Adjusting a Gas Control

FWDixon

Answered unexpectedly in a thread on another sub-forum.

Tim McElwain

What was the question

always good to get a second opinion especially on adjusting a gas control.

FWDixon

The answer

was call a professional.



The question was is there a way (for me) to safely determine if the gas control is set correctly and to adjust it without renting/buying expensive tooling.

It's a Robertshaw 7200ER feeding a Wayne P250AF conversion burner on a Burnham RS-112 Boiler.

Tim McElwain

I am sure if he or she was familar with gas

conversion burners you got an excellent service call and a good combustion analysis.

FWDixon

The service company

Hasn't even returned my call yet. I had originiall posted the question in order to see if there was something I could do myself due to their lack of attentiveness.

Tim McElwain

There is realy nothing that

you can do as you would need a Combustion Analyzer to a test and then of course you have to understand what the readings on the tester mean.



Are you having any problems with the installation that we might otherwise be able to help you with?

FWDixon

Other than

the burner not putting out the rated BTU/H (clocked the meter, at about 1/3 rated output), and the flue needing replaced due to corrosion (which I've got another thread on here), I've got a pretty good handle on things.

Steamhead

You need to have that burner checked

by a pro with a combustion analyzer and the know-how to use it properly.



That Wayne burner may not be a good match for that particular boiler. It was designed to convert older boilers with larger firing zones than the RS112 has, so it does not have the compact flame pattern that you need. It may have been down-fired because it was making a lot of carbon monoxide at higher firing rates, due to the flame striking the firebox surface. If I were going to convert that boiler I'd use a true flame-retention type burner like the Carlin EZ-Gas.



The other consideration is the boiler itself. The RS series are dry-base steel boilers which were not terribly efficient. Unlike a wet-base cast-iron boiler, the RS does not have any water circulating thru the base, which means any heat lost in that area is wasted. The usual atmospheric gas boilers have this same fault.



Also, if the firebox lining needs replacing, you have to disconnect the piping, jack up the boiler and unbolt the base to get at it- at least on the ones I've seen. This involves labor which almost equals that needed for completely replacing the boiler. And if you don't replace the lining, the base will burn out and you'll need to replace the boiler anyway.



But landlords love this type of boiler because it's cheap to buy.



Again, you need a pro to look at this. You may find that completely replacing the boiler is the best option.

icesailor

Touching Base:

If I might add, the weakest link in these dry base boilers is the seal between the dry firebox base and the wet water block. Once the seal starts to go, they either suck excess air in or blow exhaust out if you have poor or inconsistent draft. Once it starts, the expansion and contraction of the base and boiler just destroys the seal and there is no reasonable way to repair or seal it, like Steamhead says.

If you see paint scorching on the jacket or the base, time for a new one. Your life could depend on it.

But those with alligator hands DO love them because they are cheap.

FWDixon

Appreciate the info

All I can do is wait for the tech to call me back. No matter the findings, I cannot replace the boiler in the foreseeable future.