Optimal settings for steaming oil burner

malex

Hi fellow steamers,



A new heating season is about to begin so I have set an appointment with a burner service company. This is my first service since I moved in a year ago and I have done some work to upgrade the 1-pipe steam system:

1. replaced non-functioning main vents with Gorton 2's and 1's (steam is reaching end of main much quicker now)

2. Insulated the mains

3. Replaced and balanced all radiator vents with Gortons in different sizes



After making all these upgrades I still have some faint knocking in one riser towards the middle/end of the steam cycle (if I remember correctly).



I am wondering if I am generating steam too fast and now that it moves quicker through the system pull water with it. I am thinking the burner setting may have been set in a way too overcome the poor venting, lack of insulation etc that existed, i.e. set to burn hot and fast to create steam very quickly thinking that it would help getting steam to the rads quicker. Also, it may not be relevant but the burner was serviced by Sloamin's and I fear burning more oil is their priority rather than burning the right amount (or maybe I am just synical).



My question is, what should my settings be and will the burner service company know to adjust them appropriately? The service description I set an appointment for is Tune -up and vacuum (includes nozzle, filter & strainer). Does that typically include some type of analysis of what the correct settings should be or will they just select the same nozzle and settings?



I am attaching pictures so that you can see my boiler specs and the specs on the burner. There is a handwritten tag hanging from the burner, which I assume are the current settings. There is also a PDF that lists the Peerless recommended settings.



Appreciate any insight on this.

Rod

Burner Settings

Hi- 

     Your burner settings are most likely correct but just to make sure have the service company check the specifications for you. They should also check the boiler's firing with a digital analyzer and provide a printed readout for you of the combustion analysis.

     As for the "knocking" this link maybe of help to you:

 http://www.heatinghelp.com/article-categories/320/Steam-Heating-Problems-and-Solutions

    You might also post some pictures of the boiler and connected piping, so we can check to see if there might be a piping configuration configuration problem that might be causing the "knocking". Take the pictures from all sides of the boiler and from farther back so we can trace out the piping. We can zoom in if we need more detail. The improvements you have made so far will go a long way to optimizing your system.

- Rod