Weil-McLain's SGO Steam Boiler Installed and fired with a Carlin EZ Gas Burner

Gordo

The SGO started out it's design life as an oil fired boiler for the residential market. All Steamed Up, Inc., following its common practice whenever possible, is firing this steam boiler with a Carlin EZ gas burner. Here, since it is being used in a non-residential setting, CSD-1 code up-grades are mandated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYbVjMI79s

EBEBRATT-Ed

Not much to add for the CSD-1 controls just the man reset pressure control and the second lwco I think. Never thought about hooking up the LWCO with a remote probe...that's a good idea.

Up here the latest thing is if you have a boiler room with multiple entrances they want emergency switches at each entrance. Have you run into that one yet??

Nice job!!

Gordo

@EBEBRATT-Ed : In regards to the AHJ wanting the emergency switches at each entrance: No, not yet. Thanks for the heads up.

Boilers below 400,000 BTU/hr generally get a pass from a lot (if not all) of the CSD-1 stuff. But since they were fairly easy to add anyway, why not? That goes for the secondary LWCO especially. It makes good sense.

What gets me is the different and contradictory definitions of "backflow prevention" between the boiler inspectors and the plumbing inspectors. Have you run into that?

The plumbing inspectors can stare cluelessly at a steam boiler piped in with cardboard tube and duct tape or whatever and all they are really looking for is a Watts 9D type backflow on the make-up water feed. If you just put in an ordinary check valve, you fail, as you should.

The boiler inspectors will pick up on the duct tape at least, but can look at the ASSE rated backflow and say- Nice try, but that's NOT a backflow. That's just an ugly looking piece of pipe. You fail. You need to install a check valve. Call me back when you're done, Buckwheat.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Gordo,
Just be happy your not in MA. Although one of the earliest states to adopt codes it's also one of the most confusing states to operate in.

We write our "own" plumbing code but adopt NFPA 54 & 58 for gas with"MA amendments"

Same with electrical they adopt the National Electric Code with "MA amendments"

Used to write their own oil Burner Code but gave that up a few years back and adopted NFPA 31? . Trouble is they never told anyone, even the local Fire depts. that inspect burners and oil tanks and all the installers I ask still follow the old MA code. I just happened to call the state fire marshal and got the straight scoop but I am the only one in the state that knows this I guess. LOL Even our union hall is teaching the old code

We have the state plumbing board for plumbers & Gas Fitters
We Have the state electrical board
We have the Dept of public Safety that covers oil burners, pipefitters, Sheet metal, and refrigeration (They are being merged with the plumbing board after years of infighting over jurisdiction)

Example: If you installed a boiler with a combination Gas/oil burner and followed all the rules you would need to:

Sheet Metal worker to install stack & fresh air and get a permit
Plumber or gas fitter to do gas and get permit
Plumber to pipe water and get permit
Electrician to wire and get permit
Oil burner permit for burner & tank
State Boiler Inspector with fee

Inspectors:
Sheet metal Inspector
Plumbing & gas inspector
Electrical Inspector
Fire Dept inspects burners & tanks
State boiler inspector

And MA requires CSD-1 at 250,000btu (unless residential I think)

I'm not a plumber so the backflow thing is always a problem. I asked one of the plumbers at our shop what to do. He told me a 9D is fine unless there is glycol or chemicals in the system. ???????Makes no sense to me

The Governor we have is trying to fix this mess. I wish him luck it's all up hill

Connecticut is a mess too

BobC

@EBEBRATT-Ed Each one of those inspection boards are usually crammed full of cousins and brother-in-laws so good luck trying to do something with them. They are every bit as sacrosanct as gerrymandering (which was named after the 1812 Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering

This shows how long corruption has been rooted in our political system.

Bob

Henry

Nice but your venting would not pass here. TY are not permitted only a Y of dimension equivalent to the cross area of both vents. Where is the combustion air duct? If the total input of both boilers exceed 400,000 BTU, an additional 10% of the combustion air duct needs to be installed near the ceiling of the room.

Steamhead

Combustion air opening is in the outside wall, not shown in the pics. Inspector passed it, as well as the venting.

JeffM

Nicely done! I used to have a house in NH where I had the SGO converted using that burner - worked great and saved a lot of money over oil.

Steamhead

Here's the other boiler in this church:

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/170284/all-steamed-up-inc-installs-a-weil-mclain-480-steam-boiler-with-a-carlin-commercial-gas-burner

Steamhead

And here's our earlier thread on this job:

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/167918/splitting-a-church-steam-system

HVACNUT

Any reason why you went with a WM GO over a different brand? I have a WGO-3 from '96 and cant wait to be rid of it. Granted it's an earlier block that's a little too tight. Summers are non stop at my shop but I'm hoping to install an EK-1 Frontier at some point before the fall. I might have to get a temp electric water heater to hold us over for a bit.
As I'm writing I can hear my Riello motor whining. Terrific.

Steamhead

The SGO seemed to be the best fit for this job, in size and configuration, among the wet base/power burner models available.

Intplm.

Another well explained nice install.