Smoke coming from bottom of boiler

Mitch_6

You are most likely not burning clean and actually may be increasing the problem with each time you fire it up.

Box store co alarms are almost usless. Unless someone is using the proper test equipment you just don't know.

I do not see why you are still asking for advice on the wall when most people have agreed you have a dangerous situation. Shut the boiler down completely until you have a competent tech actually see it.

You should also plan to replace the boiler.

Mitch S.

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Seth_5

Smoke coming from bottom of boiler

Hi All, I just got back from vacation and I turned my old boiler back on and there is smoke pouring out of the bottom of it when its on. I was gone for 3 weeks so the boiler was turned off for 3 weeks. When it runs for like 15 minutes, the smoke gets lighter and lighter and then almost it stops coming out. Then when it comes back on, the smoke is thick again and then it starts to get lighter again. The smoke (or smoky fumes) are coming from the very center of underneath it. I have a very old GE 5 foot tall steam boiler (one pipe system). Its about 75 years old. I was told this kind of boiler could burn its own exhaust at one point but its not set up like that anymore. This is the area that the smoke is coming out of. It has a "gun" pointing down which sends a flame downward. I was hoping somebody knows whats wrong or heard a similar thing before. (I guess I should mention that when the transformer on the gun went out a while back, it kept trying to come on, and the service guy said that there was a lot of unburnt oil in the chamber where the flame was. It was shooting oil without a flame. When the transformer was replaced we turned it on and the same thing was happening for a little bit. But then it never happened again. Was the oil dripping from the gun tip for 3 weeks? Is there a puddle oil inside the flames chamber? Is that whats going on because I left it off for such a long time? I would think the oil would get all burnt up within a small amount of time and not keep happening every time the boiler turns on.) Thanks and please help.

I should also mention that when I look into the peep hole to see the flame, I see some flames coming up from the bottom too. I dont think that is supposed to happen, is it? Also, the gun seems to be dropping fire balls every now and then. Im not an expert, but shouldnt the gun shoot an even flame?

David Sutton_6

Condensation

Could be condensation under the boiler or some seals leaking and the heat from firing steams it away,steel boiler dont like to be cold , they shrink ;-)

You should let it run , if the smoke has a oil or diesel smell or is black , call for service


David

Seth_5

Thanks for the reply. The fumes are definitely exhaust. It smells bad. I should also mention that when I look into the peep hole to see the flame, I see some flames coming up from the bottom too. I dont think that is supposed to happen, is it? Also, the gun seems to be dropping fire balls every now and then. Im not an expert, but shouldnt the gun shoot an even flame?

David Sutton_6

Seth

You should have it looked at by your service person, thats a little differant

Bob Harper

urgent!

Shut it down, red tag it, lock out the controls and get a qualified tech in there trained in combustion analysis before you wake up dead! If it is not combustion exhaust then no emergency but you still have problems. If it is, you have a life threat.
Shut it down NOW
Please!
Bob

Steve Ebels_3

It doesn't sound good

If the "smoke" has the odor of exhaust you need to turn it off and not run it until you have a good tech in there to give it a thorough going over. That sounds like nothing to take a chance with.

If it turns out to have failed just be thankful the old girl gave up the ghost now instead of mid winter. Usually they fail at the worst possible time, like the day before Christmas.

Seth_5

Thanks for all your responses. I have bought a carbon monoxide detector and have ventilated the basement. I can't smell it upstairs. I will call a tech to have it serviced on Monday. Is that too late, because my boiler also heats the hot water.

Bob Harper

CO monitor

If you bought an off the shelf CO alarm listed to UL 2034, it is one step away from junk. They are very unreliably at best and do not protect you adequately at the low end. Before firing that unit, have a pro check it with a CO analyzer. I would not be in there with that thing still leaking. FYI, humans cannot detect CO.

Jim_47

Ge Boiler

Hey, I'm not a real old guy just an old guy but if the GE boiler is operating on the original burner, you are way overdue for a new boiler. If the boiler has been retrofitted with a retention head burner like a carlin CRD99 0r 100, its still time for a new one. Just condemed a downfired boiler this past season. THe downfired boiler burnt thru the bottom and was firing against the concrete floor. IN ANY CASE its time for replacement. There are many more efficient and more reliable boilers on the market today.

Seth_5

service guy said use it when you need it.

I just called the service guy and he cannot come out right now and he said just use it when you need it even though it smokes. I will need it to heat the hot water in the house until he gets here tomorrow or Monday. The type of boiler I have is listed in the library section of this website. Go to the library section and hit (ctrl and F at the same time on your keyboard) and put in 1948, and then hit enter. Its a pdf file. What does everyone think is wrong with it?

Seth_5

more info on my boiler

I just wanted to add that when it is running, every now and then I see orange flames coming up from the bottom of the combustion chamber looking through the looking glass on the side. This isnt normal, is it? I just want to be able to tell the service guy everything I know so it can go as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Steve Ebels_3

With all due respect sir

Don't be an idiot. Shut it off! Your family will be no worse for wear and tear due to the cold water. You could all be in serious danger. It's just not worth the risk. Seriously, it's not worth taking a chance on until you get it checked out.

Hopefully it's nothing but in any case, you really should consider replacing the old GE with something more efficient and kinder to the environment.

Mitch_6

So what did the service tech say when he

came out on monday?

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Seth_5

Service Guy

They didnt even show up until today. I had to keep calling after them. I was about to contact the BBB. He didnt say much, he just did a full tune up and it seems to be working fine. The only thing that I don't like is that the nozzle is still dropping little drips of oil to the bottom of the cumbustion chamber and they are burning up with orange flames when they hit the bottom. He said he really can't do anything about it. No more smoke though, yet. He also calculated 80.5% efficiency. I still dont trust it now that a bunch of people on this board says my CO detector isnt good. I can't find the UL number on it, but its a law in Massachusetts to have a detector and this detector is ok according to Mass law. Now I dont know what to believe.

Bob Harper

CO links

Seth, go to:
www.coexperts.com
www.coheadquarters.com
www.bacharach-training.com

Read up on the limitations of the UL2034 standard. There is much more out there. Rudy Leatherman from Bacharach did a field test of off the shelf alarms with a TV station and they failed miserably.

HTH,
Bob

Steamhead (in transit)

Find another tech

you say "the nozzle is still dropping little drips of oil to the bottom of the cumbustion (sic) chamber and they are burning up with orange flames when they hit the bottom. He said he really can't do anything about it."

Sure he can.

Does this boiler have its original low-pressure burner setup or has it been converted to a newer unit such as a Beckett?

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Seth_5

Beckett

No that whole setup is gone. Its been converted to a Beckett. I'll see if I can get another company. I am not going to deal with this company I have right now anymore. Any suggestions on why its dripping? The nozzle and stone filter were both replaced.

Steamhead (in transit)

Probably

a bad cutoff in the fuel unit. If you're not going to go for a new boiler, this would be a good time to upgrade to a CleanCut fuel unit and a GeniSys or R7184B primary control. This would add valve-on delay, like the original burner had.

Where are you located?

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Leo_13

Would you put

Would you put a new engine in a rusted out car? It's time to upgrade. Dropping flame during operation can be a leaking nozzle/nozzle adapter, a leaking jetline, a leaking pump seal. A number of things all guesses without seeing it.

Leo

Steamhead (in transit)

That's

why I said "probably". The cutoff is a moving part, so that's what I'd check first.

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