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Queston about boiler size & Burnham

Kelly Gilbert
Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
in THE MAIN WALL
We moved into this house ten years ago, and a  year after we moved in the Burnham V7 oil boiler we had was losing water.  Our oil company said the boiler had a known defect and the company replaced it with a V8, which was larger.  It was installed October, 2002 and the chamber that holds the water (I forgot what you call it) has a huge rotted hole in it and it's junk.  Does anyone know what Burnham is doing about this?  The heating guy who came to clean it told us he believes they are pro-rating the age of the boiler and the refund they will give you on a new boiler if you buy from them. Then, of course, you have to pay for installation and pipe reconfiguration, etc. That seems pretty outrageous to me considering there is a ten year warranty saying it will be replaced or repaired against defects in materials or workmanship.  Also, I was wondering if anyone knows what is the correct oil burner we need for a 2 story 1200 foot cape?  Thank you.

Comments

  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,568
    Steam or hot water?

    Steam,you need to measure the radiation. Hot water requires a heat loss calc
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
  • bob eck
    bob eck Member Posts: 930
    Burnham

    call Burnham and see if there is a warranty on your boiler? was it cleaned and serviced every year?
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    Warranty

    Your lucky that they replaced the original boiler. Warranties are not transferrable. But I would assume they did because of the major problem they had in the casting of the V7.



    The warranty also states that labor is not covered. The warranty process can work 2 ways.



    Burnham will ship a complete replacement block that is jacketed at a pro-rate price based on the serial number of the boiler if the orginal boiler was installed more than ten years ago. Your contractor then needs to take the burner and aquastat off the defective boiler and fit it onto the replacement block. He must also do a combustion test and set up the burner according to the replacements installation instructions.



    Choice 2. Have the installer install a new V8H or MPO and Burnham will rebate you back a check upon the completion of the install. Your contractor must fill out the rebate paperwork and it is mailed to Burnham,



    Where is the hole?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Steam heat

    We have small radiators and it is steam heat.  Radiators work fine.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    I have the warranty

    It is for ten years for defects in materials and workmanship.  We have a cracked block here.  I hear there is a class action lawsuit being put together for both the V7 and the V8 by a big law firm in CA because of known defects in both of these boilers.  And Burnham is not honoring their warranties either.  If you read posts about this online, you will find out a lot!
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Rot hole is about 4 inches long in the top of the boiler

    It was cleaned and maintained every year.  I have all the records.  Service man said there was no way we could have done this ourselves.  It is a defect.  CAST IRON?  Some cast iron? 
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    Hole

    Would that be on the inside of the boiler or on the outside? Would that be near the flue outlet passage?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    edited September 2010
    It is inside the boiler

    near the flue outlet.  Why?
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,610
    Kelly,

    there's a good chance that it's the water. Please read this:



    http://www.heatinghelp.com/article/11/Hot-Tech-Tips/244/Steam-Boiler-Failure
    Retired and loving it.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Great article..

    I believe it very well could be the water.  Most of the posts I read about the Burnham's rotting out are in my state or in my area.  However, why is it that Burnham boilers are the ones that corrode before the warranty is up?  What about every other manufacturer?  I'm still out a boiler...again!
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    edited September 2010
    Warranty is 25 years

    Your warranty is not up. It's pro-rated. From the devils side. In reality, is it really a defect? I believe the installation manual states under what water conditions the boiler should be installed and if a manufacture honors any part of that warranty when the product was installed in conditions that were not recommended in my mind that's a good company. Is it not the installing contractors responsibility make sure the boiler is installed in the proper conditions? Seems that your putting all the blame on the manufacturer. At the same time I'm not saying it's the contractors fault either but there is always more to a story.



    Burnham will stand by the block provided there is warranty left. They generally do not nit-pick warranties. See the warranty on page 96 of the attachement under additional terms and conditions. Specifically paragraph 4 as to Dan's great article.

