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When I came back and installed the new dual valve, expansion tank and backflow preventer, I also brought some bricks with me. I placed three of these in the upper section of the boiler to slow the hot flue gases down and deflect them toward the water-backed portions of this section instead of going up and out. With this setup, the stack temp was noticeably lower, and the water heated quickly enough that I switched to a 0.85 GPH nozzle (about 119,000 BTUH input). The stack temp stabilized at 615 degrees- 220 degrees lower. The stack relay took about 25 seconds to cut off the ignition. And since the Beckett burns with zero smoke, I knew it would continue running that well.
The lady had bought the house last year, from an elderly couple who could no longer afford to live there. After working on that boiler, I knew why. How many "heating professionals" had "serviced" that boiler, and shrugged off the excessive stack temperature instead of trying to correct it? How many saw the soaring pressure gauge and thought "they all do that", or even bothered to look at it? This job was scary. They were paying for a lot of oil to run a system that could have exploded!
I agree that boiler should be replaced. The lady says she wants to wait for warm weather, but when she's ready, we will get the job. We were the only company that "did the right thing". Thanks to Frank Graham and George "Firedragon" Lanthier for all the hot tips they included in their books. Epilogue
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Lastly, I referred the lady to the oil company I use, who will give her the service she deserves.
How many similar systems are out there, guzzling gas or imported oil while the pressure-activated time bomb is ticking?| Dan Holohan - [Intro] | [Email] | [Website] |
| The views expressed in this article are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the management or staff of MasterPlumbers.com |
