prestige lp issues what would JC do

clammy

Just wondering what others would do .Was called to look at a prestige 250 that was installed about 3 or 4 years ago has some noise issues when running it was a barter job and i did not do it nor had any thing to do with it .Well to start off the piping was not up to snuff in my book reduced at the boiler from 1 1/4 to 1 inch and sort of ps piped but way short of the mark aside from only a 3/4 gas line and the LP  regulator about 8 ft away the inlet pressure was 11 w c and drop to about 9.5 when running .I really could not get a combustion reading due to the fact that the boiler would not run long enough 1 or 2 minutes and it would cyle off .It started off and ran fine with the outdoor reset wired in .I disconneted the sensor so it would run longer but it did not help and the burner then started to backfire upon start up .I re conneted the out door sensor and the start up rummbling stopped .I still did not get a combustion reading off of it .The boiler was piped as the primary loop  with the seondary being the system except the installer did not follow proper P/S distanes on the tees and jammed a st ell into the return tee of the secondary loop so the flow into and through the secondary loop is crap with a huge temperture drop .The HO has asked what i could do i suggested to repipe it corret the gas piping and flue piping which also a far from the manafactures specs but when all is done the boiler is still way over sized .The home is about 2400 sq ft with about 130 ft of slant fin 30 .Am i way off base in thinking of tossing this boiler and just put in a properly sized cast iron direct vent boiler.I already know that the baseboard was not over sized so in my book it would only be early and late season where it might condense and maybe te modulation might help but i feel it ain't gonna justify the cost .Last year he burner 1800 gallons of LP .He has had the installer and the  local rep they all say it is normal and its running fine i say it is BS at close to 90 btu sq ft they are cta.Also upon first starting there is alot of noise like boiler water is boiling and the boiler very quickly ramps down then a minute later the burner cyles off .The guy installed a taco 0010 as the boiler pump and of course the installation and operation books where not there .Thanks for any input peace and good luck clammy

clammy

Another note

I am familar with  mod cons but have only installed 2 other prestigesand did not have the manual with me when i went and looked at teh job  i mostly did HTPs and peerless and a few baxis .With out i and o manual i was unable to go througt the  installers parameters.The HO has stated that he was told the the unit does not require to be cleaned or need yearly maintance and has said that he has had issues from the start.peace and good luck clammy

icesailor

What to do:

Clammy,

Is this unit listed as LP or does the name/rating plate list Nat. Gas and was converted? Is the proper documentation there for the conversion?

I see that old "Street Ell Into The closely spaced Tee" trick all the time. I'm considered full of schitt for thinking and saying that it is wrong. I just hooked up a Taco 4-way "I" valve mixer. Taco said (not "suggested"), a minimum of 4 pipe diameters and not more than 6 for the closely spaced tees, and a minimum of 8" from any turn on the primary side. It may have been 6".

Your problem sounds like a perfect candidate for a Hydraulic Separator or Low Loss Header.

There is a growing consensus that all Mod-Con boilers need to be serviced every year.

When you figure this one out, you will be many miles smarter. Smarter at least than the person that put it in.

CMadatMe

Do the Heat Loss

Have to start with the heat loss and find out what you need. 130 foot of board has the capability to deliver about 75,000 btus. Best case without changing the boiler would be to get into the control and reduce the max firing rate atleast the low end is 60k on the boiler. After that install a buffer tank and park the btus. The perfect solution would to be to replace the boiler but when talking dollars this maybe the better solution unless the HO is ok with replacing the boiler.

NYplumber

Pictures

.....are worth a thousand words. And we get a good laugh too.



Like others asked, is it a factory LP unit or field converted?

lchmb

manuals

http://s3.pexsupply.com/manuals/1249544859835/Triangle_Tube_Solo250_Manual.pdf

 In a lot of these system's, the manufacturer may be able to down stage/fire the unit to help with the over sizing. I would check with them prior to removing the system.