Beckett AF/Old Delco Boiler Nozzle sizing..How do I find boiler manual/btu/etc?Picture Attached.

ww

In the past there was a service contract and oil delivered. The nozzle is 1.25gph 80 degree Hollow. I tried the same one 1.25 gph 80 degree SS nozzle of same size. Where do I get info on the Old Delco Boiler



2 family house plus basement is being heated domestic hot water radiators and hot water coil in boiler. Honeywell hi and lo aquastat L4006B is one of them. Low is set at 150 and High is set at 180.







Could anyone answer these questions?



1. Wondering if too big a nozzle is being used since it was serviced by oil company selling oil? What would happen if I switched to a 1.00 gph nozzle?



2. Performance wise and fuel savings does a SS or hollow make a difference? Doing some research on this and seeing different air patterns, more noise,flame in center,etc.



3. I replaced the Hollow with a semi solid for one heating period of 37 days ending the other day and used 235 gallons and something like 1100 degree days..



seems like alot of oil to be used with the thermostat mostly at 62 at alot of the time and sometimes in evening for a few hours up to 65.

House is not insulated and regular wood windows and doors.

Jamie Hall

At the risk of stating the obvious...

Don't change nozzles -- even of the same size and pattern -- without conducting a full combustion test and adjustment after you've done it.  Just don't.  There's no way that you can set the air/fuel mix properly without the meters.  If you're doing it by eye, anywhere from 50% to 85% efficiency is going to look pretty much the same.



As to SS vs. hollow -- they have, as I think you said you noticed, rather different combustion patterns.  Most boilers are intended to use one or the other, and they aren't freely interchangeable.  The wrong one can soot up a boiler -- or even overheat sections of it and damage it -- in a matter of days.  Is there a reason why you switched?



Too big a nozzle will lead to short cycling, which may use a little more fuel -- but I doubt very much that anyone would hope to sell enough more fuel to up fire you for that reason.



As to whether your oil use is excessive or not, one would need a LOT more information on the structure.



May I humbly suggest that you find a really good oil burner technician in your area (might try Find a Contractor, looking by State) and see what he or she can do for you?

Steamhead

That burner is much newer than the boiler

so you'll need someone who is experienced with these burner upgrades. One would have to see if the flame is hitting any part of the firebox- it should not. Then you'd have to do a combustion test as Jamie said. It's not a DIY job.

icesailor

Replacement Burners:

Like Steamhead said, the burner is newer than the boiler.

That burner, Beckett AF was designed and tested to use a Delavan 80 degree nozzle. Either a "B" (Solid) or "H" Hollow. I seen a spray with a different angle, other than 80 degree work in an old boiler like that. Furthermore, Delavan does not make a readily available "Semi-Solid" nozzle. Hago makes a Semi-Solid nozzle in a container with a blue cap. It is NOT a Solid Nozzle. They come with light green caps. Hago Nozzles are always steel, as are Sid Harvey's Or at least they did. All the ones I see in the Sid Harvey's store are now Delavan, which are brass body nozzles.

What I am trying to say is that if you found a nozzle that says "H" or "Hollow" on it and it is brass, it is a Delavan and they were extensively tested with Beckett Burners. I have found Many unusual nozzles in Beckett burners that weren't running right. Hago SS/Semi-Solids lead the list because of the blue writing on the cap. And like Jamie and Steamhead said, you really need to get someone that hopefully knows what they are doing and has an analyzer.

Its my personal observation that the nozzle. spec'ed by the burner manufacturer has more to do with how the fuel is atomized, sprayed through the retention head, how the air is swirled back into the flame and how much space it takes up. Because the goal is to have a short compact flame that doesn't hit the sides of a combustion chamber. And is so long as to hit the back of the chamber. The function of the chamber is to reflect heat back into the flame once established. That's why they print instructions as to chamber length and widths for specific nozzles.

And that story you are spreading about the oil companies want to make you burn more oil is an absolute crock, filled up by the Corporate/Wall Street Crime Syndicate to drive the small business oil companies out of business so they will have a bigger monopoly on the heating gas business. No oil company is in business to rip you off selling more oil that you don't need. And just because you have a 1.25 GPH nozzle in your burner, doesn't mean you will burn less oil if you switch it to a 1.00 GPH nozzle. If the combustion chamber and flame get colder, it won't utilize the fuel as well. As has been shown to me a long time ago with my old Bacharach Wet Kit. My Digital Bacharach "Insight" proves it even more. You have better odds making money buying scratch tickets at the 7-11 than you will by saving money by changing nozzles.

STEVEusaPA

The above advice is solid (no pun intended)

1.25 x 80A appears to be correct. (Checked my customer base on same boiler)

One thing you could have done, after checking for flame impingement, insertion depth, chamber integrity, and end cone...is to have the tech perform a nozzle substitution test to determine the best nozzle. It requires patience, skill, smoke gun, and an analyzer. If the tech doesn't know what it is or how to do it, find another tech. Keep in mind at best you will end up with is an ancient boiler that's probably netting you about 50% efficiency.

Ed N.Y.C.

Delco

How can you give noz size if you don't know boiler size.Badge to right of coil will have size. look for DB3 DB4 DB5 etc then we can help.I agree need pro to do it right

ww

DELCO BOILER DB4S

The Delco Boiler is model # DB4S & the service # is 5065939. I've been searching online for the boiler manual and haven't had any luck. I realize this boiler isn't as efficient as new ones and will consider something in the future.



I tried this Beckett Af with a SS nozzle and switched back to the Hollow 1.25 80 degree. The reason I tried this was because I spoke with an oil burner tech and switched it back. 

There is a drip at the Bell and Gossett circulator that I'm watching now. Checked and there aren't any cutoff valves so the system would have to be drained. Will hope that this will get me through and make repairs after heating season..but you never know!



I have to keep an eye on the water level on gauge.

ww

thanks to the help from here i replaced the circulator...i was reading through some boiler specs earlier..and the minimum gph firing rate is 1.6 gph.....the nozzle is 1.25 gph 80H...

I know .10 more nozzle made a big difference in another boiler i was working on...wondering how i should handle this.

i know sometimes with bigger nozzles you can actually save oil since things heat up quicker. any feedback on this one?

bh21206

I have one these and is still in working order. But I now need a relay- R19A or R19- 1 R19AY6K0X3 -to operate the way it should. Anyone knows wher a replacement for the relay could be gotten ? Thanks

icesailor

A Honeywell R19A is a line voltage switching relay.

If you need one of those, get a Taco ZR501 relay. Depending on how you wire it, it will fit about every heating relay made.

If you can't figure out how to wire it to work, you don't belong working on it.