Boiler Combustion Test Result

ImYoungxD

Can anyone tell me if my results are good?
Energy auditor said it was good but looking at the other thread, my ExAir is high. Anything else and what can I do to make it better? What will change and is it better to hire someone to someone to look at this?
It's a bit blurry but it was on the report.

Long Island NY



TIA

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

What's your boiler make and model?

ImYoungxD

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes said:

What's your boiler make and model?

New Yorker, CL4-175, 131,000 BTU

Steamhead

CO2 is a bit low. Who did the test? What was the smoke level (should be zero)?

ImYoungxD

Steamhead said:

CO2 is a bit low. Who did the test? What was the smoke level (should be zero)?

Energy auditor who does insulation did the test. Report says boiler passed safety checks.
No idea on smoke level. Only 1 image was shown

Steamhead

Right. Those guys need to take some combustion classes. You always test for smoke on an oil-fired unit. Where are you located?

ImYoungxD

Nassau county, NY

HVACNUT

The Energy Auditor just tests, he doesnt make adjustments right?
There is room for improvement there.
Set draft to manufacture specs and with a 0 smoke it could achieve 12% CO2 with 25-30% excess air.
Overall efficiency might be about the same though. Stack temp looks a little low. Final readings are taken at a steady state.

SuperTech

Stack temperature look low, like HVACNUT said. It wasn't measured at a steady state, or when the boiler was up to full temperature. If that's full temperature then you will have condensation in the flue and rotting smoke pipe and a crumbling chimney

I'm not worried about the smoke number at zero ppm CO, smoke testing is done just to confirm that the system is running well enough to fine tune with the combustion analyzer.

I think someone set up your burner just using the smoke test. High O2 and excess air is the usual results I see from "techs" who only eyeball the flame and test for smoke and call it good.

I'd like to see more in the neighbourhood of 5.5% O2.

Draft plays a crucial role in determining efficiency. Draft over fire and in the breech need to be measured.

DZoro

Yes it is worth hiring someone to adjust it properly.
I'd have to say it is nice to see a post with a combustion analysis results.
Get it fine tuned and your boiler and wallet will thank you for years to come. Don't let anyone touch it unless they have and know how to use a analyzer.
Raise CO2, lower ex air, the other numbers should fall in place.

EBEBRATT-Ed

HAHA. Leave it alone. Yes, your combustion test results could maybe be improved slightly. But at what cost??

367 degree stack will nor cause condensation or rot anything. Your combustion is clean and the boiler or furnace will not soot.

Good combustion is adjusted for the burner to STAY in a safe Range....not to hit any specific numbers.

Combustion changes daily because fuel temperature , fuel composition, air temperature and draft all change on a daily basis, as does the amount of cat hair, dust etc collected by your burner as it moves air.

Combustion should be adjusted with a small fudge factor to allow for these season changes.....yours is.

Yes, maybe your fudge factor is a little large, I wouldn't touch it until the next tune up. Re adjusting won't save you any measureable amount of fuel.

But yes, it should have a smoke test to confirm the above

SuperTech

@EBEBRATT-Ed I was taught that a stack temperature below 400 degrees during steady state on an oil burning unit will cause flue gas condensation. I know some three pass boilers will have stack temps that are lower than pin type single pass boilers, but you don't think condensation and chimney damage is a concern at 367 degrees. I saw condensation in my chimney with 425 degree stack temperature. I certainly don't know everything so I would appreciate it if you can explain why this isn't a concern.

I definitely agree with you on the fudge factor. That burner is definitely burning clean but I just felt like it had some room for improvement.

ImYoungxD

Thanks all. I will leave it alone for this year and get it adjusted next heating season when they come to clean it.

-Energy auditors don't touch the setting.
-Last time they adjusted the gun, the tech eyed the flame

rick in Alaska

I have seen Weil Mclain WGO's and Buderus boilers running stack temps of 325 with no issues whatever. I was always taught 325 to 350 was lower limit.
Rick