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Failed ignition on triangle tube pt 110

wrxz24
wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
In the last 800hrs, I have gotten 4 failed ignitions. It happens when there is a dhw priority call. Not sure what the issue is. The boiler fires after pushing the reset button.

Comments

  • Devan
    Devan Member Posts: 138
    Combustion, igniter, or board.

    First have someone check the boiler with combustion analyzer and make sure it is within specs.

    If that is ok, change igniter with "short" porcelain as reccomended by TT. They've been having problems with igniters with longer porcelain coating too far into flame. You'll know when the ignitor is removed, it will have cracks in the porcelain.

    If those fail, last step is changing the board, TT also has a newer version board for the Trimax, older boards had ignition problems, new board would have green dot sticker on it.

    After any changes, check combustion again!
  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    I have the trimax installed

    In May of 2013. It has worked great up until 800 hrs ago when it first failed to light. Now it has happened 2 more times yesterday.

    One thing I have noticed that I can hear a knocking/thud sound soon after it lights sometimes.
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    edited April 2014
    What Devan said!

    They have a new ignition cable also,the noise you are hearing is a delayed ignition
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  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    The sound I am hearing

    Is after the boiler has been running. I will try to pinpoint when the sound is made. If i had to guess, 10 seconds after the boiler fires and the sound comes from the bottom of the cabinet.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    ignitor

    There was a bad batch of ignitors from tt.

    I would start there.

    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    Is there a way to check

    And see if my boiler had one of the bad ignitors? So far so good the last 24hrs, no failed ignitions.
  • heatpro02920
    heatpro02920 Member Posts: 991
    I have installed a bunch of these now

    and had this happen once, it was 4000 hours iwith no failures then it failed 5 times, I went checked and cleaned ignition system, everything looked good, reset it and hasn't happened since... Out of all the customers I installed them for this is the one I would pick NOT to have a problem with since she is a "complainer" but so far so good, if it fails again, I will change the cable and ignitor..
  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    So, it has been about a year. Through this brutal winter, 3rd coldest on record in Vermont, the boiler performed with no hiccups. Yesterday morning, failed ignition. Coincidence? I am starting to believe it is a combustion issue due to it happening on "warmer" days. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,752
    Clean condensate trap, clean and check gap on igniter. 95% of the time this is the problem after a year plus, especially a heavy heating year. Once in awhile we get a internal error but not very often. Make sure the combustion #s are good also. That's pretty much the drill most
    times.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    Zman said:

    ignitor

    There was a bad batch of ignitors from tt.

    I would start there.

    Carl

    They are not expensive....
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    Zman said:

    Zman said:

    ignitor

    There was a bad batch of ignitors from tt.

    I would start there.

    Carl

    They are not expensive....
    I bought one and told myself, the next time it happens, I will switch it out. Well it never happened up until this morning. About the same time as last year....

  • wrxz24
    wrxz24 Member Posts: 301
    tim smith said:

    Clean condensate trap, clean and check gap on igniter. 95% of the time this is the problem after a year plus, especially a heavy heating year. Once in awhile we get a internal error but not very often. Make sure the combustion #s are good also. That's pretty much the drill most
    times.

    I think a combustion test is in order as well as cleaning out condensate trap.

  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    I have found two igniters where the part where the cable attaches comes lose inside the porcelain and will turn and get to facing the wrong way. They are fairly easy to remove and inspect and clean. If yours is lose set it back in the proper position and it should stay for a day or so until you can get a new one.
  • DZoro
    DZoro Member Posts: 1,048
    They have discovered that it isn't the igniter it's actually the insulation around the igniter. The insulation is creating a short to the burn chamber. Take a small rasp and make a 45 degree angle around the igniter. But yet still leave some insulation at the base. They are coming out with new insulation kits, but all are on back order due to high demand.
  • Dennis Foley
    Dennis Foley Member Posts: 21
    Check the incoming gas pressure and pressure drop when it fires. If it's propane it can be problems with the regulator and temperature changes.
  • froggie
    froggie Member Posts: 1
    I too have the PT110...I keep getting failed ignites once in awhile but not all the time. Had this furnace for 1 1/2 years now. I also found out I needed a Torx screwdriver for the screws holding in the Igniter. Anyways, do I need to Shut off the boiler (main on/off button) power to check the igniter to inspect and clean it, or to replace? Please reply, Thanks!!
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,418
    yes.... always power down the unit before doing work on it. May actually be safer to hit the breaker.
  • Dazforce
    Dazforce Member Posts: 1
    The last couple times I get the 5 failed ignitions I schedule service. Then I try it it again a day or two later prior to service and it kicks in again. What do you think is happening?