Steam boiler not starting

neurosteam

I have an issue with my One pipe steam boiler that will need your expertise. Nest will call for heat and dial turns orange, but the boiler will not fire. The green light on the boiler is on but it will not fire. I will have to manually use the boiler power wall switch to turn it off then back on then it will fire. This happens some days first thing in the morning. I don’t have a setback.

B_Sloane

FF lock out

neurosteam

I apologize. What is FF LOCK OUT.

STEVEusaPA

Oil/gas? Does nest have a common wire connected?

Steamhead

@neurosteam , where are you located?

neurosteam

Gas. Nest has no C wire. Battery voltage at 3.82.
Located in Buffalo NY. No steam experts around

nicholas bonham-carter

Use a jumper wire on the terminals of the nest to mimic a call for heat, and see if the boiler fires, and repeat several times.
If it fires reliably that way, replace the nest with a round (t87?) Honeywell thermostat, set for steam.
Return the nest, or hang it on the Christmas tree, later this year. Do a search for all the posts here about nest problems, and you will see how badly they handle any sort of non-forced air heating system.—NBC

STEVEusaPA

Or add the C wire. There are a few ways depending on what controls you have at the boiler, or if adding a transformer, or for oil a Kool-Kit, as shown by @Robert O'Brien in a published article (that I can't seem to find in my archives).

neurosteam

Thank you Nicholas
Thank you Steve
Very helpful. I will replace the nest for sure, one more ornament for the Christmas tree. 😂