Clever Brooks "Clear Fire 1,000,000 BTU condensing boiler

EBEBRATT-Ed

Hope I attached the pictures correctly. First time installing one of these. Seems very well made. Steel fire tube 1,000,000 input. 8" PP flue, 6" pvc air inlet. These boilers have very low pressure drop on the water side. Flow is about 44 gpm (40 degree TD) feeds existing hot water unit heaters in a warehouse. 2 1/2" boiler supply and return. 10 psi gas across roof 1 1/4" socket welded HP gas piping. 2" threaded gas drop to the boiler. Gas Regulator on the roof. You can see the welded tee at the tie in. The flange at the tie in has a "frying pan" blank off in between the flanges for pressure testing and to isolate it from the gas for testing. Had to shut down the entire building 650' x650' disconnect the gas line from the meter with another blank off, purge the piping with nitrogen so we could weld, then start and relight the entire building. It's a pain. Started the boilers today and they seem to run well so far, so good!

nicholas bonham-carter

Hardly looks like a boiler-more like a Refigerator!

Solid_Fuel_Man

I've worked on a few oik 4pass Fire Tube CB. I like them, good industrial boilers.

They don't look anything like that condensing one though! Dose it modulate as well? What turndown?

Nice install!

EBEBRATT-Ed

When I started we had roof top units that we lit the standing pilots with a match. Then got called back when the wind blew them out. Boilers were cast iron sectional or a Clever Brooks scotch marine.

But all the commercial stuff now is like the above, Clever, Lochinvar, Lars and 100 others. They all look the same (but aren't inside). They're mostly popular in the 1- 2.5 million range. If the place is really big they just put in multiples. That's mostly what I see now on the commercial side now.

I am not exactly helpless with a microprocessor or but I must admit I am still more comfortable with old controls I can jump out!!!

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Solid_Fuel_Man , yes, it seems well made. The jacket fits well and is pretty ridged, not tinny. It modulates I believe the turndown is 5:1. It's a vertical fire tube firing down from the top. The burner mounting plate on top is hinged, I think it has gas mounted shocks so you just have to unplug some wires and disconnect the gas line to swing it up for access to the internals. So quiet you can hardly tell it is running, the pumps behind the boiler make more noise than the boiler. Burner fan modulates between 1200 and 5500 rpm and induces gas into the burner

unclejohn

Do they make that in a wall mount?

NY_Rob

Being microprocessor controlled with probably a dozen or more sensors in the system... are spare mainboard, sensors, Ignition Rods, etc.. kept on premises?

EBEBRATT-Ed

The CB distributor is about 20 miles away and they stock all the parts. It's a we bit heavy for a wall mount CB isn't in that market. This one is 1,000,000btu. I know they make a 750,00 input. Don't know if they go any smaller.

nicholas bonham-carter

I’m sure it works well, but it just doesn’t look………………like a boiler!—NBC

Solid_Fuel_Man

Their scotch marine boilers look more like locomotives than boilers....one extreme to another I guess. I'll get some pictures of the old ones I service for the stark contrast!

nicholas bonham-carter

I wonder if it will be sensitive to bad city water, now that so much road salt is getting in the rivers, and distribution systems.—NBC

EBEBRATT-Ed

We had the factory rep start these up. I asked him what the HX was made of and I guess it is basically steel with some stainless parts......whatever that means.

@Solid_Fuel_Man , I have worked on quite a few of their scotch Marine boilers. Of course they have their own burners and controls which can be intimidating but CB... they certainly have a large share of the scotch marine market and are reliable and last as long as anything else if maintained well. Was never a fan of the huge rear door with refractory in it. They are always somewhat problematic. But I am not a fan of "dry back" scotch boilers as I always prefer a " wet back boiler" more expensive but better efficiency and less maintenance

Henry

Nice install and well supported vent. You don't have to weld 10 PSI gas mains. But you do need two coat of paint on outside gas lines.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Henry In MA anything over 5psi must be welded and depending on the gas company they may make you weld low pressure. As far as paint 1 coat is ok here except for one thing.

When you call for an inspection inspector #1 will say " why didn't you paint the pipe yet. I don't want to come back" Inspector #2 will say" Why did you paint the pipe? I don't want it painted until after the pressure test. Don't you know the paint can seal up a leak"

Can't win

ratio

And sometimes you get the inspector who walks all ±500' of the gas line with a mirror to check the bottom. True story.