New burner for oil fired Weil McClain steam boiller

cdm

I would like to replace my old Weil McLain WM HS 66 oil fired steam boiler, with an efficient burner. Problems are with present original burner - repair tech. always has problem with lack of air control on the burner and getting efficiency to 80%. Any suggestions for brand and type of replacement burner?



thanks -cdm-

Steamhead

What burner

is on it now? Post some pics if you can. 

cdm

New Burner for oil fired Weil McLain steam boler

All Steamed-up; Burner is on and running just fine. It's just that with a 30 year old system, and one that is discontinued - it needs help. Continued problems with the burner (each time a different oil burner technician comes), makes me feel I should purchase a new up-dated burner. I HAVE considered that I possibly have a looser for a service company, but I feel the boiler is fine, and that the modifications Weil McLain has made to boilers is not sufficient to make me want to purchase a whole new boiler system. I plan to be in this house for maybe 10 more years, so i'am not interested in putting a whole lot of money that (I will not recover), into a new boiler system. This is why I am only interested in putting in a minimum amount of cash to improve the boiler to get the efficiency up to possibly 85%.



thanks -cdm-

Steamhead

OK, but

what make and model oil burner is there now? This will affect how I answer you.



Possibilities are W-M-branded ABC 45CU, W-M QB, Carlin, Beckett, Riello or maybe Wayne. Post a pic if you're not sure.

cdm

New burner for oil fired Weil Mclain steam boiler

Burner only has Model WM HS 66 on it- only Number on it is: 100483001. Also noted on the burner plate is an array of suggeated nozzles sizes for unit (ie) 1,00 @ 80 degrees to 2.0 @ 80 degrees. I know the burner has a 0.75 gph nozzle in it now, but sorry thats all the info I have.



thanks -cdm-

Steamhead

That's a new one on me

one of the bigger manufacturers probably built that burner and put W-M's name on it. I'd be interested in a pic, maybe that would help us ID it. I can't find that number in any of my references. W-M did make a 66-series boiler for many years, so if that's what you have, the digit before the 66 in the model number tells us the number of sections in the boiler. From this we can establish a firing rate.



The 66 series runs well with a medium-static burner like the Beckett AFG. For the later 68 series sometimes an AFG would run well, but I'd use a Beckett NX or a Riello since the 68 had more internal resistance than the 66, and requires a burner that can generate more static air pressure. Carlin's EZ series is another good choice.



Whichever way you go, professional installation and setup is NOT optional- if you want the unit to run well, this is REQUIRED.

cdm

New burner for oil fired Weil McClain steam boiller

All Steamed Up: Sorry these pictures took so long to get. Possibly you will be able to determine what brand burner I have.



thanks -cd mulford-

Steamhead

That's

a Wayne model HS burner, otherwise known as the Blue Angel. Like the Carlin, Riello, Beckett AFG with L- and V-heads and the Sunray burners, the head is adjustable. If the head is out of adjustment, properly tuning it will be very difficult.



These aren't bad burners if set up right. You can find the manuals online. Looks to me like you need a better service organization.

cdm

New burner for oil fired Weil McLain steam boiler

All Steamed Up - Thank you very much. I really appreciate benefiting from your wealth of knowledge. I'll get a manual and be on my way.



thanks again - chuck mulford -

icesailor

Replace it:

Replace the burner. That burner could possibly be over 40 years old. Are you driving around in a 40+ year old car?

The burners recommended are very good choices. I prefer Carlin's and Riello's because they are adjustable head burners. Beckett's are not and not as forgiving.



If your oil service companies have had all these problems with adjustments, they should have tried to sell you a new one. If they did, and you didn't do it, maybe they left because they didn't like working on 40+ YO crapola burners.

Maybe you didn't want to spend the money. Spend the money. If the company that sells and installs your new burner and sets things up efficiently, the cost will be paid in savings.

Change the burner.

"66" boilers aren't all that "tight" but good boilers just the same for old boilers.

icesailor

THAT Burner:

I remembered this afternoon, an experience with the "66" boiler and what I think is that burner. It was Weil-McLain branded. It had the retention head held in place by 3 square wires welded to the retention head/ring. The whole thing mounted on the nozzle line. The "Boys" installed this boiler/burner combination. It wouldn't run right. I never got to install them, I got to figure out why they didn't work. This one had a flame that went off to the left side and hit the side. When I finally figured it out, I rotated the head and then it hit the other side. Looking carefully, the retention head was welded on crooked. It wasn't removable like on a Carlin's or Riello's.

If you have a burner and a crooked head, a burner tech may not figure it out. If you have one, take the electrode/nozzle assembly and place it head/nozzle down. Stand back and look to see if the assembly is plumb and square with the surface. If it isn't, you will never get it right.

That was one difficult POS burner.

DO yourself a favor. Don't waste your time futzing with it. Replace it.

It will give someone the opportunity to suck 40 years of crap out of the chamber. That alone will increase the efficiency to help pay for the burner.

Nuff Said.

cdm

New burner for oil fired Weil McClain stem boiler

All Steamed Up: Thanks for your input, I am going to look into a burner replacement in the spring. At that point I will be asking you specifically which burner I should select.



thanks -cd mulford-

Steamhead

Icy, the 66 series

originally came with the ABC 45CU burner- a sootmaker if there ever was one. The diagram is over on OTT on the Just for Teks page, and it looks like what you're describing. I've replaced a bunch of these things too.



But I get good results from the Blue Angel burners.

billtwocase

Blue Angel

They were nothing but a Carlin in ways. As Frank said, good burner when set up right. Looks like the transformer's tar is leaking. I will also echo time for a new service company, probably not a new boiler

billtwocase

Ice is thinking

of the old Wayne/Abc burners they used back in the day. This is not that burner Ice, these are good units. I have been all through the early retention head failures. Good thing we could braze them in the shop. Like the "A" style Carlin, the tack welds would give way, and fall in the chamber

cdm

New burner for oil fired Weil McClain steam boiler

Thanks - I will get my oil company "burner service people" to replace the transformer. Again, in the spring I will get a real steam technician to check out the burner and do the installation



-cd mulford-