Weil_McLain Ultra 105 Boiler

cpft1

Had a new Weil-McLain Ultra 105 Series 3 boiler installed November 3, 2017. We use propane. Worked great for two years. On December 23, 2019 it wasn't maintaining temperature. Repair guy,who installed it, came and looked at it and couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. He talked to tech support and was told it needed a clean-up kit and to set it at high altitude setting until he got the clean-up kit. Repair guy returned on December 30 and installed the clean-up kit. Worked great until January 10, 2020 when it was not maintaining temperature again. Repair guy once again could not find the problem. He called tech support again and was told to set it at high altitude setting and leave it there because for some reason it required more oxygen. That is where it was left.
My question is, why did it work great for two years with no problems and now it needs more oxygen? To me it seems that some part must be failing to cause this.
Any ideas?

STEVEusaPA

Anyone do a combustion analysis, incoming gas pressure, check the inlet for debris (rare but possible) etc.
Circulator moving water (not just 'running')?

cpft1

The repair guy was here for several hours. I do not know what all he did. I do know that he checked the inlet valve and talked to Weil-McLain tech on phone.

Zman

You need to find out if they did a combustion analysis and get the results if they did. You will never get to the bottom of this without one.

HVACNUT

Agree with all above.
WM does not allow adjustments to the gas valve on the Ultra without tech support and the combustion test results.
The contractor menu would allow the tech to view history, check diagnostics, and put the boiler into manual test mode for low, medium, and high combustion numbers.
Pop out the flue temperature sensor and insert probe. What could be easier?

Out of curiosity, what is the elevation where you are?

Tom_133

I also want to know your elevation, and how is the intake air piping look? Possibly plugged outside or inside somewhere? Ive seen dead animals, frozen, and other weird things in the piping that blocks the amount of air. A test to see if its in the intake air pipe would be to remove the door on the boiler to allow air from the room in. If the boiler comes up to temp, then you got a blockage. I had a different boiler do the same thing when it had a snowball stuck in the intake air piping outside, so go out and make sure thats all good. If when you pull the door off the boiler it ramps right up, you know where the problem is.

DZoro

Gas pressure should be checked, static and operating pressures. Regulator can be sticking at times.
Along with all the above.
D

cpft1

The elevation here is 626.64 feet.

cpft1

A combustion analysis was done. Intake is clean. Our elevation is 626.64 feet, so why would it need to be set on high altitude?

sallaberry

Well I would say a bad batch of propane when did they deliver compared to the problems occurring.

cpft1

We received propane on December 12 and the problems started around December 23. If it is the propane, what should be done?

Zman

cpft1 said:

A combustion analysis was done. Intake is clean. Our elevation is 626.64 feet, so why would it need to be set on high altitude?

Can you get the results of the analysis? Jus because it was done does not mean it was done right.

cpft1

We received propane on December 12 and the problems started around December 23. If it is the propane, what should be done?

EBEBRATT-Ed

@cpft1

This type of equipment is fussy. Can't troubleshoot a problem like this without a combustion test. We need to see the #s

Jean-David Beyer

When my W-M Ultra3 80K boiler was installed (I read the manual), the installing contractor did not do a combustion test. He looked at the fire through the window. He said the combustion was set at the factory. That is not what the installation manual said.

It might even be true that the combustion was set at the factory, at the altitude of the factory (that might not have been the same as mine) and at the gas pressure at the factory (that also might not have been the same as mine. My guess is that it was pretty close, because when the one-year inspection time came, I had to dismiss that contractor for incompetence and I got a new, much better one. He did it correctly and did use a digital combustion tester and it was very close. But at least he knew it.

After a few years, his company (he was not an owner) decided not to do residential work anymore, so I am now on my third contractor who I found on this web site. That contractor also has done work for some friends of mine. He knows what he is doing, always comes prepared (with needed kit), has obviously read the manual, and knows what his digital combustion analyzer is for and uses it every time.

https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/shane-a-foster-plumbing-and-hydronic-heating

Grallert

service can't be done without an analyzer, knowing how to use it and what the numbers mean. A printed sheet should have, might have been left on the boiler for you and for the next tech who comes along. Lets see those numbers. They could lead to the solution.

Jean-David Beyer

service can't be done without an analyzer, knowing how to use it and what the numbers mean. A printed sheet should have, might have been left on the boiler for you and for the next tech who comes along.

My current contractor always leaves me the printed slip his combustion analyzer produces. I keep all of them in an envelope along with my boiler instruction manual.

cpft1

We never received any thing other than a bill. There is not another authorized repair location within a hundred miles of us.