Best Of

Well, Ironman, I think I owe you lunch. As I was disassembling the flue connector, I could feel water above it and the rust didn't line up. I'm guessing the installer twisted the top adapter and broke off both inspection ports. When I tried to loosen the plugs, I could feel them just spinning When I got it apart, they were both broke. From what I can tell, this is where the condensation was coming from. I'll know tomorrow when I get it back together.

I had a Weil McLain Rep on a site once and he told me if low fire is off and you break the seal and adjust it, do it in eighths on the turns. Then when its good, recheck High fire. It's easy to think the turns aren't making a difference because the analyzer needs time to analyze. And before you know it, you over or under shot by a ton. Nice and easy. Keep a load on the boiler and don't rush it.

One time I had to mess with that adjustment on a Munchkin. I got tech support on the phone to talk me through it. Some tech support personal can FaceTime now. That can be a plus for a troubleshooter on the job.

Do I really need an OSV

Not if you switch to gas or electric.

If your fuel tank is above the oil burner and the fuel line leaks between the tank and the burner, or the pump seal fails for some reason, the OSV will not let the oil pass unless there is a vacuum on the outlet side of the OSV. Without the OSV the "one atmosphere of pressure" that @leonz mentioned, on that fuel line leak or failed pump seal will allow oil to leave the tank through the leak until someone finds the problem and resolves it, or your tank runs out of oil.

I have had hundreds of customers with above ground oil tanks connected to basement oil burners that did not have an OSV and only one had a major spill. I can tell you that the customer was not happy with the result. But the other customers never had a problem. You are probably just like one of those customers of mine. I just can't tell you which one from this chair that I am retired in.

Only you can tell after you have had the experience after you sell and move, without a problem, or if you have the problem my one other customer that was not happy had.  I can tell you that some of my customers that do have OSVs on their oil line, never had the problem that my one unlucky customer had. Not one!

I would never suggest that you should not install a safety device. That would be stupid on my part. And my insurance carrier would drop me in a second if they found that I recommended that a customer not get a OSV and then there was a major oil spill at that location. Especially if the fuel spill was the type that an OSV would prevent. 

So if you were to ask me, Professionally, I would reply YES. If you ignored my advise I would have no problem with that. I just would have my recommendation in writing in my records somewhere and that you decided not to purchase the OSV. Cover My ****

Just some ramblings from an old oil burner man that has seen a lot of stuff in the last 50 years

I take my well equipped truck, and my most important tool, a well educated, experienced brain with a well practiced set of skills. What I carry in is a matter of my usual pouch of tools mainly to access and diagnose based on prior information given. Another most important tool is my pen and pencil and service order. Can't get authorized, record data or get paid without it. Needs no batteries and works with and without light. Works everywhere. And my young apprentice who needs to look smart and stay fit, carries all the tools he may never use.

I have been known to diagnose correctly what others miss without anything. But then clients that don't know me begin to doubt my ability.😉