psig higher than the operating pressure of the system but less than the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of the boiler. Many hydronic boilers are shipped with a 30 psig relief valve from the factory. In this example, the relief valve should be at 40 psig or higher. If the system pressure is 30 psig and the relief valve, rated for 40 psig, is leaking, the relief valve is most likely defective.

Another troubleshooting task I perform is watching the tridicator (or PTA gauge) while the boiler is firing and heating the water. When water is heated from 65° F to 180°, the water volume expands by 3%. If the pressure gauge starts creeping up as the water heats, I would suspect a flooded compression tank or plugged piping to the compression tank.

In some instances, it may take several days for the pressure to build and open the relief valve and these are the most difficult to troubleshoot. The first place I would look is the compression tank. If the tank is flooded, there are a couple of reasons.

The most common causes are leaking gauge glass fittings above the water line of the tank, excessive system pressure, undersized tank, or the tank has a leak above the water line. If the system has been operating correctly for years, I would be hesitant to believe the tank is undersized.

A pinhole leak on top of the tank may be impossible to find and one of the ways to test the integrity of the tank is to valve off the water feeder to the system and check the tank in a few days to see if it flooded. If the tank is flooded, you might have to replace the tank.

Another culprit that can cause the pressure to rise and open the relief valve is if the boiler has an indirect water which uses the boiler water to heat the domestic water using a water to water heat exchanger. A leaking heat exchanger could allow the higher city water pressure to enter the space heating side and increase the system pressure. To test this idea, shut the valves from the domestic water side and see if the pressure still rises.

The last item to check is the pressure-reducing valve (PRV). This is a brass valve with an adjustment screw. Some models have a quick-fill feature, which allows you to pull a lever and quickly fill the system. A stethoscope is sometimes used to trouble shoot the PRV to detect if water is leaking through the valve.

Another way to test for leaking is to feel the downstream pipe and see if it is cold. In many instances, the water is fed slowly and difficult to detect. Another way to test to see if the PRV is leaking through is to shut off the valves on the feed water pipe and see if the pressure still rises. If it does, I will suspect the piping to the compression tank is restricted or the tank is flooded. If the pressure does not rise, it could be the pressure reducing valve.

In most instances, you’ll find that the pressure relief valve is located within the boiler itself. This is not something you should attempt to fix on your own as you are not Gas Safe registered, so you cannot legally take the case off the boiler. So if you do notice a drip coming from your pressure relief pipe, you should call an engineer right away.

So, in conclusion, it’s not really feasible for you to repair a leaking boiler pressure relief valve yourself and the job should be left to an engineer. These things do take time, by the way. So, if you’re curious about how long it takes to fix a boiler leak, then our blog will help you.

This article describes the causes of leaks, drips, or discharges from pressure relief valves, temperature/pressure relief valves, or TP valves found on heating boilers, water heaters, or the simpler pressure relief valves found on water pressure tanks.

We list the wide variety of possible TP Valve leaks and how to find and fix each of those problems, including how to fix a leaky pressure relief valve or leaky TP valve on a boiler, water heater, or water tank - what are the possible causes of leaks at these safety devices. Safety Hazard Warnings About Dripping or Leaking Pressure Relief Valves.

How to use an expansion tank to relieve high water pressure. T&P Valves Installed on Gas Sidearm Heaters: special problems. Closed Hot Water System & Thermal Expansion Problems.

So if you see water actually spilling or even if it"s just dripping at the temperature/pressure relief valve on your heating boiler or water heater, the cause needs to be found and fixed promptly, and it may be appropriate to install a new T&P valve (also called TPR valve) after those repairs are complete.

Boiler limit control problems: On a heating boiler, the boiler temperatures are excessive, possibly due to an improperly set limit control, lack of contact between the limit switch sensor and its mounting well, or a defective control.

Gas sidearm heater TP valves: The T&P valve is installed on a sidearm gas heater that is causing an overheat condition at the sensor point of the valve (This thermal expansion is discussed

Expansion tank defects or problems: if the expansion tank or compression tank on a hydronic heating system boiler or on other thermal expansion systems is itself defective (waterlogged, leaky, damaged internal bladder) system pressures will be excessive due to otherwise normal pressure & temperature variations during system operation, resulting in spillage at the relief valve.

