My super old boiler's pilot flame is on, but it's not igniting.

chuck_dalsin

Hello I am 22 years old and just bought my first house in October and the boiler has just gone out. My house was built in 1906 and the boiler is probably from around that time. From what I can tell from research, it was an old coal boiler that was converted to work with gas and it's old as hell. The pilot flame was out this morning and I was able to get it relit with a lighter. But the furnace will not ignite. I was wondering if anybody had any advice or knew what the most likely issue with it might be. I'm hoping to the issue is something that might be easy to fix myself.

for reference, we're talking about a boiler like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ePLxmMHpqY
or this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj8nYqc8bm8

thank you for taking the time to read

mattmia2

We need pictures of your actual boiler, of the gas controls. Many conversion burners of that age had a switch that is held closed by the thermocouple to prove the pilot. they have a button or lever on that control that has to be pressed to reset it when the pilot is lit. It is a switch that opens the circuit to the burner valve if the pilot is not lit.

chuck_dalsin

chuck_dalsin

Hello Matt, I believe the switch you are referring to is in the red button in the 2nd picture?

Mad Dog_2

Hold on a second young man.  I have to caution you....ALL boilers are potentially dangerous to work on, but an Antique Beauty SNOWMAN ⛄ boiler like you have there doesn't have all the modern safeties (of last 30 yrs) that newer models usually do. At the very least you could get your eyebrows and eyelashes singed off, but they'll grow back.  Are you altleast a plumber or heating tech?  This is no hobby or harmless  DIY project. Here to help, just don't want to see you get hurt  here.   Mad Dog 

mattmia2

You should get that cleaned and have the safeties checked by a professional that understands old controls like that.

What @Mad Dog_2 is saying is follow the instructions on the conversion burner cover which will tell you to turn the big valve on the pipe to the left off before you push the button because you don't want the main burner to fire with your hand or face in there. Once you reset the safety, put the cover back on and turn the valve back on. then find someone who understands conversion burners to clean and test it. That white stuff covering the whole thing is asbestos furnace cement in case you didn't know.

And I think the red honeywell logo is the button. there should be instructions on the cover that is sitting next to it

Mad Dog_2

Exactly, Matthew....I love the Pancake Snowmans...they are Sherman tanks and never seen one leaking... ever!  Most heating techs aren't familiar with them  they are simple, but usually lack Flame roll out switches and blocked vent switches.  Before you run Big Bertha again you need to know that ATLEAST the lower water cutoff is functioning.   2nd, do you have a Working Carbon Monoxide Detector in that boiler room? On ALL levels of the home? Near the bedrooms? When was the last cleaning of the fire side it got?  Combustion Analyser
Exam?  Unless you know how to do all of this AND own/borrow  the tools & equipment, this is LIKELY above your pay grade, son.  Forget the fact it is an Energy Hog  🐖, we need to know this can be run " "safely"  (1950 standards)  till you get a Heating Pro in there   . A good boiler man can add in a few modern safeties sooner rather than later and I would  be careful!  Keep us posted.  Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

Hate to pick 😒...but did the guy that put up that wall right against the boiler ever heard the term "clearance " to combustibles 😳 ?
I know the Deadman who installed it didn't put it up against an existing wall...Every one I've seen sits out in the open like a Winter ⛄ snowman with a wide berth around her to work on her.  Mad Dog 🐕 

chuck_dalsin

Thank you Mad Dog and Matt for taking the time to reply! I'm learning a lot. I was able to use the switch to get it back on last night before reading your comments. I've got carbon monoxide detectors in the boiler room as well as outside both bedrooms. I will definitely be getting someone out here to take a look at it regardless and go easy on doing things myself. I was looking at the inspection sheet which I will post and it looks like the lower water cutoff was dinged in 2010. I believe that I had remembered seeing a more recent inspection form but I'm unable to find one.

jumper

I used to have boilers with Adams conversion burners. To light the pilot I had to light a "pilot pilot". Open a valve; light that pilot pilot and watch that flame shoot down a tube to light the main pilot which required holding the button. Then I'd shut off the valve to the pilot pilot. Since main pilot went out rarely I'd often forget about the pilot pilot and frustrate myself trying to light main pilot without the pilot pilot.