Reason for flame to roll out

danitheplumber

Hi all,
Had a roll out switch go bad checked flue and damper and chimmeny but nothing blocking very dirty so I thought maybe the burner or heat exchanger need cleaning is that possibly the Reason? Any suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated... Stay warm

danitheplumber

Dunkirk boiler and chimney is completely black on the top outside

j a_2

What ever you do find the cause....blocked passage ways between sections...lack of or make up air issue...gots to find the cause...ya got a draft hood that is a match for the boiler...? Dampener is fully opening correct? Almost has to be, cause it won’t start UNLESS, someone was a tinkering in there....any way good luck...

danitheplumber

Damper is set in open position always. Non of the flue is blocked. Exchanger dirty and chimney dirty burnwr probably dirty but just wondering if that would cause flame to roll out.

HVACNUT

Clean the heat exchanger, burners and orifices. Check lockup and manifold pressures. Do a combustion analysis.
Standing pilot or spark?

danitheplumber

Standing customer doesn't want to pay for cleaning

KC_Jones

danitheplumber said:

Standing customer doesn't want to pay for cleaning

Then the customer obviously doesn't care if their equipment works properly.

They will end up jumping the safety out and then you will read about them on the news.

I would seriously tell them this so they understand they aren't doing it correctly.

The other alternative is to walk away and let hackasaurus rex take care of them since that is apparently what they want.

If it's black it needs cleaned and the burner adjusted and set up properly.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Then, fire the customer!! What @KC_Jones said is good (and the only) advise you should listen too. This could be dangerous and you and your company doesn't need the liability.

Some companies and probably the local gas utility would shut the gas off and red tag the unit until it is repaired.

You don't have to work on this pc of crap. You need to make the customer understand with a little tough love and....get it in writing on your service slip and get it signed

ratio

I've said it before, I think:

Not all customers need to be our customers.

Tell them, honestly and without malice, that what they're electing to do is so dangerous that you are not going to be able to perform any more work for them, for fear of liability; & then WALK AWAY.

That may be enough to convince them to perform the proper maintenance, but in all honesty unless they were family or something I wouldn't go back.

GW

Toss the customer back in the water

EBEBRATT-Ed

@ratio said: "unless they were family or something I wouldn't go back."

In my experience, if it's family or friends run away...............Faster

They always want a deal lol

Tim McElwain

Shut the equipment off and make it inoperative. Then contact local utility and the fire department and advise of the unsafe operation and how you left it. Then send the customer a registered letter to protect your self from any come back.