Faulty combustion analyzer?

Bill751

SlamDunk said:

Steamhead said:

captainco said:

The year is 2019. Should we all be using digital combustion analyzers by now? They have only been available for 41 years.

Probably because these companies don't want to spend the money. Seems every place I've worked recently, the owner has never seen an analyzer when previous companies worked on their systems. But how much do lawyers cost?

The turnover is so high in most hvac companies. Even if you trained people, they would leave. And, the ones that stay may be incompetent with an analyzer.

As I type this, I’m not only thinking of the new install in my mother’s house that I just flew up to tune (another tread) but my own house that has a furnace in the attic that has never had an analyzer on it!! And it was installed by a reputable co. And, I have an analyzer that I use on my home’s boiler annually ( I installed it ) but never on the furnace!

So yeah, you are right!

I know what I’ll be doing very soon

I'd imagine the turnover is high in some companies, especially in larger cities. Probably not so high in my area. regardless of the rate, I don't believe you should be working on heating equipment if you cannot quickly become competent with an analyzer.

Neither the device itself nor basic understanding of combustion gases is very complicated. If you cannot grasp it quickly, you probably shouldn't be involved with the other aspects of heating equipment either.

Any number of mistakes in venting, gas piping or water pipe work could create a hazardous condition. So I believe if they don't have the mental capacity to use an analyzer properly with minimal training, They probably don't have the mental capacity and awareness to be doing the other work to the highest professional and safety standards. They best look for another carrier if that is the case.

Surely many who don't use one are far more than capable, they just refuse to join the 21st century.

Bill751

gennady said:

Setting boiler without analyzer is mission impossible. Sometimes i see nice flame and analysis is terrible, sometimes flame looks terrible and results are fantastic. Go figure.

I knew the first part to be true about mission impossible. However I did not know that sometimes the flame would look terrible and the CA would be fantastic. Good to know for future reference as I would not have expected that to be the case.

Lance

We have several combustion analyzers, expensive but come with thermal printers, data ports etc. They can go bad at anytime. We compare readings between them when we suspect numbers are off. You got to know what to expect to identify the unexpected. We are required to certify the meters and send them back to factory for certification which is stamped and dated. Otherwise all data is just a guestimate. Certain sensors can be ruined if tested in really bad conditions, like too much condensate or soot in the gases. We test draft, temp and soot on the flue, we test fuel pressure before we use these meters just to protect the meter. Accuracy is a must to get combustion right. Certain things must be right before testing is done. Old school chemical meters had an advantage but they could also go bad.

SlamDunk

Pretty soon, most techs will have been born in the 21st century.

Bill751

Lance said:

We have several combustion analyzers, expensive but come with thermal printers, data ports etc. They can go bad at anytime. We compare readings between them when we suspect numbers are off. You got to know what to expect to identify the unexpected. We are required to certify the meters and send them back to factory for certification which is stamped and dated. Otherwise all data is just a guestimate. Certain sensors can be ruined if tested in really bad conditions, like too much condensate or soot in the gases. We test draft, temp and soot on the flue, we test fuel pressure before we use these meters just to protect the meter. Accuracy is a must to get combustion right. Certain things must be right before testing is done. Old school chemical meters had an advantage but they could also go bad.

Yes sir you have to know, take care of and maintain your equipment. No doubt about that.

Bill751

SlamDunk said:

Pretty soon, most techs will have been born in the 21st century.

True, and most use smart phones and all sorts of other technology, but yet when it comes to analyzers...

ratio

SlamDunk said:

Pretty soon, most techs will have been born in the 21st century.

Not I, alas. However, I still know which end of a combustion analyzer to probe with!