Converting Peerless WBV-03 to Carlin EZ Gas

bob_chak

Good Evening,

I have a 15 year old Peerless WBV-03-110-WPC which I (read: my new plumber whom I have not yet met in person) am going to convert later this week. In an effort to save time dialing it in, I am looking for some clarification for the specs Carlin has on their website.

The Peerless "Gross Output" sticker says 129,000 BTU. The Carlin website for the WBV-03 model shows an input of 140 MBH using their "1 slot" airband. When I emailed Carlin to confirm the setup, their "OEM guide" only listed two firing rates near mine, so they gave me the additional specs for the WBV-04 (133 MBH). If I use the lower firing rate, they advised I needed the "2 slot" airband set at 32%. (Everything else - diffusser, orifice - is the same.)

Although the model they cross-reference to is different than mine, should I use the lower firing rate and the 2 slot airband?

Thanks in advance.

STEVEusaPA

You should get someone experienced with this type of conversion who has a working relationship with Carlin's man in the field.
After install you may need to try to fire it the first way, and with a manometer and combustion analyzer, dial it in, or change something like an orifice, air band, gas pressure.

bob_chak

Agreed. I'm in northwest NJ and naturally the temps are dropping when this switch will occur (tomorrow), so I am trying to avoid any prolonged delays firing this up if I have to locate a Carlin-experienced tech to dial this in .

Jamie Hall

Burners are not plug and play. You cannot just take numbers off the guide and expect to get proper results. The idea of the guide is to get the burner to the point where it will fire and run after a fashion, at which point your Carlin-experienced tech., whom you are going to need, can make the necessary adjustments to make it run well. That's the only way you can get the desired output, never mind decent efficiency and correct air/fuel mixture and draughts.

HVACNUT

Has the plumber addressed a stainless chimney liner, new smoke pipe with a gas draft regulator and spill switch?
If the plumber doesn't have a digital combustion analyzer, I dont know if I'd let him past the welcome mat. Well, I know, but...

bob_chak

Chimney is lined and has already been cleaned and inspected. New double action barometric damper and spill switch are sitting in a box in the basement. It appears the spill switch gets wired into the transformer (instead of there being dedicated screw terminals on the primary control.) Plumber will confirm but it seems odd to be cutting and splicing wires on a brand new burner - is this correct?

Steamhead

There should be a dedicated set of terminals on the primary control for the blocked-flue (spill) switch.

HVACNUT

The spill switch simply connects to TT on the Carlin primary.

bob_chak

Thanks HVACNUT! If TT is used, will BV need to be jumpered? (Carlin's tech said to use BV but my spill switch is 24VAC; BV is 12VAC.) Does anything need to be done with the Alarm circuit, i.e. need to be jumpered as well?

Last question of the night: the control has three pigtails: red (L1 In), black (Limit In) and white (L2). Is the red supposed to be wired so that it is always on/hot, say to L1/the line side of the aquastat ? Or can the red and black be tied together, which is what the picture on the Carlin website shows? (N.B. My control has a solid red wire, not the red with white stripe pictured.)

https://carlincombustion.com/gas-oil-burner-products/controllers/primary-controllers-gas/60200fr-flame-rod-microprocessor-gas-primary-control/

(Click on the "Tech Specs" tab.)

HVACNUT

> @bob_chak said:
> Thanks HVACNUT! If TT is used, will BV need to be jumpered? (Carlin's tech said to use BV but my spill switch is 24VAC; BV is 12VAC.) Does anything need to be done with the Alarm circuit, i.e. need to be jumpered as well?
>
> Last question of the night: the control has three pigtails: red (L1 In), black (Limit In) and white (L2). Is the red supposed to be wired so that it is always on/hot, say to L1/the line side of the aquastat ? Or can the red and black be tied together, which is what the picture on the Carlin website shows? (N.B. My control has a solid red wire, not the red with white stripe pictured.)
>
> https://carlincombustion.com/gas-oil-burner-products/controllers/primary-controllers-gas/60200fr-flame-rod-microprocessor-gas-primary-control/
>
> (Click on the "Tech Specs" tab.)

I'm not up to date on the Carlin primary I guess. Of course Carlin tech support is correct. Connect the spill switch to BV on the primary. Its rated at 10v DC so no worries there. You can jump T1,T2 or use it as another source of interruption.
Apologies.

bob_chak

Spoke to Carlin again (what great customer service). The preferred method is to wire the red/L1 In to a constant power source. Alternatively, L1 and Limit In can be tied together. Having constant power allows the firmware to run its self-test and and be on stand-by before any call for heat. If wired to the Limit, it still keeps any fault codes.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. Stay warm.