Buderus G125BE Nearly 10 Years & Service Issues

carl_nh

Hello All,
We installed the G125BE21 Feb 2009 and now at 8000 hours nearly 10 YR old, I clean unit twice a year and replace the ultra filter, still burning blue, same nozzle, but needs a new nozzle, and ignitors (one lead partially burned off), and settings need to be verified - pump pressure, o2. etc.

We have the parts (bought with the unit) but the challenge is finding someone that services the blue flame boiler. The installer is retired and thus we need to find another company - we started in fall 2017 to find a tech and then when they arrive "we have never seen this burner before" as they are expecting a Riello burner don't want to service it.

We are on the seacoast of NH and spoke to Buderus/Bosch and only service co is Dead River Company who's policy is we need to be an oil customer # 1, and 2 they aren't taking new customers, and further we are locked into a pre buy now for 18-19 heating season. Somewhat of a conundrum.

We need to find a service tech or get the tools and do the work - I was a service tech in the 70's for commercial A/C, water pumps, and repaired kerosene space heaters (a PIA) and have the Buderus manuals and know what is involved to replace the nozzle and Ignitor, filter etc.

I don't have the o2 analysis tools, or the Pump pressure gauge (265 PSI at install) to validate the performance.

Options are:
1) Find a service company in the NH / MA ME area that services these units which has been unsuccessful to date
2) Replace the nozzle, filter, and ignition coils myself keep running until we change oil suppliers - but still don't have pump and settings validated - risk of changing something and burner not working is a 20-30% risk
3) Leaving things as they are now with ignitors and nozzle until 2019 season - not ideal IMO as I travel and don't want a no heat/no service situation.
4) Replace the burner with a Riello/Buderus version that tech's work on and lose some efficiency - we consume 500 gal annually since 2009 vs 900 with old boiler and know our AFUE will drop - stack temps up, from 89 to 86-87%

Suggestion and options are appreciated!

Carl

kcopp

What town? I am in Dover and I know a few independent folks.

carl_nh

Thank you Kcopp, we are in Hampton/North Hampton NH and any help or referrals are appreciated - 8 miles to Portsmouth and 15-17 miles from you in Dover.

STEVEusaPA

I sure hope your pump pressure isn't 265 psi.

GBart

Please be sure to have whoever state that they will check the CO levels in the exhaust along with the complete combustion analysis, this not only proves they know what they are doing and have the equipment, but if set up improperly right down to the baffles being reinserted wrong these units can produce skyrocketing levels of CO, I saw one that was over 25,000 PPM and it was due to the baffles being in wrong.

carl_nh

Steve - per the manual these Buderus burners are meant to run at higher pressure, and also heat the oil in the line to the nozzle for finer atomization. The manual states 230-290 PSI - Do you have others running this Burner at lower or higher pressures?

Scott M_2

The company I worked for had a couple of these (the non condensing versions)over the years parts were harder and harder to find so we ended up converting them back to standard Carlin burners with good results.I believe Buderus stopped selling them at some point.Just mentioning it in case you find yourself looking for other options.

carl_nh

GBart said:

Please be sure to have whoever state that they will check the CO levels in the exhaust along with the complete combustion analysis, this not only proves they know what they are doing and have the equipment, but if set up improperly right down to the baffles being reinserted wrong these units can produce skyrocketing levels of CO, I saw one that was over 25,000 PPM and it was due to the baffles being in wrong.

Hello Gbart, You're right, its easy to get them installed incorrectly. and thank you for the reply - I have the readings/print outs from the initial install saved, and also took pics of the baffles on set up and its in the manual too.

I have been cleaning the interior spring and fall, and for the summer season remove the lower L&R baffles for the water heating only then install them and clean again in October - this runs the stack temps higher for the off season for water heating only.

carl_nh

Scott M_2 said:

The company I worked for had a couple of these (the non condensing versions)over the years parts were harder and harder to find so we ended up converting them back to standard Carlin burners with good results.I believe Buderus stopped selling them at some point.Just mentioning it in case you find yourself looking for other options.

Hi Scott, Thanks for the reply - and there is a conversion to a Riello burner available as I understand. The good thing about ours is it's still performing well (the motto is if its not broken don't fix it) so that's why I am hesitant to change too much right now except the nozzle and electrodes (one is partially burned off) but its still firing and burning blue. Changing the nozzle should increase the pump pressure due to 7K hours of wear on this one, but I would like to have the tools to validate - current state and then post tune up performance - which I don't have.

Thanks for your reply and changing the burner is our last option at this point.

kcopp

I sent you a PM.