Leaks into the heating boiler or water heater: leaks into a heating of water from a higher pressure building source can cause recurrent TP valve leaking. For example, if the tankless coil in a heating boiler is leaky, higher pressure water inside the tankless coil may leak out of the coil into the heating boiler.

Similarly, an internal leak in the heat exchanger coil of an indirect water heater can send water from the water heater"s potable water into the coil and thence into the heating boiler.

This same leak problem can cause high water pressure in a heating boiler that is used to heat water in an indirect-fired water heater. In that case, a coil containing boiler water (typically at 12-29 psi) that develops a leak may accept higher building pressure water from the building water supply to the indirect water eater tank (or cylinder) that is typically between 20 psi and 70 psi.

Diagnose this problem by observing that when the boiler is left OFF and its own water feeder is left OFF but building water supply is left ON into the tankless coil on the boiler or ON into the indirect water heater, boiler pressure will creep up several hours. With a reader we discuss this possible TP valve leak cause in the FAQs section of this article.

Watch out: under normal conditions, because building water supply pressures are above boiler pressures, an internal leak in the tankless coil or indirect water heater"s heat exchanger coil will cause boiler pressures to rise. But there can be exceptions in the direction of water leakage, as we explain

A deteriorated gasket inside the relief valve or corrosion on the valve seat can cause leaking at the valve; we find this mess occurring when someone lifts the "test lever" on a older P/T valve that has not been tested or operated for some time. A brittle piece of gasket can be spit out of the valve and it will then keep leaking.

The wrong T&P valve has been installed or set to too-low a working pressure. (Proper set pressure is at least 20-30 psi above the working pressure of the equipment to be protected).

Thermal expansion problems: A closed water system with thermal expansion and no means of relief can cause leaks at the pressure/temperature relief valve, such as

Can occur on a hot water heater (hot water cylinder, calorifier, hot water tank) with some building piping arrangements, particularly where a check valve or pressure reducing valve are used.

See THERMAL EXPANSION TPR VALVE LEAKS for an explanation of why thermal expansion leaks occur at the relief valve on hot water systems & what to do about it

Can occur also a hot water heating boiler (used for building heating) at which the boiler"s thermal expansion tank has become waterlogged or has a ruptured internal bladder.

Water expansion pressure (thermal expansion) increases in any closed plumbing system, particularly where a check valve installed close to the water heater.

Watts suggests installing a bypass model water pressure regulator that lets the excessive pressure head back to the street main or building water supply system - a solution that only works if the supply pressure is lower than the T&P relief valve spill pressure - which it usually is.

Water hammer: The building plumbing system suffers from water hammer. Water hammer in buildings causes surging in the water piping that in turn can cause leaks at pressure/temperature or other pressure relief valves, particularly at the pressure safety valve found at water pressure tanks.

Water pressure too high: The building water supply pressure is too high or periodically water pressure fluctuates and is too high at times. Pressures over 70 psi in a typical building tend to cause leaks at plumbing fixtures and higher pressures are likely to cause or contribute to leaks at TPR valves.

Water pressure reducing valve / water feed valve problems: On a hot water hydronic heating system, if the water pressure reducer/feeder valve is not working properly it may over-feed water into the heating system causing overpressure.

Combinations of factors causing TP Valve Leaks: OK so this is more than 12 causes of TPR valve leaks, but keep in mind that the temperature/pressure relief valve leak causes listed above can also occur in combination. For example high incoming water pressure alone may not cause a TPR valve to leak but if we add water hammer then the valve may be leaky.

As our photo shows (above left), mineral salts left behind as hot water evaporates from the mouth of a pressure or temperature relief valve can completely clog the spring that is intended to allow the relief valve to open under excess (unsafe) pressure.

The impaction of the relief valve spring with copper and calcium salts in this photo means that the valve is almost certainly not going to open should the heater"s internal pressure become unsafe.

The drip shown at the mouth of this relief valve demonstrates that a relief valve can drip and leak for a long time without anyone observing this dangerous condition.

Technical note: why must the TP Valve point "down"? Take a look at the photo above. If a relief valve is dripping the deposit of minerals inside the valve will accumulate still more rapidly if the valve points to the side or upwards. The result is a clogged valve as we explain above - a dangerous situation that risks an explosion.

