Boilers - Home Heating Steam and Hot Water Systems - Self-Service Strategies for Oil-Fired Equipment
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spandex
11-11-09, 10:10 AM
Looking for comments on best approach to follow in servicing oil-fired boilers and furnaces with and without combustion analyzer equipment.
I have a 3-unit apt. house with 3 boilers that I have cleaned & serviced myself over the past 10 years---have had good success "eye-balling" flame/air for final adjustment, along with flue-stack temp gauge & using psi-gauge for setting oil pressure & smoke gun for zero smoke w/o yellow stain---have been able to change out pumps, aquastats, primaries, etc. without help for the most part.
When I get stuck, I call a local service tech---he realizes I want to do most of it myself & we've had that understanding for years.
Two years ago I switched to using an analyzer & started realizing a 10% fuel reduction with a Wholer E335 CA with good results, but unit is out of warranty & they want $800 for new sensors & probe.
I was hoping someone has had experience with anayzers & could recommend one of the newer analyzers that have a 2 to 4 yr warranty & allow the user to replace & align sensors so involvement with the service/ mfgr could be avoided.
Several people on the forums have commented on the dilemma of dealing with service centers & impersonal attitude of same---waiting for a repair can take weeks or even months----things are changing; the number of service techs & homeowners using a CA has exploded & the service centers can't keep up--- the newer units are coming out with sensors the user can replace & align at home--these are by Bacharach, Testo & others.
In vew of the expense and problems connected with analyzers, is it possible to use just the other equipment I mentioned, along with any other additional low-cost tools & still get a clean efficient flame WITHOUT the use of the analyzer itself???
Any comments will be appreciated.
I have a 3-unit apt. house with 3 boilers that I have cleaned & serviced myself over the past 10 years---have had good success "eye-balling" flame/air for final adjustment, along with flue-stack temp gauge & using psi-gauge for setting oil pressure & smoke gun for zero smoke w/o yellow stain---have been able to change out pumps, aquastats, primaries, etc. without help for the most part.
When I get stuck, I call a local service tech---he realizes I want to do most of it myself & we've had that understanding for years.
Two years ago I switched to using an analyzer & started realizing a 10% fuel reduction with a Wholer E335 CA with good results, but unit is out of warranty & they want $800 for new sensors & probe.
I was hoping someone has had experience with anayzers & could recommend one of the newer analyzers that have a 2 to 4 yr warranty & allow the user to replace & align sensors so involvement with the service/ mfgr could be avoided.
Several people on the forums have commented on the dilemma of dealing with service centers & impersonal attitude of same---waiting for a repair can take weeks or even months----things are changing; the number of service techs & homeowners using a CA has exploded & the service centers can't keep up--- the newer units are coming out with sensors the user can replace & align at home--these are by Bacharach, Testo & others.
In vew of the expense and problems connected with analyzers, is it possible to use just the other equipment I mentioned, along with any other additional low-cost tools & still get a clean efficient flame WITHOUT the use of the analyzer itself???
Any comments will be appreciated.
Pulpo
11-11-09, 12:22 PM
Everything is getting so technical these days, it's hard to avoid all the new equipment. Autos are a prime example. I don't have a good answer to your question but it might be time to consider switching to gas heat. The burners require far less service & the service people are much nicer.