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  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    My serviceman told me..

    that the only offer he got from Burnham regarding the warranty on this boiler is that they will give  us a pro-rated rebate check to be refunded only after we purchase and pay to have installed ($$$$) a new boiler from them.  That's IT!  I don't call that honoring the warranty.
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    I'm Sorry

    But the warranty clearly states that the iron is covered 100 percent full upto 10 years and is then pro-rated after year 11. What about it would they not be covering?



    From your post it sounds like you are taking the choice of installing a new boiler complete w/burner and they are giving you what is left on the original warranty in the form of a rebate check. You don't have to accept it. You can get just a block and jacket replacement at a pro-rated rate and just have to pay the pro-rated rate  up front.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,610
    Kelly,

    I know that water containing chloride will do this. It's not choosy; it goes after lots of boilers, and from many manufacturers. I'm sorry this is happening to you.  I believe that someone from Burnham is reaching out to you.
    Retired and loving it.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    I'll have to speak with our serviceman...

    because he told us there was only one option we were given (purchasing a new boiler from them)  and it had nothing to do with replacing the block.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Thanks for the kind words.

    It helps.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Someone from Burnham...

    has contacted me.  I will keep you posted.
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,610
    Great!

    I'm glad you connected with them. Good people. 
    Retired and loving it.
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    Update

    The people from Burnham have been very supportive and have stood by their warranty on our boiler.  I want to apologize for calling them "crooks" in an earlier post and another member was right in taking issue with that.  I was angry and frustrated, but that's still no excuse.  

    My phone calls and emails received a prompt response also, so I would have to give them high marks in communication.  We feel we have been treated fairly and now I know that Burnham does stand behind their product.  We have decided to go with the new MegaSteam boiler.  It has been highly recommended by many people here as well as a number of local contractors.  We look forward to having it installed and up and running very soon. 

    Thank you for all the help and advice and emails I have received from so many of you on this board.  Your invaluable knowledge and selfless support have carried me through a very difficult time.  God bless you.
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
    Great!

    I'm glad to hear you have been taken care of. Also glad you came back to update us. The MegaSteam is a great boiler and will provide you and your family years of comfort and also some fuel savings. Best of luck on the installation. Come back and post some pics of the install.

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  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    Good resolution!

    If I may add one tidbit, if not discussed already:



    A recording make-up water meter is a good thing to monitor your make-up rate. If you have an automatic water feeder, that can mask long-term slow leaks from your piping.



    Ideally you should lose very little water, wisps from vents that are a tad tardy in closing plus whatever you blow down off the old-style LWCOs.  Yes, that is an ideal, the reality can be more. Valve stems, buried pipe, a host of things you may not see because they evaporate and leave no trail except rust. (And name me an iron basement pipe that does not have a little of that now and again.)



    Anyway, measure it to manage it.



    My $0.02



    Brad
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • Plumdog_2
    Plumdog_2 Member Posts: 873
    Make-up water meter

    Brad, do you have any suggestions for a small meter that could be used on small systems?

    And glad to see your back, please post video of any coyote-shooting exploits from now on.
  • Jean-David Beyer
    Jean-David Beyer Member Posts: 2,666
    I have never used these, ...

    I am not a professional, and have never used these, but this water meter seems suitable to me:

    http://www.jerman.com/dljmeter.html
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    edited October 2010
    New Boiler

    ) 
  • Kelly Gilbert
    Kelly Gilbert Member Posts: 86
    edited October 2010
    New Boiler

    We just got our new boiler and I love it!  The MegaSteam is so powerful it puts the old V8 to shame.  I'm going to post some pictures for you.  Please feel free to let me know if it was installed correctly.  The guy who did it said he did the best he could to make it look okay considering what he had to work with. (some old piping on the right hand corner) 
  • burnam
    burnam Member Posts: 1
    need help

    okay my v8 boiler is defective, no surprise  I am waiting for it to be replaced and have been adding water to it,,,,screwed up, over filled because it is cracked water is coming out of fire box/ combustion chamber whatever it is called

    I have hit emergency switch to turn off, do you think it is safe to start furnace, am I risking a blow back   help thanks
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