Watch out, serious safety hazards can be caused by dripping at the TP discharge line: often the dripping is caused by thermal expansion of hot water.

For details please see THERMAL EXPANSION TPR VALVE LEAKS - an explanation of why thermal expansion leaks occur on hot water systems & what to do about it

Also see HOT WATER PRESSURE EXPANSION RATE - for an explanation of just how much pressure increase to expect when heating water. In explaining why the relief valve on a water heater may be dripping

With a sidearm gas heater a common problem is frequent T&P valve opening even though there is very little hot water in the hot water storage tank. That"s because an overheated condition exists right at the sensor point of the T&P valve - most of the overheated water is "congested" at the top of the tank.

In turn this congestion (think of it as a hot water traffic jam) causes overheating right where the T&P valve sensor is located, thus causing the valve to spill hot water repeatedly.

Because there is just a small volume of "too hot" water where the valve is located, the valve opens, spills the small amount of hot water, then is cooled and closes after just a short interval.

RELIEF VALVE LEAKS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

[6] A.O. Smith"s Form No. 4778* All about Deliming Coil-Type/Tube-Type Commercial Water Heaters and Hydronic Boilers *Normally supplied when ordering Part No. 4930 Motorized Deliming Pump Kit

[7] "Building Owner Water Heater Safety Notice", Building Department, City of Colleyville TX, web search 09/24/2010, original source: http://www.colleyville.com/dmdocuments/Building%20

Water heater safety is imperative to the occupants of a building or structure. If improperly installed, water heaters can be detrimental to the structure, as well as being potentially fatal to its occupants. The proper installation of a water heater is so important that according to Texas State Law all water heater installations must be inspected by a state licensed plumbing inspector.

[9] Watts, 815 Chestnut Street, North Andover, MA, USA 01845-6098, web search 09/18/2010 original source: http://www.watts.com/pages/learnAbout/reducingValves.asp?catId=64

In small scale testing, the Mythbusters started with a small six gallon water heater and disabled all of its safety features under the theory of poor installation or neglect. While the water heater eventually ruptured, it did not explode like a rocket. The Mythbusters then upgraded to larger thirty gallon water heater which exploded with significantly greater force, sending the water heater several hundred feet into the air. In order to confirm the stated myth, the Mythbusters obtained a full size fifty two gallon water heater and built a shack around it with a roof that followed standard California building codes. The water heater eventually exploded, shooting through the roof five hundred feet into the air and disintegrating the shack. In light of these results, and the fact that there is documented evidence corroborating the myth, the Mythbusters deemed it confirmed.

Because of built in safety devices most water heaters safely operate day in, day out without any major problems. But don"t let the excellent safety record of water heaters lull you into forgetting about the explosive potential of these marvels of convenience. When a water heater explodes, it releases a tremendous blast force which can easily demolish a building.

Randall Hilton and crew, with help from the Service Roundtable has prepared this video of a water heater explosion as a demonstration of the explosive power of a simple water heater. The hot water tank explodes using the steam pressure that any water heater can generate when the thermostat and temperature pressure relief valve (T&P valve or PT valve) malfunction. We were impressed by how far the tank flew after the water heater exploded. Click on the links below to view the video. Then, visit the Q&A page for warning signs as well as simple steps which can help you prevent your own water heater from exploding.

TECHNICAL REFERENCE GUIDE to manufacturer"s model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment, useful for determining the age of heating boilers, furnaces, water heaters is provided by Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates

It depends. Some of the valves we carry run between $100-$200, as they are suitable for smaller applications. Some industrial settings may need larger or more robust valves, which can run upwards of $1,000 or $2,000.

We recommend that your maximum expected operating pressure will not exceed 90% of the valve’s set pressure. This helps to ensure the valve’s seat will stay tight.

Identifying the process media, or service, of a valve is important to set pressure. If a valve has the correct set pressure but is used on the wrong application, there’s a chance the valve won’t open when needed. This could cause an  overpressure event.

No. The valve’s set pressure is measured in gauge pressure, or pounds per square inch gauge (psig), so you don’t have to take altitude into account when selecting your valve.

