Now I'm puzzeled


  #1  
Old 01-14-07, 04:40 PM
L
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 8
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Question Now I'm puzzeled

I have Wiel Mclain boiler that has a Wiel Mclain burner. I installed the whole system a couble of years ago. Until this year i didn't think about servicint the system. I recent installed a Tiger Loop, a secound filter and the flexable lines Tiger Loop sells. I called a local heating contractor to come out and service the system. He sent out a 22 year old who did not do a very good job. He changed the nozzel but did nothing to the elecrrode, ( they were really in bad shape) except a littlt adjustment. It ran (roughly starting) for a few days, then no start.That when i look at it myself and saw the shape of the electrodes and wwent out the next day and brought a new set but not beind abl to find out what the setting should be didn't get them set just right. Finally i called the contractor back (the owner) and he came out , did the adjustments and got things running.
Somethings left me puzzled. I expected they would use test equipment and do things scientifically. There aws no combustion test, no CO 2, no pressure test, no vacume test. He did do what he called a draft test and told me i needed to change my stove pipe to increase the draft.
Yesterday i received a DVD that shows how work on burners and a few things jumped out at me.
The DVD came with a Beckett multipurpose gauge. They never measured anything when setting the electrodes. The DVD says a Combustion test should be done. I'm not sure what size or brand nozzel the first guy took out.It seems he put a 3/4 gph in. But somthig on the DVD made me wonder if that was right. I have a tankless water heater and the 3/4 gph may not keep up.
When he took the draft test he took the reading off the stove pipe. The DVD says the test should be done down at the fire throught through the site hole.
These are some of my concerns. I would appreciate any thoughts from you experts.
 
  #2  
Old 01-14-07, 05:09 PM
Ed Imeduc's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mountain Williams Missouri
Posts: 17,505
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Wink

This day and age it cost a lot of $$$ to have the right tools to go out and service a oil burner right. That is why when all is said and done . It cost less to pay a good tech that has everything and knows what they are doing. Than to get just a fly by night kind that just looks at it.
You should have asked for that old nozzle .So you would know what was in there . that 3/4 dont cut it . Do you mean .75 GPH and then you dont say the spray angle or was it a type A , B , W. It takes a bit more than just a DVD to work on oil burners.
 
  #3  
Old 01-14-07, 05:37 PM
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: usa
Posts: 839
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
nozzle

The nozzle specs should be in the WM manual, and there is only one correct size for your boiler and burner combo. Even changing a nozzle with the same size should be followed by a combustion test--no guarantee the new one is any good! Oil pump pressure should be tested, etc. Too many hacks out there, and I've had my share of them too.
 
  #4  
Old 01-14-07, 05:59 PM
NJT's Avatar
NJT
NJT is offline
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 19,710
Upvotes: 0
Received 8 Upvotes on 6 Posts
Yeah, hacks, me too...

"That's a SHARP FIRE!" he said, as he walked out, leaving oily handprints on everything in his way.

Sadly, it seems to be the norm these days.

Ed, the tech needed that nozzle for his next job!

-
 
  #5  
Old 01-14-07, 08:48 PM
L
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 8
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Question

Ed,
I realize i'm not going to become a tech with a DVD. I did want to know more about what was going on. The only thing i remember about the new nozzel was that it was .75.
Are my concerns valid or not?
 
  #6  
Old 01-14-07, 09:36 PM
Ed Imeduc's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mountain Williams Missouri
Posts: 17,505
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Wink

Your doing the right thing here. To get some info on the oil burner. like said if you held on to the nozzle he couldnt turn around and sell it again. But it would tell you the gph it was and the angle. Also A or B . So if it had work good for you. Then you want another one just like it . If you dont change the pump psi.
 
  #7  
Old 01-15-07, 01:12 PM
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: usa
Posts: 839
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Nozzle

I can't believe any tech would pull an old nozzle, clean it and resell it!! The liability (just from callbacks) would be too great. I would be much, much more worried about assuming that the nozzle that was in there was the correct size to begin with! Too many techs use whatever is "close" on the truck in a pinch. Do that two or three times and where are you at? Best to find the literature for the unit, and have a reputable tech put it back to "factory" fer sure. I found the wrong size nozzle in my burner once (way overfired, wrong angle), and changed oil companies the next day.
 

Last edited by radioconnection; 01-15-07 at 06:36 PM.
  #8  
Old 01-15-07, 01:47 PM
Grady's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Delaware, The First State
Posts: 12,682
Received 41 Upvotes on 39 Posts
Weil-McLain

Over the years Weil-McLain has used a number of different burners. If you post the model of the boiler & burner, we might be able to find OEM specs for you. Often there is a label on the burner somewhere which tells you the correct nozzle & pump pressure.
 
  #9  
Old 01-15-07, 02:14 PM
NJT's Avatar
NJT
NJT is offline
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 19,710
Upvotes: 0
Received 8 Upvotes on 6 Posts
>>radioconnection...I can't believe any tech would pull an old nozzle, clean it and resell it!! ...

No, I can't either, my tongue was planted firmly in cheek on that one!
But, I can't say I haven't seen worse shenanigans...
 
  #10  
Old 01-15-07, 06:33 PM
KField's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Easton, PA
Posts: 3,015
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I know you were just giving information but don't let the 22 year old thing bother you. My 2 techs/sons are 19 and 22 and because they were trained properly, they follow good practices. Both have Bronze certification. Always replace the nozzle with the correct size and angle as per OEM spec book. Adjust and record draft overfire and at breech. Perform smoke test and then read all burner stack contents with combustion test equipment. Print one copy of results and attach to burner. Print another copy and clip to work order and return it to shop. Clean boiler/furnace jacket and leave work site cleaner than it was found. I get calls all the time telling me how amazed customers are that these young men can be so professional. Usually the employer is a major contributing factor in poor tech performance. Once they get to work, someone must set an example for them to follow. Study that DVD and look for a used combustion test kit for setting up your burner. Good luck.

Ken
 
  #11  
Old 01-16-07, 10:58 AM
L
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 8
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thamks for the responses. First let me clear up a couple of points. I never thought they were going to resell the old nozzel. I'm sure it wasn't inshap for that.
As for being 22. didn't have any trouble that. He was a nice young man who teted out of his first two years of a apprenticeship and he volunters with the loca fire dept. That said. The owner did say he does not normally work on oil burners,that he had call backs on his work of late since he was having some family problems.
As i said in first post a tech would come out with the proper equipmentand replacand adjust what was necessary. Neiter the young tech or the owner used any instruments. This was local conpany i found in th yellowpage. asked what they would do for the 123.00 charge and he pretty much everything. From that i expected a professional job.
Since the last call it has been runing, but who knows what the cmbustion, smoke or any of the other setting are.
About the nozel. He put in a .750, angle unknown at this time. I have tankless water heting. Since it been in, we notice a difference. The water is not as hot when showering when the heat is circulating.
The labels on the boiler are as follows.
Wiel McLain Gold Oil Burner, Model# -WTGO-3 ( tankless)
On the burner, QB-180

I=B=R input 0.95
I=B=R lt oil input 0.95
BTU/hr 115,000
Pump prussure 150
iring range .70-1.80gph
Thanks again for your interest.
 
  #12  
Old 01-16-07, 05:59 PM
Grady's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Delaware, The First State
Posts: 12,682
Received 41 Upvotes on 39 Posts
Nozzle

To yield the maximum input of .95 gallon per hour at 150# pump pressure, the .75 nozzle would be correct. As I recall, Weil-McLain specified a 70º solid nozzle in that burner. Such a nozzle from Delavan or Hago would have a "B" designation.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: