I have a Burnham 80,000 btu gas boiler about 40 yrs old. The problem is it is not working at all. There is 120 volts going into the honeywell box on the unit. I took the thermostat off the wall and connected the wires with no result. I then went into the honeywell box and noticed the 24 volt transformer is cold. I pulled up on the relay which turned on the circulator pump but that was all. It also has electronic ignition. Should the transformer be warm? Could this be the problem?

 

maybe... maybe not...

Is the pilot lit ?

If not, you could try lighting it and see if it stays lit.

Could be something as simple as a bad thermocouple.

I would say that if you haven't had the boiler serviced in a few years, it might be a good time to call a tech in to have a look.

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Is there a pilot light with electronic ignition? Usually there was a clicking and then it was lit. there is 110 volts going into the box. The transformer in the box is cold, should that be warm meaning it has power? At my other home with the same unit without electronic ignition which has a pilot light, the transformer is warm and when I pull up on the relay the circulating pump starts and the rest of the unit starts to fire up and work. I measured the voltage at the working system at b1 and b2, not working 0 volts, when the relay is engaged, 24 volts at b1 b2. The non working boiler 0 volts at transformer. I think this is a transformer problem at the non-working unit.

Thanks
Steve

 

If you have 120 into & nothing out of the transformer, there is a strong possibility the transformer is shot. You did measure across the two terminals on the transformer, did you not? If the transformer is internal to the control, the whole control will need to be replaced.

 

The transformer is rivited in the top right hand corner of the box. The trans has a red wire winding. I looked on both sides on the trans but there is nothing to check, the wires come out of the bottom of the transformer and goes behind the board. The box which has 4 corners of the metal box bent tabs holding the circuit board in place. Do you bend the tabs to get the board out to replace the transformer or buy and install a new honeywell box?

 

Yeah, but I didn't think they were common 40 years ago!

If the transformer is bad, like Grady sed, you need to replace the control.