Back pressure can have complex effects on a valve’s set pressure, capacity, and overall performance. If you know your application will have any type of back pressure, we recommend getting in touch with one of our specialists to verify how it may affect your valve selection or performance.

When you’re shopping on Valves Depot or looking at a valve nameplate, you might see references to ASME Sections I (V stamp), IV (HV stamp), or VIII (UV stamp) in the valve specs. These refer to the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) standard, a set of guidelines for valve manufacturing.

When you’re installing a smaller valve, preventing damage is as simple as handling the new valve with care. Some parts are fragile. But for larger, heavier valves, during installation, pay close attention to the lever — make sure your lifting straps don’t accidentally wrap around or otherwise conflict with it.

After your initial inspection, schedule maintenance every two to six months. Your maintenance interval will depend on your service conditions and the age of the valve.

Some valve models are required to have a drain hole per the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. The drain hole helps prevent condensate from accumulating in the body that could freeze or corrode internal valve parts.

Just because your valve is leaking doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a new valve or repairs — you may need to adjust your operating procedures. Lowering your system pressure, accounting for expected pressure spikes, and regularly calibrating your gauges are a few possible ways to help stop or prevent leakage.

Boiler explosions have been responsible for widespread damage to companies throughout the years, and that’s why today’s boilers are equipped with safety valves and/or relief valves. Boiler safety valves are designed to prevent excess pressure, which is usually responsible for those devastating explosions. That said, to ensure that boiler safety valves are working properly and providing adequate protection, they must meet regulatory specifications and require ongoing maintenance and periodic testing. Without these precautions, malfunctioning safety valves may fail, resulting in potentially disastrous consequences.

Boiler safety valves are activated by upstream pressure. If the pressure exceeds a defined threshold, the valve activates and automatically releases pressure. Typically used for gas or vapor service, boiler safety valves pop fully open once a pressure threshold is reached and remain open until the boiler pressure reaches a pre-defined, safe lower pressure.

Boiler relief valves serve the same purpose – automatically lowering boiler pressure – but they function a bit differently than safety valves. A relief valve doesn’t open fully when pressure exceeds a defined threshold; instead, it opens gradually when the pressure threshold is exceeded and closes gradually until the lower, safe threshold is reached. Boiler relief valves are typically used for liquid service.

There are also devices known as “safety relief valves” which have the characteristics of both types discussed above. Safety relief valves can be used for either liquid or gas or vapor service.

Nameplates must be fastened securely and permanently to the safety valve and remain readable throughout the lifespan of the valve, so durability is key.

The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors offers guidance and recommendations on boiler and pressure vessel safety rules and regulations. However, most individual states set forth their own rules and regulations, and while they may be similar across states, it’s important to ensure that your boiler safety valves meet all state and local regulatory requirements.

The National Board published NB-131, Recommended Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Legislation, and NB-132, Recommended Administrative Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Rules and Regulationsin order to provide guidance and encourage the development of crucial safety laws in jurisdictions that currently have no laws in place for the “proper construction, installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, alterations, and repairs” necessary to protect workers and the public from dangerous boiler and pressure vessel explosions that may occur without these safeguards in place.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) governs the code that establishes guidelines and requirements for safety valves. Note that it’s up to plant personnel to familiarize themselves with the requirements and understand which parts of the code apply to specific parts of the plant’s steam systems.

High steam capacity requirements, physical or economic constraints may make the use of a single safety valve impossible. In these cases, using multiple safety valves on the same system is considered an acceptable practice, provided that proper sizing and installation requirements are met – including an appropriately sized vent pipe that accounts for the total steam venting capacity of all valves when open at the same time.

The lowest rating (MAWP or maximum allowable working pressure) should always be used among all safety devices within a system, including boilers, pressure vessels, and equipment piping systems, to determine the safety valve set pressure.

Avoid isolating safety valves from the system, such as by installing intervening shut-off valves located between the steam component or system and the inlet.

Contact the valve supplier immediately for any safety valve with a broken wire seal, as this indicates that the valve is unsafe for use. Safety valves are sealed and certified in order to prevent tampering that can prevent proper function.

Avoid attaching vent discharge piping directly to a safety valve, which may place unnecessary weight and additional stress on the valve, altering the set pressure.

