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Author Topic: auto fill valve  (Read 9986 times)

theronbt

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auto fill valve
« on: January 27, 2014, 02:30:06 PM »

I bought my hardy h4 used about 6 years ago. The previous owner said that he never hooked up the automatic fill. He said when the light comes on just add water. Well that sounded easy enough well 6 years later I am tired of it.
My lines are already buried so I know that I could just dig them up add another cold supply line and would be done. When I installed this sto e at my new house (I know should have added it then but that would have been way too easy).  I installed to wires same size as other electrical components on the back of the stove. My theory is that I can take my auto fill valve hook up the 2 wires and put a T in my return line back to my stove.
Not real sure this theory will work
What do you think? And has any body else tried this.
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ITO

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2014, 03:10:57 PM »

 Theronbt, not sure if this would work for you, I have a hose bib and valve installed inside the house on both supply and return lines. With an adapter I use a garden hose from my utility sink and force water into the system thru the hose bib. This method works for filling the boiler, forcing air out of the lines and HX and also forcing water backwards thru the HX for flushing it and you can do it from inside your house. It works slick for me, maybe for your setup it won't work.
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theronbt

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2014, 03:32:09 PM »

I thought about putting a valve in the basement to fill my stove that would work better than the ol frozen garden hose. I can't see my stove from the basement and was just worried that I would turn it on and end up forgetting about it. If I can't use the auto fill then I am just going to put in a valve to manually fill it. Thanks for the reply
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Farmer Blue

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2014, 05:41:01 PM »

 Are you running your house hot water through your stove? Via the copper coil.
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theronbt

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2014, 06:50:26 PM »

No I am running a side arm for domestic hot water
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hondaracer2oo4

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2014, 07:11:41 PM »

I also did not hook up my auto fill valve. My Hardy leaks steam around the flue pipe so I add 5 gallons or so everything 5 days. What I did was just place a T inside on the return line back to the stove. I then put a quarter turn valve on the T and plumbed a line over from my domestic water. When I need to add some water I simply go down stairs and open it for a minute or so and I am done.
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jnicol6600

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2014, 04:52:55 AM »

I have my float wired to a taco valve in the basement for auto fill and it works just fine. I just had to run a pressure regulator in front of the taco valve because it couldnt hold back my domestic water pressure.
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d conover

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2014, 06:25:09 AM »

Hondaracer do you know why you are using so much water?  Steaming off  a gallon a day seems like a lot.  Not that I am an expert on steaming off water :)
 
I shut my water supply line off to my H4 for about 3 weeks and didn't seem to lose any water, at least the fill light didn't come on and I stuck my hand in the water to make sure it was still there...


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d conover

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2014, 06:27:05 AM »

My brother in law just about toasted his H2 by shutting off his refill supply line when his damper solenoid stuck open one day.



I added this last post just so I would become a full member :D

Been a junior forever..............
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hondaracer2oo4

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2014, 07:45:17 AM »

Yea I know where the water is going. When the top is installed on the Hardy they run a bead of chaulk where the water jacket top and the firebox top meet. My seal has deteriorated there and it leaks steam around that. I have wisps of steam that come up around the flue pipe. I called Hardy and they said that it was common to have to take the top off and rechaulk it every few years. My problem is that when I bought the unit used it didn't leak around this point so I didn't know about it being a common problem. I had a spray foam guy spray the whole unit. Well in that case now I have the top and sides covered in spray foam and I would have to cut a strip all the way around the top to get to the screws to take the top off. I have been living with it like this for 3 years. I am thinking about fixing it in the spring.
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theronbt

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2014, 03:08:49 PM »

On my stove when it smokes it also smokes at the bottom of the chimney.
Is this what you are all talking about that needs to be recaulked?
Over the summer I had to pull the outer jacket off along with the top off the water jacket to repair a leak
Now that I hear this I remember caulking the outside edge but not around the chimney
Whoops I guess that I get to do it again this summer
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Jared43758

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Re: auto fill valve
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2015, 10:22:10 AM »

Hondaracer do you know why you are using so much water?  Steaming off  a gallon a day seems like a lot.  Not that I am an expert on steaming off water :)
 
I shut my water supply line off to my H4 for about 3 weeks and didn't seem to lose any water, at least the fill light didn't come on and I stuck my hand in the water to make sure it was still there...
This is prolly why he uses so much wood
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