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Lochinvar WH Series-Flame Current

ced48
ced48 Member Posts: 469
in THE MAIN WALL
I have a WH55, LP, flame current on high fire is about 14, low fire, 6 milliamps. Lochinvar tech says should be above 10 on low fire. What do you guys think?

Comments

  • Don_197
    Don_197 Member Posts: 184
    Are you having problems with it?
  • ced48
    ced48 Member Posts: 469
    Don said:

    Are you having problems with it?

    Sure, still trying to get rid of a couple of combustion whines. Tried lots of things, now Lochinvar feels it's a bad gas valve. The boys down there feel that because I can't tune out the whine, the valve is defective. They feel the low fire flame current, along with "coffee grounds" in the condensate trap point to poor combustion. Valve seems to respond to any adjustments I make, Make it richer, co, co2 go up, make it leaner, they go down. They seem to dismiss any other issues, other than the valve. To their credit, they sent me a new one, and I'm going to swap it out, if we ever get a warmish day around here. I just don't think it's going to fix the problem.

    I was just wondering what kind of flame current is typical at 20 percent fire for these boilers?
  • Jason_13
    Jason_13 Member Posts: 305
    I don't deal with Lockinvar but the US Boiler Alpine is normally around 7-12 in low fire.
    I had a similar problem and it was gas pressure related. I turned the fan speed down and the problem went away. Increased pipe size and turned the fan back up and no noise.
    Just sayin.
  • Don_197
    Don_197 Member Posts: 184
    Yes.....that's a good possibility. I have found many appliance gas flex connectors that were not rated for the btu of the boiler. You can get a 1/2" X 24" flex connector that is good for 42k or one that is good for 106k. On the installations I found, too small a gas connector can make the gas orifice whistle or whine.
  • ced48
    ced48 Member Posts: 469
    Yes, but what is weird about this, is that it is aways at the same fan rpm. For example, quiet at 1660 rpm, whining at 1680, quiet at 1700. It would seem to me, that if it was a gas restriction issue, it would be more gradual in nature, not on or off. Gas line is 3/4", and valve is now full port-
  • Jason_13
    Jason_13 Member Posts: 305
    What is the O2. Improper air fuel mix can cause noise at lower RPM's, sometimes vent issues.
  • ced48
    ced48 Member Posts: 469
    edited March 2015
    02 is within parameters. Actually, co2 is calculated, o2 measured. I have tried running with intake disconnected, and exhaust restricted, to simulate a longer run, as suggested by others. No changes on any of these attempts.

    Incase anyone is interested, Lochinvar does drill the 1/4" hole in the intake pipe, like TT, they put it on the backside, so it's hidden.
  • bmwpowere36m3
    bmwpowere36m3 Member Posts: 512
    edited March 2015
    ced48 said:

    02 is within parameters. Actually, co2 is calculated, o2 measured. I have tried running with intake disconnected, and exhaust restricted, to simulate a longer run, as suggested by others. No changes on any of these attempts.

    Incase anyone is interested, Lochinvar does drill the 1/4" hole in the intake pipe, like TT, they put it on the backside, so it's hidden.

    From the factory? On the elbow with the pressure tap?

    I have an older '11 model and I notice differences from it and what's in the current I/O and service manuals (manual air vent on boiler outlet, manual gas valve and condensate trap).

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