You may have a defective boiler feed water pressure regulator. (Looks like this.) This device takes water from your plumbing system and feeds it into the boiler until the pressure in the boiler reaches a certain level, typically 12 PSI. Then it stops adding water unless the pressure again drops below 12 PSI for any reason, such as a leak or the intentionally draining of some water. When the boiler heats up, expansion takes place and the water pressure rises a bit above 12 PSI. This excess pressure is absorbed by the expansion tank so the final pressure of the hot boiler may go up to 15-20 PSI typically, which is below the usual 30 PSI setpoint of the pressure relief valve.

Some regulators include a backflow preventer and some use a separate backflow preventer that is installed between the regulator and the boiler. The backflow preventer prevents boiler water from backing up into your household plumbing and potentially poisoning you.

If the regulator is faulty, it may be allowing water to continue to flow slowly into your boiler, raising the boiler pressure until it reaches 30-40 psi. At that point, the pressure relief valve would start dripping.

The water heater is known for its high heat and high pressure. The water heater temperature-pressure relief valve (TPR Valve), protects us from this high heat and pressure. So what is the TPR valve, why does it leak, and what should you do about it?

The TPR valve, also called, a pressure relief valve is a specialized valve at your water heater. This valve is typically on the top or side of your water heater.

The valve functions by releasing water if your water heater becomes too pressurized. Since heated water expands, the water heater can become a ticking time bomb if we were to continually build pressure in your water heater.

As seen in the featured image, a TPR valve is required to have a discharge pipe/tube. This tube should be aimed straight to the ground and never go up. This is because hot water will come out of the TPR valve as it releases water. Therefore, extremely hot water should discharge to the ground for safety.

Additionally, if a pipe were to go up, water will have to work against gravity to empty. So, it is possible a slow drip of the TPR valve will collect water in the tubing and ultimately rust out the valve rather than empty it to the floor.

Be one nominal size larger than the size of the relief valve outlet, where the relief valve discharge piping is installed with insert fittings. The outlet end of such tubing shall be fastened in place.

However, if you find the relief valve to continue to leak even after replacement, you should contact a plumber for assistance. A licensed plumber will be able to evaluate your system and decide on installing an expansion tank or other solutions.

A boiler leaking water is usually a sign that a seal or a valve has developed a fault. However, if the problem is left untreated, a leaking boiler can cause other components to erode as well as cause damage to the electrical components within the boiler. Your best option when you notice a leak is to fix the problem quickly to prevent further damage.

Before you can do anything with your boiler, you need to find out why it’s leaking, but this isn’t always easy. The first thing to do is find where the water is coming from, as this will give you a better idea of why. Below, we’ve listed some of the main causes of a leaking boiler.

Have you ever noticed the gauge on the front of your boiler? This is important as it tells you how much water pressure there is in the system. Too little or too much pressure can cause a problem, so you should check the valve regularly and add or remove water as required.

If your boiler is leaking, you should check the pressure gauge to see if the pressure is too high. If this is the case, it’s likely that the pressure relief valve is trying to release some of the water in the system to bring the pressure back down to a comfortable level, which can lead to your boiler dripping water. The valve needle should be between 1 and 1.5 bar (usually shown on the gauge as a green zone). If the needle is higher than this, or in the red zone, you may need to bleed the radiators to release extra water.

Corrosion can be a problem in older boiler systems as it can cause rust and other debris to build up within your radiators and pipework. As the water runs around the system, it can pick up this debris and return it to your boiler. The older the system, the more likely you are to have issues with corrosion, which in turn can lead to your boiler leaking water from the bottom. Unfortunately, many people don’t know corrosion is there as it can’t be seen.

Corrosion can break the rubber seals around the joints of pipes, so water may be leaking through here. If the corrosion is on an individual component, an experienced contractor will be able to replace this with ease. However, if the corrosion is widespread, then you may need to replace the boiler completely.

A contractor will be able to advise you if a new system is required or if a new boiler and a flush of the system would be adequate. If you have an old boiler, replacing it with a newer model could make your home more efficient and could save money on your gas bills, too.

