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electric cut out\short cycle

hello all.. need help..
I have a Burnham IN6PVSNI-M2 steam boiler. 6yrs old,& originally , I was called in 4 no heat.. Pressure Switch faulty.. I noticed two different piping flaws.. 1. equalizer pipe off header is only 16" above N.W.L ,also is undersized.. 2. Hartford Loop connection (correctly 2" below NWL) , but pipe is 9" long from wet returns, instead of close nipple.
But problem I havn't been able to troubleshoot yet is, boiler will run\cycle normally, but recently started just cutting out!.. &not on pressure.. &by cutting out, I mean ALL POWER.. power venter motor shuts off, low water cut-off lights (red&green) don't light up, green indicator light on control board inside jacket goes out, (no codes flash), auto water feed shuts off,
I have 110 at house side of transformer, but nothing after that ..anywhere.. so , I replaced transformer. & same result.. No fuses\breakers have tripped.. & at a time in the future (only known to the boiler) , it will resume working , as if nothing is wrong..
Has anybody experienced anything like this b4??? my thoughts at this point are 2 options.. 1. replace the board
& 2. check the continuity of each individual wire 1 at a time.
thank you to all who have taking the time to read my question
Rick Crotty

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160
    The transformer gets 110 volts in and holds that? But no output -- 0 volts -- from the transformer? That's just weird. Normally with that I would expect an open in the transformer, but you say it does the same thing with a new transformer?

    I have, however, seen something vaguely similar, and traced it to a bad connection. The way I found that was with the transformer disconnected on the secondary -- 24 volt -- side, I had 24 volts across the leads. When the connections to the rest of the system were completed, I sometimes had 24 volts on the system -- and sometimes nothing at all. Found a loose connection.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ricka1234
  • DZoro
    DZoro Member Posts: 1,048
    Check your main power/breaker. Make sure you have a full 120v to neutral.
    ricka1234
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Does the transformer seem unusually warm? There also could be an intermittent short, put a meter on the 24v output of the transformer (right at the transformer) while manipulating the wiring especially where it enters various controls. If you find a point where the 24 comes and goes you have found your short

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    You could be losing your hot or neutral connection for the 120 volt supply anywhere between the CB panel and the transformer.
    Open neutrals are more difficult to find. Check between hot & neutral with meter. Between hot and ground can mislead you.
    Sometimes loose neutral (white) in CB panel or hot on breaker.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160
    All the while keeping in mind that with a loose connection, or a corroded one, you might measure a nice 110 to 120 with no load, but the moment a load comes on it it may drop. Can be very misleading.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • AMservices
    AMservices Member Posts: 610
    What model power Venter do you have and is the a make up air system (a.k.a. fan in a can)?
    I recently installed CK-4 field control that used a Post purge time relay, That would cause everything to shut down for 2 seconds.
    What you need to do is, one at a time, by pass each control To pinpoint the problem.
    When The systems is in total shutdown do you still have power To the boiler and 24 V?
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    A wiring diagram may help. I'm not sure either if you have no line voltage anywhere when it shuts down or no 24v leaving the trans.