Is there a good reason for this?

Steamhead (in transit)

someone may have repiped the LWCO to attempt to keep it covered with water. You need to pipe it properly. Replace the feeder too- I like the M&M WF-U series since the valves are brass and won't rust up.

The Burnham V-3 series, if my understanding is correct, is essentially the old American-Standard A-3 series with a more modern burner and chamber. You're right in that it is probably 30-40 years old. But they are built like tanks and last a long time. I've done burner upgrades on A-S A-3 units and they've used a lot less oil.

If the pressure is that high I'll bet it's slamming those Gorton #1 vents shut. Measure the length and diameter of the mains to see if those vents are the right size. Crank the pressuretrol down and make sure the pigtail is clear.

Let us know how well it works when you're done.

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=367&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Kyle Kubs - Benchmark Home Inspections

Could there be a good reason for this?

In a house I checked out yesterday (for my brother no less) To me this seems like a time delayed self destruct mechanism but being an old & oversized boiler I figured maybe it is a deadmen trick with an actual good reason. To me it seems to take the water line and put it up in the top of the boiler where there is no room to make steam. The LWCO won't shut down no matter how much water I blow down. This system is really badly set up. Currently at an operating pressure of 10psi (likely due to the radiator vents on the main. Water surging like mad (can't imagine what is causing that on this jury rig... ) Automatic water feeder not working.

Also, and very important, The boiler is a Burnham V-35 - No serial #, 205 MBH - Anyone care to hazard a quess as to it's approx age? I put it around 30-40 years.

Thanks in advance for the assist and Happy Holiday's to All & to all dry steam...

Kyle Kubs - Benchmark Home Inspections

That was Bad vents - Not Rad vents...

Just looked at my notes - Thought I say Rad. vents on main. - but just a sloppy B. Make that Bad vents on the main.

steve b_8

I have a similar boiler (Burnham V-33). It is 25 years old.

brucewo1b

It was piped that way to keep hot water over the top of the Tankless coil when they were still using it otherwise they were always short of domestic hot water BS

Steamhead (in transit)

Kyle's latest pic

confirmed this. Have it repiped, Kyle.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Kyle Kubs - Benchmark Home Inspections

Thanks for the help

The repipe was pretty much a given. It's just nice to have it confirmed by somebody smarter than me... I have that planned, a day of skimming the boiler, take some measurements and play with the venting & pressuretrol...

Now to go a little more in depth another concern especially with the price of oil this year, is efficiency. You can see it has had a newer Beckett burner installed at some point and it is firing pretty nicely - The flame looks like something you would see coming out of the back of a jet fighter, but at least it is going all the way to the back of the firebox. Now this isn't my area of expertise, but, a nozzle I found on top of the boiler was a 2.1 GPH 60 degree. and I won't know until I get the pressure cranked back down and the main vents correct but I have a feeling it is going to be short cycling like mad... (Right now it runs for tem minutes just to pressurize the system...) It is a big, old house and I have yet to even look hard at the radiation but I imagine I wan't to underfire this thing a bit? Again not my area of expertise setting up oil burners I'll just bring in someone smarter than me for that, but I'm just wondering what efficiency it might be possible to get out of this behemoth & wether it is worth playing with in the first place or should I tell him to just factor in replacement cost when he buy's the place.

Bob W._3

Looks like the house is for sale; were you checking this out for your brother to buy or sell? Wouldn't you have to tally up the installed radiation (sq. ft. of EDR) before making a decision on how to fire the boiler? Steamhead suggested that you post the length and diameter of the mains, so the correct venting can be determined. Once you have all this info you may be able to get the "system" working well, as a system. Nice looking home BTW.

Steamhead (in transit)

With the Beckett

you could probably downfire a bit. The 2.1 GPH rating was for the original burner, probably an early low-speed flame-retention burner, which did not produce as hot a flame as the Beckett can. However, with the original burner, the V-35 could be fired as high as 2.3 GPH, which was good for 769 square feet EDR so I doubt you're overfired with the Beckett at 2.1 GPH. At 2.1 it was rated 713 square feet.

It's possible the Beckett has already been downfired- the only way to tell for sure is to have a tech take it apart and see. Also, you will need to know how much radiation the system has. Make sure you don't downfire past the point where it will heat the house properly.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Mitch_6

Stupid question

Dumb question but back to the basics. Did you disassemble and clean the LWC, did you also clean the pig tail to the pressure switch and make sure it is properly set.

One other thing would to make sure neather control has been bypassed.

It would just be nice to confirm the condition of the controls and wiring before a major refit but from the look of the photos might as well replace.

Mitch,