The safety valve for the boiler is an essential automatic component for the system. Its main role is to prevent the pressure from rising above an excessively dangerous value, which is about 3 bar for normal wall-mounted boilers: if this value is exceeded, the valve acts automatically going to discharge the excess pressure and bringing the system back to ideal operating conditions. In fact, if this device is not working, you could run the risk of having an excessive pressure on the pipe and this could lead to a sudden explosion with all the risks deriving from it both for the health of people who are in the vicinity and for the safety of the system itself.

Sometimes it may happen that the safety valve has persistent and constant dripping and one is led to think that the problem is due to the component itself and to its sub-optimal construction. This, however, is not entirely true and the problems that are downstream are usually different.

As for the first problem, limestone is formed inside the pipes and tends to be transported to the gasket area afterwards, a fundamental element for sealing the safety valve for the boiler. In this position, the limestone is placed under the gasket, not allowing perfect housing and functioning and therefore leading to dripping. The solution for this specific cause is given by cleaning the system which must be carried out with specific products aimed at eliminating this chemical compound.

As seen, therefore, the problems can be manifold and the main method to avoid them is related to the correct maintenance and cleaning of the system, as well as effective loading. All this allows you to save both in terms of time and in terms of costs but, mainly, allows you to increase the safety level of the system.

The safety valves, as previously introduced, may have more or less consistent drips based on various problems that can develop during operation and the only solution, together with the forecast in the design phase, is the maintenance of the systems.

Inspections are usually carried out by trained and experienced personnel who are able to identify even the first signs of a possible failure or loss of functionality. When an anomaly in operation occurs, these valves are sent for repair to authorized centers or by the manufacturers themselves who, knowing the project and the production process, can intervene effectively, eliminating the problem.

If the damage is excessively extensive and it is impossible to guarantee the restoration of the valve, it must be replaced since, being safety components, it can create situations that are even more onerous than dripping.

06/02/2015 Safety valves are necessary for your own protection Protect your system against damages by using a safety valve to be applied to the output of your generator.

06/09/2015 The installation maintenance and the boiler safety valve Limiting the limy deposits improves the boiler safety valve"s life, as well as the one of the system.

06/04/2022 Safety valves and block valves In addition to the safety valves, in the catalog you can also find block valves that foresee uncontrolled leaks

after reading and scanning literally hundreds of threads here and at CG, knowing this question is answered somewhere, i have to just ask: how many times can a safety valve blow due to over pressure before its kaput? mine popped for the first time this morning (i bet its because i"ve been toying with the idea of replacing the livia with a cremina, and now i have to keep it around to fix it).

i"m confused because i"ve read threads that talk about them blowing everyday (?!) before they were replaced, and others that blew once and were replaced. some threads say the spring can wear out, some say it won"t. of course i"d like to err on the side of safety, but if there"s no need to spend $50 on a new one, i"d like to go that route.

I don"t think the number of times it opens has anything to do with it needing replacement. The spring might get a little looser, making it open at lower pressure, but that is not a safety hazard. Eventually it would open below 1.5 bars, and then it would need to be replaced.

The opposite seems more dangerous. If the spring rusts, freezes, or otherwise gets stiff from non-use, that would raise the pressure at which it opens. Fortunately, pressure stats go bad often enough so that the safety valve gets a test and a workout every few years.

Thanks for the feedback. i pulled the valve off today, and checked that the spring would move freely under pressure, and added some teflon tape to the threads and reseated it.

REPLACE that pressurestat, it is supposed to keep your boiler at 1.5bar, if it let the OPV blow that would have been at least 10bar (you should have that specified in your instruction booklet). Do not worry for the OPV spring : they are normally stainless and do not rust and should they loosen a little bit it would open say at 9bar? so what"s the problem, and anyway most OPV are adjustable and you can always put that back to open at the original pressure: If your boiler had a resettable safety thermostat you could always make sure (it is actually the manufacturer who makes sure) that you do not even get close to that 10bar(?) limit ( you know, the higher the pressure the higher the temperature)...and the OPV would just sit there, just in case everything else goes bad. Also the OPV will not get clogged with lime scale since steam is scale free, having already deposited as water got heated....

