down firing?

thfurnitureguy_4

Try the acid test. As an example, take a pot and heat it with a lighter. It will get hot, and it will take a long time. It might boil at the hot spot on the pot, and make steam. Now take the same pot and heat it in the optimum patern to heat, and create steam. It will heat faster, the flame will acheave the optimim temp for burning efficiency, and the exhaust will have enough extra heat to stay hot up the stack. Why? because the guys at the factory that designed it to work, already did all of the field testing. It is not to say that your down sizing won't work. It will work, with a cost in efficiency,longevity, performance or safety. This is a time to trust in the engineers and techs that spent alot of time to make a product that will function and perform in the world of competition. As for what you can tack together to prolong not buying the correct boiler???? As a kid, my father had me do the calculation of how long it would take to pay for a car with an efficient 4 cyl. engine, as comapired to my payed for v8 truck. You can buy alot of fuel before you cover the cost of the new unit. You may not own the thing when the break even or the savings are acheaved. Do the math.

JM_2

Down firing?

I have a question about a theoretical situation.
I assure you that my system runs fine.

Over the last 2 years I have see the discussion of oversize boilers ocasionally come up. once in a while someone suggests removing a burner tube and its orrifice and plugging the opening. Others seem to think this is bad beacause of the reduced flue temps.
I was wondering why?
What is the difference between a 150,00 BTU output with two out of its five burners removed and plugged,(resulting in a 90,000BTU) and a a 90,00 BTU unit.
Wont the flue temps be the same?

Ron Schroeder

John

No temps will be lower as 150,000 btu unit is built to handle a larger volume of water, start taking away burners flue temp drops and who knows what uneven water temp in the boiler will do to the boiler.

B.S.

JM_2

So the increased volume of water in the larger boiler acts like a more efficient heat sink, sucking more heat out of the already diminished heat source?

Ron Schroeder

Yes

B.S.

Rodney Summers

This also increases the chances of condensation in the boiler and the flue pipe.

Ron Schroeder

B.S.

Kniggit

I said increases, as in the lower the temp ya runnit the closer it gets, not saying it will, but say a boiler that did not condense at 120 with a 40,000 burn under it might do it with 20,000 i am not saying a minor underfiring at "normal operating". All i said is increases the risk, and it does not have to be in the boiler, it could be in the flue pipe 10-20 feet up the pipe, where it is hidden and may never be seen.

Kniggit

ok, so now that we have two profesional opinions, maybe we will catch a couple more that say more then two letters

JM_2

Don't

Don't all gas boilers have some condensation? and why is this bad. Also what problems do you encounter with uneven heating on a boiler.
Especially a steam boiler which is heating the water to boiling.

JM

Ron Schroeder

Hmmm

I don't recall posting that last message, especially when I am not around a computer at 11AM

B.S.

Kniggit

Very Strange, I still would like to hear a couple more theories, especialy when there are so many people that clame underfiring a oil boiler decreases eff.