knightly cleaning

Larry (from OSHA)

Here are a few pics of the latest cleaning.  The amount of crud was about the same as every other year.  Wildlife residing in the burner also similar to other years.  I think one of these days I'll put an intake filter in to keep these little guys out.  The credit card got lots of use between the coils and although I probably didn't need to lightly clean the flame sensor and igniter I did anyway.  The whole process takes about 2 1/2 hours and yes, I'm kind of slow, but thorough.  Pressure washing the coil used about 10 gallons of water and my system of sucking it out with a wet vac really works well.  This system has worked flawlessly since installed in 2007. 

STEVEusaPA

Send that pic

to VISA......it's everywhere you want it to be

Good job on the cleaning.  Thorough beats fast any day of the week for me.

TomS

Cleaning

This past summer I also cleaned my Knight and it was very similar to your pictures.  This fall when I first turned on the boiler I got a surprise as it shut down on low fan speed and the fan made an abnormal noise.  What I found was a mouse stuck in the fan impeller.  I am using a concentric vent and would like to prevent this from happening again. Anybody have any ideas on how to  screen off the intake on a concentric vent?

Ironman

S.S Mesh Sreen...

With 1/4" openings placed in the intake pipe where it connects to the concentric. Use a coupling and cut the mesh to match the inside diameter of the coupling. Let it rest against the internal stop in the coupling with the pipe holding it in place.

Steve Whitbeck

concentric

I would lose the concentric vent. You should have at least 18 inches vertical seperation of the intake and the exhaust.

TomS

Concentric Vent Screen

Ironman thanks for the reply.  If I understand correctly the rain cap would not be used anymore because it would not fit over the coupling.  Also, has rodent entry been a common problem with using concentric vents ?  I kind of suspect it is since you had a answer for the problem.

Ironman

Wrong End

No, I was referring to the part of the concentric that's inside the house. Cut the intake pipe 2" from the concentric and put the coupling and screen there. Don't glue the coupling; use a couple of sheet metal screws so it can be dis-assembled again when needed.

ColoradoDave

Miller Moths

Where I'm at, we have a huge problem with miller moths..... so adding a small peice of window screen to the (usually) supplied metal screen is a good idea too.  It seems the combustion air side takes the most abuse (for somewhat obvious reasons).

With the concentric (bazooka) termination, we do it with an un-glued fitting on the combustion air take off at the termination OR do it near the boiler.  I blast of compressor air or a good seal with a shop vac can usually suck the line clear of small debris like mushed moths.

SpeyFitter

Giannoni

Instead of using a credit card, you could also try one of those plastic dinner knives. They work pretty good.

I believe someone (Trinity?) makes a specific water spraying mounting plate that you mount on Giannoni heat exchangers with a spray wand on it that allows you to hose out Giannoni heat exchangers.

SpeyFitter

Giannoni

Double Post, whoops

Larry (from OSHA)

I've seen those

The trinity wand looks like a handy tool but I have been very happy using the little ball valve on the end of the hose that I have.  Very simple and it works.  The credit card is handy and flexible and won't break off in the hx so I'll just keep using it.  There really doesn't seem to be any efficiency difference between before and after cleaning, but the amount of crud isn't so much.  I suppose if the air or gas was really dirty things would be different. Bottom line, I love the boiler.  It has the best controls out there and since I do the maintenance, I'm still saving a bunch of dough.



Larry

johnnyog

water balloons in exhaust cause fan failure?

HI my knight boiler is on lockout for low fan speed. the fan speed is 0 rpm. disconnected exhaust and intake lines to boiler (concentric vent) to find peices of water balloons in the exhaust at low point near boiler outlet



could the water balloons have travelled from exhaust vent into boiler fan?



have to take off the fan on Friday and repair or replace, but wondering what is going on

Steve Whitbeck

intake

No screen of any kind on the intake. If the wind is just right and the exhaust gasses get sucked into the intake pipe it will freeze on the screen in cold weather and this will trip the boiler out. The colder it is the more likely it will happen.