T-T 175 burnt

DZoro

Had a customer with a T-T 175, approx. 10 or more years older. First series I believe. Never had a issue with it for the life of it. Unfortunately also never seen any service at least from our company. Went in figuring to T&C and I'm gone to the next..... Opened the door and found a totally destroyed boiler. Burnt up, wiring harnesses, igniter, intake 90, sight glass, gasket seal. And it was still fully functioning! Could hardly believe my eyes, neither could the home owner standing behind me. Home owner thought he smelled something a few days earlier, That is when he thought maybe it should have a T&C. Near as I can figure what happened maybe....It started around the site glass possibly broke, and continued to snowball from there. It actually broke the heat exchanger stud off, and cooked the red gasket. @Zman you mentioned they had some issues with them. Can you tell me more.

Zman

The studs breaking off was known defect warranty issue in the early models.
A contractor buddy of mine had a similar sounding issue where the combustion air vent was taking in lot's or water. I believe it was under a masonry chimney cap next to the exhaust (architect insisted). The cold water came down the intake, cracked the site glass and the boiler caught fire like yours.

Sound like yours could have had both problems.

DZoro

I don't think intake water is possible on this one. But I might be wrong on the sight glass breaking first. The stud could have broke first. The main plate is warped where the stud was.

DZoro

Found the picture

Zman

Sure is ugly. Where are the terminations?

DZoro

2 pipe 15' through joists heated basement, out side wall 20" separation both goose necked.

NY_Rob

It didn't throw any codes or even lockout?

Amazing!

DZoro

It was still running when I got there. Fire was coming out of the sight glass. Heat/fire melted everything in that corner. But the cover looked perfect like the first day of installation. Both vent pipes inside were like just installed condition. The ground wire on the igniter was totally burnt off, and most of the igniter wire. It fired up as smooth as can be. I thought the ground wire was very important on these, but after seeing this, not so much anymore.

NY_Rob

Very robust design... like a Timex watch!

Modern mod-cons throw codes if you look at them sideways.

kcopp

So.... replacing it?

unclejohn

A little duct tape and your back in business.

DZoro

I have replaced it out. the repair parts alone cost more than a new boiler. I went back in with a Lochinvar Noble, we have started using these this summer. Have been very impressed, price on parts is not excessive, unlike TT. Very similar design which we have seen pretty robust. Think Zman is correct the studs were not welded or set very well on that H/E. The home owner now has the option for on demand hot water. Which they were happy about, just hope it lasts more than 10 years.......

tim smith

Have had quite a few units with broken studs, corroded out and fallen off flue temp sensors, bad blowers weak spark generators in MCBAs. Several that ended up looking like this. I switched over to lochinvar WHN units about 7 yrs ago, and not one main failed component except a doa blower I think. I have to say although T T was the ground breaker on this vertical ft design for res application, so they were the trail blazer. Bound to have some issues being the first. All the other FT mfrs have TT aka ACV and the heat x mfr to thank for the design.