Source for Burnham Orifices

Big-Al_2

I've been attempting to get my Burnham IN-6 boiler downfired about 10%.  In order to do that, I'd need to go from the #45 (pink) orifices to the #47 (white) ones, Burnham Part # 822710.  The local supply house will only sell to the local contractors.  One just came over with orifices for a totally different burner and said they would "probably" be OK.  They weren't even close to being correct, being about 3/8" too long, so I said, "no thanks."



Is there any online source where I can buy nine of these so I can install them myself?  I'm not a licensed heating pro . . . but I am an engineer . . . and a very meticulous worker . . . so I'm not going to screw things up.  I promise.

Tim McElwain

Al you are messing

with something that should only be done by a professional gas technician,

The tech should be able to to do a combustion analysis when he finishes derating your boiler to insure efficiency, comfort but most of all that someone does not die from CARBON MONOXIDE poisoning



Why are you derating the boiler in the first place? If you are trying to save money that may not happen in the long run as boilers are designed to fire at maximum firing rate for maximum combustion efficiency. When you derate you lower that efficiency.



By the way to the best of my knowledge there is no place on-line to get the exact orifices you need. Call a pro so he can order them for you and install and do the job correctly.

Big-Al_2

I did

I tried dealing with a "pro" and he tried to provide me with the wrong parts. We don't have anybody within 50 miles who knows anything about steam boilers except for the industrial guys who don't want to be bothered with residential stuff.  If I want the job done right, I'll have to do the research and do it it myself.  I have access to a combustion gas analyzer and a maniforld pressure gage and I plan to set up the burner safely and properly . . . by the book.  If I wasn't 100% sure I was going to do this correctly, I wouldn't be attempting it myself. 



For the same reason, I do all of my own car repairs.   Although even the dealership techs are factory trained and competent, they are working on a fast schedule in order to make money.  They do the job as efficiently as they can and go on to the next customer.  I can't tell you how many "pro" jobs I've had to fix over the years. I can afford to spend the time to make sure everything is done well. 



At my last house, the forced air furnace was serviced every year by a trained heating guy, but there were a few things about the way it ran that didn't make sense to me. Of course, the heating guy couldn't afford to stay around and observe what was happening . . . take notes . . . and figure out what he needed to do for the system to be optimized.  I did.  I adjusted the fan temperature limit switches, adjusted the standing pilot so it didn't look like the Olympic torch, tweaked the heat anticipator, etc., increased my comfort level, and reduced my heating bills by just over 30% . . . for free.



This boiler is way bigger than it needs to be.  It's 175,000 BTU in, with 145,000 BTU  out.  I only have about 80,000 BTU worth of radiation.   Even with massive main venting, the radiator vents hiss too much and the boiler short cycles off the high pressure limit switch.  The boiler is only a few years old and was in the house when I bought it.  The "right" way to fix it would be to rip it out and spend several thousand dollars to buy a smaller one . . . but I don't have several thousand dollars to buy a new boiler.   Burnham says it's fine to downfire it 10%, and I'm hoping it will improve the way it works.



I'm in a small town and my resources are minimal.  I can either do the job myself or hire a local knucklehead to possibly screw it up.  If I can just get the right orifices, I will set everything up professionally, safely, and correctly.  I promise.