Cleaning out 40yr old Peerless FOT 105BTU steam boiler

stamato_3

Went over to the other board to get further opinions: Thought there maybe someone that has dealt with this old boiler before.

http://www.boilerroom.com/wwwboard/home3/12163.shtml

Heatpro said I have the right burner already. I am so confused.

Barbarossa

Cleaning out 40yr old Peerless (JOT I think) 105BTU steam Boiler

I have recently aquired a Peerless 105BTU Supersection JOT Oil fired Steam system that is aproximately 40 years old. I have replaced the motor, thouroughly cleand the burner, got the sediment out of the fuel tank, vacuumed the boiler and replaced an old boiler drain and a couple old nipples and pipes. Anyway I am moving along to cleaning up the inside of the boiler. That is where my questions are.

I am reading, that to get the inside clean I should use TSP, check the PH, skim, and all that stuff. I can do that as instructed by the many things I have read on the net. The one thing that has me concerned is without a manual I do not know where to skim from. Should I do it by removing the pressure valve and adding a nipple?

Another question is that I read one article which mentioned they only use TSP on boilers that are aproximately 10 years old or less. My boiler has a considerable amount of crap inside and would like to try TSP but there was no explanation as to why not to use the TPS on older boilers.

I did briefly let water gush out od the bottom of the boiler while I was repairing the pipes and nipples. It was dirty. I probably flushed it fully 2 times. After that it would come out clear (with spots of dirt periodically) but only after a first rush of dirt each time. Same as when I do it at the water cut off. The water clears up much faster at the water cut off and stays clear unless I keep opening and closing the valve.

I would like to have a clean boiler but I am also realistic that this thing is a turd. I would like to get at least a year or two out of it and know it is as functional as possible during that time.

Should I leave it alone and maybe only try to skim it? or should I hit it with the TSP?

Joe_116

peerless jot

you can find your manual at this location
http://www.peerlessboilers.com/home/_images/user/products/IOM_jo-tw_man.pdf

Steamhead (in transit)

If set up properly

and with the right burner on it, the JOT isn't so bad. But if it has the wrong burner on it, it will plug up with soot.

If it has a Beckett AFG, Carlin EZ or Riello burner, it should run fine with proper burner setup. Anything less and it plugs up.

"Steamhead"

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stamato_2

Specifics I just looked at all the markings

I just looked at the Boiler plate and here is what it reads:
Boiler Number: JOT 35 SU /
Serial Number JOT 19983 /
IBR Burner 1.35 /
Relief Valve 141 /
440 Sq Feet Steam /
Max Water Pressure Steam:15 Water:80 (Mine is steam) /
105800 BTU Steam, 122600 BTU Water

Burner info: It Says Exxon on a little sticker
Model: AF Burner /
0.50 2.5 GPH /
MP248 /
9-30-70 /
Houston Texas /
- Is this a relabeled or copy of a Beckett?
- It is green with a black ring between the burner and the pump that goes up to 10 adjustable by sliding for air.


Pump is an old Sundstrand probably the original.
I sucked up mud shortly after buying the house and running the tank dry. I took it apart and cleaned it. Fairly simple device. I didn't know what I was getting into at first but very easy to do, just a bit dirty.
Fuel Pump set up as a single fuel line gravity feed

Here is the markings on this:
Make: Sundstrand /
Model: A2VA-7016 /
RPM 3450 /
Spins Counterclockwise /
Starting from the top and going clockwise /
Top: Guage (I did add a pressure guage) /
Top: Return /
Right side towards top: Inlet /
Bottom to the right: Return and By Pass /
Bottom left: Inlet /



This thing is set to 100 PSI

I was reading that if these old burners are not set to a high enough pressure that they would clog up as you indicated above. Do I need to set it to a higher pressure.
I now remember that when I sucked mud from the tank (before I cleaned the tank) I had set it up to 130 PSI.

It seemed to be fine at 130PSI. But I didn't know how to define fine. All I know is that it still burned until I hit mud. I suspected that at the higher pressure I sucked the contaminants through the filter. I set it back to 100 after that

Sorry to ramble on but i want to be as informative as possible.

Steamhead (in transit)

At the very least

you need to have that burner upgraded. The Beckett AF (which is what you have) is a good burner when properly applied, but it just cannot produce the static air pressure needed to fire that boiler properly.

Note that I said "have it upgraded". This is NOT a DIY job. Proper burner installation and setup requires instruments and know-how that a homeowner would not have.

Pump pressure should not affect anything on the inlet side. If there is no filter in the oil line before it connects to the burner, have one installed- this will keep sludge out of the pump if properly maintained. However, pressure DOES affect the firing rate of the burner, so only a pro should adjust it.

Go to the Find a Professional page of this site, under Resources above, to locate someone who can get your boiler working properly. If you're in the Baltimore area, contact me.

When you're ready to have that boiler replaced, the Burnham Mega-Steam is far and away the best available.

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stamato_3

burner

These were mentioned as the better burner for my boiler: Beckett AFG, Carlin EZ or Riello burner. Is there one that is an obvious best choice? If not is one more readily available than others in case I need parts down the road? Also what should this thing fire at if set up correctly? Also will I have any air intake issues? I am guessing it can just suck in air from the basement as it does now.

Steamhead (in transit)

I'd go

with whichever burner your installer likes best.

The firing rate should be 1.35 GPH. However, this can be achieved with a smaller nozzle and a higher pump pressure if appropriate, and a pro would know what to use.

Combustion air will have to be evaluated by a pro. There are too many variables to get into here.

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stamato_3

Cleanout

About my first question. Should I avoid using TSP on a boiler this old. And where would I skim from. The manual listed in this thread (which does not show my exact model # but the pictures are the same) does not label anything as skim port or mention the word skim anywhere. Does it matter where I do it as long as it is near the top of the boiler? Maybe the pressure guage port or the pressure release port?

Steamhead (in transit)

I wouldn't

use any kind of chemical unless nothing else will work. You have to flush all the chemical out when finished, which can be diffucult.

We usually flush boilers out with a hose under street pressure. This washes out a LOT of sludge, then we skim afterwards if needed. As with other major work on steam boilers, this should be done by a pro.

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Steamhead (in transit)

The AF

is what originally came with that boiler. That's what Heatpro was saying. It may be old enough that the AFG hadn't come out yet. Since the JO/JOT series was known to plug up when equipped with low-static burners like the AF, I'd upgrade it unless you plan to replace the entire boiler.

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stamato_3

Model JOT-35-SU: What does 35 mean

Model JOT-35-SU: What does 35 mean. Does not show this in the online discontinued boilers manual. I am guessing 35 has something to do with # of sections, firing rate, output, or something specific to it. Also are the dimensions on all these the same except for when they made them tighter in mid 80s.