15
USER’S INFORMATION MANUAL
SFC COMBI BOILERS
Relief Valve - Maintenance and Testing
The relief valve manufacturer requires that under normal operating conditions
a “try lever test” must be performed every two months. Under severe service
conditions, or if corrosion and/or deposits are noticed within the valve body, you
must test more often. Also perform a “try lever test” at the end of any non-service
period.
Test at or near maximum operating pressure by holding the test lever fully open
for at least 5 seconds to fl ush the valve seat free of sediment and debris. Then
release the lever and permit the valve to snap shut.
If the lever does not activate, or there is no evidence of discharge, discontinue
use of equipment immediately, and contact a licensed contractor or qualifi ed
service personnel.
If the relief valve does not completely seal, and fl uid continues to leak from
the discharge pipe, perform the test again to try and fl ush any debris that may
be lodged in the valve. If repeated attempts fail to stop the leakage, contact a
licensed contractor or qualifi ed service personnel to replace the valve.
While performing a “try lever test”, a quantity of heat transfer fl uid will be
discharged from the piping system, and the system pressure will drop. This fl uid
must be replaced. IBC highly recommends using a system pressurization unit
such as an
Axiom Industries model MF200
to refi ll and pressurize your system.
Capture the discharged fl uid in a container and recycle it by returning it to the
system feeder unit. This is particularly important when your system contains
treatment chemicals or glycol solutions. If the system employs plain water, turn
on the unit’s auto fi ll valve to recharge the lost fl uid.
Domestic Hot Water System
Quality of the domestic cold water is very important to the longevity of the unit.
The recommended pH of the domestic water is between 6.5 and 8.5. The internal
domestic water heat exchanger tubing and the fl ow sensor is subject to fouling if
exposed to hard water (over 1.68 grains of hardness) or has a TDS of 500mg/L
or higher.
See Table 3.
DESCRIPTION
MAX
MIN
Water Pressure
150 psi
40 psi
Programmable water temperature
149°F (65°C)
104°F (40°C)
Minimum Flow Rate to Activate DHW Sensor
N/A
0.5 GPM
Acceptable pH range
8.5 pH
6.5 pH
Total Dissolved Solids
500 mg/L
Total Hardness
200 mg/L 11.68 gr/gal
Aluminum
0.05 to 0.2 mg/L
Chlorides
250 mg/L
Copper
1.0 mg/L
Iron
0.3 mg/L
Manganese
0.05 mg/L
Zinc
5 mg/L
Table 3: Domestic Water Quality Guidelines
CAUTION
Before testing the relief valve,
make certain the discharge
pipe is properly connected to
the valve outlet and arranged
to contain and safely dispose
of equipment discharge.
