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What are these? (Answer: flame rollout switches)

ethicalpaul
ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
edited November 2018 in Strictly Steam
Hey gang! What are these? And if they are floodwater-sensing cutoffs, why are they 8” off the floor? 😅

The one image is the view from the floor of the bottom of one that is sort of wedged next to the boiler panel and the other one I’m holding is just hanging

Thanks!
NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

Comments

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    edited November 2018
    Take the pics from farther back.

    It looks like a broken flame roll out switch.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    ethicalpaul
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    Thanks, I think you are right. They both look like they were added by a knucklehead, probably the previous owner by the way it matches the rest of his electrical work I have seen, or his possible bumbling plumber brother-in-law. Neither one looks like it is in a useful place

    The one is attached to a bracket, but the bracket is just jammed behind the starter unit’s binding post.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,226
    What the heck!
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
    ethicalpaulSuperTech
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,615
    One wonders what problem was 'fixed' by adding rollout switches in odd locations...
    ethicalpaulSuperTech
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    Trust me guys, I could show you some stuff in this house. Mostly electrical and layers upon layers of bad flooring and wall covering
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    I looked again at these and they are wired in parallel across the 24v supply to the ignition module thing. That doesn’t seem right!
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    edited November 2018
    Safeties have to wired in series to function. Unless a control board provides separate terminals for each.

    Neither one is mounted in a position where it would function.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    adasilva
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    Looks like you need a qualified tech there to wire everything according to the diagram using wire and controls rated per the manufacturer.
    Maybe convert from a draft hood to a regulator with spill switch while there.
    ethicalpaul
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    I wonder if they are part of this
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    edited November 2018
    I found where the one switch came from. I reaffixed it there and it faults after about 5 minutes into a burn. So now I know why someone broke it off.

    I see no flame there but it is getting hot there. Maybe the draft isn’t sufficient. The previous owner did have to reline the chimney when I bought it. I’ll have it checked by a pro. No CO detected in living area, I just put a detector in the boiler room after discovering this.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    Everyone knows that when a flame roll out switch opens you move it farther away from the flame. Heres the problem Clem this dang thing gets to hot, mover behind that pipe. Just kidding. The boiler needs to be cleaned and right quick.
    DZoro
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    edited November 2018
    I agree. But also I think they riveted it in a bad spot. It’s like straight above the edge of the burner area and that area just gets hot. I think it’s just ambient heat tripping it...no flame

    (I don’t think the manufacturer put it there is what I mean)
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el