I don"t recall exactlythe indicated pressure of my Brewtus when the P-Stat quit, but it was still indicating (i.e. not off-scale) and the scale for the steam boiler only goes up to 2.5 bar. It must have been around 2 bar when the relief valve kicked in.

acquavivaespresso wrote:REPLACE that pressurestat, it is supposed to keep your boiler at 1.5bar, if it let the OPV blow that would have been at least 10bar...

I think you misunderstand; the steam boiler pressure relief valve opened, not the hydraulics system, which is gated by the OPV (also referred to as an expansion valve).

A bit of background for those following this thread... Most espresso machines include a pressure test certification of the boiler from the factory. The steam boilers I"ve seen were tested at 2.0 bar and the pressure relief valve opens ~1.6 bar. The expansion valve on a rotary pump is typically regulated to 12 bar; it"s purpose is to (a) relieve pressure when the boiler heats the water in the (closed) hydraulics system and (b) relieve pressure if the pump bypass valve fails to open, preventing the system from pressurizing beyond 12 bar. For vibe pump machines, they"re typically regulated to 11 bar in conformance to ESE pod standards (or so I"ve been told, I don"t use pods).

As for the 10 bar ????? Do you know how much pressure is 10 bar. 140 psi, at 140 psi your boiler temperature would equal approx 170 Deg C your heat exchanger temp would exceed 200 Deg C, At this stage you and all around would be covered in boiling hot water.

Rather than get in an extended text message conversation, I called the person. In his usual animated way, he said, "That stupid valve on top of the boiler keeps opening, and I lose all my steam. It ruins my batch. I thought you said this was a good boiler."

There was a recent repair done in the asphalt parking lot which looked a pipe was replaced as it was a straight line. When I walked into the boiler room, I gasped. There was a wire connected to the safety valve and the pipe, preventing it from opening.

I also noticed the black iron pipe which was initially on the safety valve was replaced with a copper tube piped to and inside the floor drain. He saw me noticing it and said, "That old pipe was leaking all over the floor. Steam and water were going everywhere, so I piped it into the drain." He said proudly.

"Oh, I did. This expert online said I would get a better batch if I ran the pressure that high." He said. I reminded him of one of my rules, The out of town or online expert may not always be an expert. I adjusted the pressures down to where they were when I started the boiler, 10 Psig.

The minimum pressure differential between the pressure relief valve set pressure and the boiler operating pressure is 5psi. Under no circumstances should this margin be less than five psig.

That would make the maximum boiler setpoint at ten psig. I also explained the warmest temperature allowed in a drain is 140 degrees F. Be careful operating the boiler too close to the upper limit.

Pressure relief valves ensure efficiency and safety in many chemical, oil, and gas plants, but they’re susceptible to leaks. If a pressure relief valve is leaking, systems can become overpressurized and even fail, especially if the valve isn’t addressed or repaired quickly.

When you shut down the system, carefully examine the pipelines and the valve itself to determine the cause of the leak. This will help you figure out exactly what you need to do to repair it.

Pressure relief valve leaks usually occur when the valve isn’t properly seated or when the seal is broken or damaged. Leaks can also happen when the pressure relief valve is operating too closely to the set point.

If the valve isn’t completely repaired after your first attempt, you have up to 15 days to perform any additional repairs according to the EPA. If the valve still isn’t fixed, then you can either replace the pressure relief valve or wait until the next shutdown cycle to do more repairs.

When the pressure relief valve has been fixed or replaced, it’s important to take the necessary steps to avoid leaks in the future. To do that, consider implementing a leak detection and repair (LDAR) program for your company.

An LDAR program will help to train workers on everything they need to know about detecting and repairing a leak before system damage can occur. It will also help you monitor valves more efficiently so you can spot leaks faster and spend less money on overall valve repair and maintenance costs.

Water entering the PRV is constricted and pushed into the valve’s inner chamber. The chamber is controlled by a spring-loaded diaphragm and disk. When water pressure fluctuates, the PRV helps maintain a constant flow and safe water pressure.

PRV valve leaking usually means there’s a hole in your valve. If you see pressure relief valve leaking, flooding, or if you hear strange noises coming from your PRV, it’s time for a replacement.

CPV Manufacturing has the best PRVs on the market to fit your individual or company needs. Check out our PRVs or head over to our news blog for more information about machined valves and fittings.