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Kewanee Water Boiler.....How does the floor look??

JUGHNE
JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,276
in THE MAIN WALL
This is a 1961 3 pass fire tube NG fired boiler.

Was oil burner for it's first +20 years.




It is 23.6 HP, max 990 MBH. Series 5X....size 3R6F O

Has an Adams "Speedflame" power burner from 1997.

HP 800 is rated from 300,000 to 800,000 BTUH.

Presently down fired to 327,272 BTUH.

Install book says to have burner tube at least 7" above floor it is only 6".

The floor is disintegrating the worst just under the burner at the front of the fire box,
where the screwdriver is stuck.

Any ideas or...... don't worry.

Thanks for looking.

Comments

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,380
    Is that a brick floor? If yes, don't worry about it. The down firing will help.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,276
    No bricks that I could find.

    It has been downfired for quite a few years...maybe 10 or more.

    Just some layer of something what seems to be poured like concrete many years ago.
    Most likely has asbestos (1961) in the mix.

    I have thought of maybe firebrick on the floor, at least in the front.

    Or even a layer of sand....what would that be like?

    It is a wet leg boiler....I don't think it is a wet base.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,477
    It's probably "castable cement" You buy a bag, mix it with water. It hardens when you fire the burner or until it dry's. Any refractory supplier would have it. They sell many different temp ratings.

    Your floor doesn't look to be deteriorated enough to do anything about it but maybe the picture is deceiving, and it probably does have asbestos.

    The book says 7" tube height, but they only give you 1 height......that is for the maximum firing rate. If you were too close to the floor you would get black carbon from impingement.

    EdTheHeaterMan
  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,443
    @JUGHNE - This another of your Stuart boilers?
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,380
    By Brick, I meant a custom castable Fire brick type material (hard), as opposed a ceramic fiber blanket type (soft) floor. Not actual 2.25" x 4.5" x 9" fire bricks. sorry for the confusion. I believe it is hard castable material. Am I correct?

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,276
    edited October 2022
    The floor used to be quite solid.

    It looks to have been poured.

    About 12 years ago I even vacuumed debris off of it.

    You would not try it today as it is crumbly.

    This gets opened every 4 years.

    The future of the building and this boiler is uncertain.

    Won't be torn down but someone may get the FAF bug for something else.

    One "professional" construction manager told the owners they could not use it for day care as "steam" was too dangerous.......it is a hot water system with commercial grade child proof convectors etc.

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