combustion analyzer

kcopp

Hi All,

 What are you guys using to set up your mod/con gas boilers? I had  a run in w/ one last week and it turned out that the UEI Smart Bell I just bought was WAY off w/ the readings... I ended up having the boiler rep come out w/ his Wohler and we got it right... very nice tool but $$$$. 

ty,kpc

SpeyFitter

UEI?

Why do you think the UEI was way off? Has it been serviced and calibrated annually? The reason the company I work for has UEI is because UEI is located in town so we can get them serviced/calibrated anytime and don't have to ship it off for downtime.

kcopp

well the UEI...

was/ is less than 4 months old. I can count on 1 hand the number of times it was used. I used it on the same boiler (Embassy Onex) at the same time w/ the Wohler and got numbers that were not in the ballpark... for example. the CO2 was 10.2 w/ the Wohler the UEI registered 5.5.

Tim McElwain

It sounds like you have

an O2 sensor problem. Depending on how long that meter sat on a shelf somewhere the sensor will only be good for 2 years at best. UEI has a new meter out that uses a CO2 sensor (good for 5 years I believe) instead of an O2 it will be interesting to see the results.



As for meters I have actually tested 6 different analyzers side by side on the same equipment at one time and found them all very close other than CO readings which are dependent of NOX elimination in some meters. All of those meters had just been factory calibrated.

kcopp

thanks Tim...

I figured that something was not right.One of the reasons I chose the UEI in the 1st place was for that reason. To have it fail in short order was frustrating to say the least.

 To spend the kind of money you have to spend AND that they have to be sent out yearly to be re-calibrated add a lot to the cost of doing business.

Here in NH it is getting more and more cost prohibitive to the consumer to do gas. We need to charge more and more for the Licensing, training and the tools to do it right.... that is the ones who go by the book.

I am probably buying a Wohler today....

kcopp

So Tim...

what causes a o2 sensor to go bad in a short time?

Charlie from wmass

I know this one!

trying to take readings that are way out there. Like when a certain power burner is set to 45 percent air when it needs 90 percent. Or so I have heard.

Tim McElwain

O2 sensors go every

two years or so even if they just sit on the shelf. It is inherent in the beast that they can only last that long. Do a lot of testing and get your moneys worth is the answer. I encourage techs to offer equipment testing for a particular fee to their customers over and above other normal services. It is a good money maker when business is slow. That will help to pay for the maintenance of the meter. It can also generate service on the equipment if it is not functioning correctly.



If nothing else offer Carbon Monoxide testing to your customers to insure the safety of their dwelling, that is a separate charge just for CO testing of the fossil fuel burning equipment in the customers dwelling. Make sure you test everything including gas ovens, pellet stoves and wood burners etc.