QuietSide QXM8 Oil Issues

Darrell_4

The flat spot in the motor is very common. Usually makes it go boom.

Matthew Grallert

QuietSide QXM8 Oil smokes in the morning

I have the honor to service one of these things. Up until a month or so ago that meant routine cleanings and combustion check. The customer has been having to reset it every morning after which it funtions all day. He tells me it smokes when he resets it but he can't tell me if it smokes on every start during the day. I did replace the ignitor, do the reported smokey starts and the condition of the exchanging surfaces. If any one out there has experience with these units I would be thankful for some input.
Peace
Matthew

bill_105

It just accured to me to add during the last routine cleaning I found that the refactory blanket that wraps the interion of the combustion chamber had fallen over a bit impinging on the flame. The first trouble call was smoke and I thought AH HA the blanket has fallen again, but no. Any ideas?

Darrell_4

I've gotten to the point that I really hesitate to work on them...had too many explode. I've had to walk around the yard collecting the baffles when they blew out thru the flue. I've had them buried in the ceiling. The pump runs on demand without any mechanical fail-safe intertie to the blower or ignition. So it can pump oil if the blower has failed and then ignite all at once when there is a thick enough cloud. Boom!

They are efficient, I'll give them credit for that.

In this area they are typically installed by owners...and that may explain alot.

Smoke? Look for a collapsed baffle or two or fourteen. You'll have to pull them out through the top of the boiler. If you have a boom experience...the baffles collapse upward on themselves and will block the tubes. If you are missing baffles...look in the flu pipe...they usually collect clear at the end where it exits the building. I'm not kidding.

I have also seen the little tabs at the top of the baffles rot off or bend and the baffle drop into the combustion chamber where the flame impinges and causes smoke. Tough to see from the front...gotta pull the top and lift the baffles out...they are cheap.

bill_105

Thanks for the reply Darrell. No big boom yet but this thing does make me nervous. I'm going to recheck all the voltage readings this afternoon and then I don't know I'ld like to at least explain to the HO the issue, but he's ready to consider his options. The thing is only about five years old, that's the rub.
Peace

GREG LAUER

m aybe

my boss has one of these charms and the same issue last winter. took a few looks to find out the blower was not running when it happened. like the motor had a dead spot. you could watch it for hours and no problems but the next morning it was off.

bill_105

Greg I won't get my hopes up, but that sounds like a bingo to me. Any way to check? I am pretty sure that this thing will fire right up when I get there.

GREG LAUER

shot in the dark

we only found it by watching it and lucking out that it happened while we were watching. at some point you have to walk away and that is normally when it happens,