Rusty Fire Chamber

Chris M_2

All,

I have a 2 year old Burnham Megasteam MST 396, with a Beckett AFT burner. It's been installed for about two years now.  The installers neither skimmed, nor drained and replaced the water after a few cycles to clean the water during the installation, and the pipes banged, the water level bounced all over the place, dippped below the LWCO (probe type) interrupting the cycle, you name it. I'm a pretty handy guy, and really got into the technical aspects of steam heating while watching the installation take place. After I skimmed the boiler, blew it down (about 6 times over it's two years) adjusted the pressuretrol, it's running like a charm, under 2 psi, shuts off on thermostat and I can't believe how little oil I'm using.  Here's my concern... Well, I'll let you pros tell me if I should be concerned... When looking through the eye port on the fire chamber, I see rust on the back wall.  It's hard to see more than an area of only a few square inches of the wall, but what I see is definitely rust colored.  The boiler is not leaking, as I monitor the water level nearly every day, and over the two years I've had it, have only lost about an inch, which I know is normal due to slight steam escaping before the radiator vents close. Is it normal for the inner fire chamber walls to form rust?  I don't want to have to open up the chamber myself, because I don't want to have to disconnect the oil line, etc, until I have the boiler serviced in the springtime, but in the meantime, can anyone tell me if the sight of rust inside the fire chamber is normal for a boiler at the age and in the shape I describe?  Thanks in advance for any comments.. Chris Mannering

jpf321

flexible oil line??

The Burnham MST I&O manual recommends (see diagrams pg 41 & 42 of below PDF) using flexible oil line near swing door .. presumably so that you can open the door.

http://www.burnham.com/pdf/Megasteam%20I&O%20%28web%29.pdf

toilburn

toilburn

Many oil burner fire chambers develop red areas. I think it is a by product of combustion. It is normal.

Charlie from wmass

keep an eye on water usage

and check for white smoke when the boiler runs. They do use red dye in the fuel oil so you can not burn it in your diesel vehicles to bypass the road tax. If it is a refractory back wall it may be stained. White smoke equals leaks. And in keeping with tradition can we see a few pictures of your installation?

Chris M_2

flexible oil line, red areas, and water usage

Thanks guys..

JPF321: Regarding the flexible oil line, I now have a new project to add to my spring list.

Toilburn: I hope you're right.

Charlie: I did see some white smoke from the chimney in the morning a few minutes after the boiler startup, but it soon stopped, which I understand is the moisture in the chimney cooking off as the chimney warms up. Again.. there's been virtually no water loss that I have seen for two years, and I keep a good eye on it. Also, if by "refractory" you mean a ceramic or other lining material inside the chamber.. there is no refractory material inside, except for the inner surface of the door.  Regarding the pics.. I attached two, but can't get one of the inside of the firebox. And before you say it... I know I know.. That copper doesn't belong there. The installer did that, not me. I figure I'll leave it there until it leaks, and then I'll try my hand at replacing it with 2 elbows, 2 smaller pipes and a union all in blackpipe.

Steamhead

The MegaSteam

has no refractory rug or target wall- the only refractory is on the front door where the burner is mounted.

Charlie from wmass

Nope no Burnhams installed yet.

As you can tell be the refractory idea I had. I do wish I liked our local carrier of Burnhams better Frank, I really like the megasteam. But you know how a bad rep can make for a bad experience with a boiler.