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Thermo-Dynamics S-85 inspection door

alext207
alext207 Member Posts: 4
in Oil Heating
Hey all, have a Thermo-Dynamics S-85 steel boiler at home with an AFG burner. After battling with a high excess air/stack temp reading, low efficiency reading(80%) and changing C02 with no burner changes I seem to have found the issue to be a leaky inspection door - the door appears to swing shut, but when pressing on it I get another 1/4” of travel before everything seats. This brings my readings back inline, but I still can’t seem to find a way to secure the door in the closed position. Anyone familiar with this model of boiler seen this issue before? Seems like it should be easy to latch closed but I can’t find an obvious way to do so. Thanks!

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Got a picture? Is it the loose rectangle door hinged on the top?
    Should have a gasket to help seal it, but I have no idea where to get one.

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  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,477
    The mounting plate around the inspection door most likely has no water in that area you could drill and tap it put an eye bolt there and use a spring to keep the door closed.

    Maybe spraying the door hinge with a little WD-40 or penetrating fluid would allow it to close
  • alext207
    alext207 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, there is a sort of rockwool gasket material under the door that should help with sealing, but isn't doing it's job particularly well. It is that top-hinged metal door you're talking about.

    As for sealing it, I did think some high-temp silicone might do the job for me - I'm wary of tweaking things too much in the middle of heating season. Just found the issue when I noticed how out of whack my excess air readings were!
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    I wouldn't silly-cone it. You do need access for over fire draft readings and basic troubleshooting.
    I'd probably make and offset bracket that can be zip screwed into the exterior jacket on the left and right, that pins the door tightly closed.
    You could also try removing the pin if possible, and adding a spring like @EBEBRATT-Ed mentioned so it's forced closed.
    Uglier would be something that holds it shut that's wedged between the door and the transformer.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    kcopp
  • alext207
    alext207 Member Posts: 4
    STEVEusaPA said:

    I wouldn't silly-cone it. You do need access for over fire draft readings and basic troubleshooting.
    I'd probably make and offset bracket that can be zip screwed into the exterior jacket on the left and right, that pins the door tightly closed.
    You could also try removing the pin if possible, and adding a spring like @EBEBRATT-Ed mentioned so it's forced closed.
    Uglier would be something that holds it shut that's wedged between the door and the transformer.

    Thats what I have right now actually, a 6-n-1 wedged between the igniter and the door to keep things shut! There is actually a bolt that can be removed from the center of the door for an over-draft without having the whole thing wide open, but I will look at a way to wire/ziptie everything shut as well.
  • B_Sloane
    B_Sloane Member Posts: 56
    no one has asked WHY THE DOOR DOES NOT FULLY CLOSE
    what ..??
    there is no clamping bolt ..?
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    edited January 2020
    B_Sloane said:

    no one has asked WHY THE DOOR DOES NOT FULLY CLOSE
    what ..??
    there is no clamping bolt ..?

    Don't have to, those of us with experience already know.

    Many older oil fired equipment has inspection doors/ports that don't seal tight and lock.
    For Peerless boilers, I'll slip in the correct size e-clip to keep the inspection door tight, otherwise it flops and rattles while the burner is running. For the others, I've come up with all kinds of ways to keep them shut.
    Newer equipment, especially those that expect positive over fire pressure, lock down and seal tight.

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  • B_Sloane
    B_Sloane Member Posts: 56
    thanks !
    I do not work on such stuff
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Yeah that's a little bigger, right?

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  • B_Sloane
    B_Sloane Member Posts: 56
    well....
    Yep !!
    when I think of a Sight Port, or something
    it's like on an HB Smith 28 Series
    yep, no tight Seal, but I would not consider this a "Door"
    perhaps I misconstrued the OP's question ..?
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Here's the 'door' in question. Just an inspection door. Seems like you could slip something over the door and behind the jacket.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • B_Sloane
    B_Sloane Member Posts: 56
    oh yea
    I rember that stuff from my childhood working for family
    that should not leak air that bad !!
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    It's just the slight weight of the door keeping it closed. But you do see the difference on your analyzer when it's tight vs. loose.

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,331
    > @STEVEusaPA said:
    > Here's the 'door' in question. Just an inspection door. Seems like you could slip something over the door and behind the jacket.
    > (Image)

    That's exactly what we did with the old Dunkirk 1350's. The inspection door is 4x4 cast iron with a spring hinge that never worked. Every time the burner would fire, the door would open and clank shut. We would cut a piece of 3/8 oil line, bang the ends flat and wedge it through the jacket. The same oil line was used to prop the door open because it was always 14,000° Kelvin.

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