Help

BigO

Help, just bought this house survived the bulk of the winter never had any issues today the boiler started leaking in various locations I tightened one spot yesterday and two other started up , also took. A picture of temperature and pressure , all the copper pipes are cold that used to be warm to the touch ; not too sure what I’m looking at ; I still have hot water just doesn’t feel like heat is going to the baseboards. 

Any insight is appreciated 

Mad Dog_2

1) Do you have a contract for oil and burner service?   Yes  call them...but I'm getting the  imagery that you are C.O.D. oil.  
2) Start calling for burner service NOW. .

OIL burners are not as easy as gas...gotta know your stuff and gave certain tools.  That heating system may have worked but is a poor install from day 1   just sayin...mad Dog

BigO

Previous owners were COD we got three delivery’s so far from the same company just never got a service contract 

Big Ed_4

Check your oil supply , check the switches and breakers , make sure you have power to the boiler

Mad Dog_2

Big mistake...especially with beat up equipment like that..Do you have CO detectors in the boiler room and by bedrooms?  If not get em tonight.  Even COD companies will do per diem service or know someone.  Oil burners are not a hobby. Get on the horn  🤘  keep us posted  Mad Dog

BigO

I checked the breaker I flicked it on an off just to get this thing too reset now it’s back on and the boilers making some kind of noise hopefully this will hold me over till I can get a service in 

jimna01

That boiler would probably have caused me to walk away from the purchase without some serious compensation from the seller. I have a rule of thumb when buying a property if I find one thing not maintained there are probably many other items suffering similar fate.  Homeowner opinion.

HVACNUT

Find some reputable oil heat contractors and get prices for a serious upgrade. An 80's JOT and a direct fired water heater isn't exactly efficient. If the primary control ever takes a poop, that would be a small down payment on a new system anyway because they're big $$.
There's good advice here before you commit to anything. It's warming up, and you have the water heater, so no rush.

Mad Dog_2

Listen to those in the know here....Mad Dog 

hot_rod

Interesting air purger installation 😗

BigO

Hey guys thanks for everyone’s help , yeah it looks like I’m gonna have to start budgeting obviously this **** wasn’t maintained upon further inspection I realized the box with the red thing the button was out when it used to be in so I pulled off the box and discovered this looks like something burned out 

BigO

Can anyone give me an idea of a total system replacement, it’s 4 zones ; also I’m hearing daikin is a pretty good system but I’ll leave it to those with more experience ; you guys been a great help. I’m ready to return the house 🥲

gyrfalcon

Your best bet is to use the find a contractor search.  Is it worth fixing at this point?  Who knows. May be good money after bad.  As far as a good system replacement… What kind of heat emitters do you have?  Do you have A/C already? Good ducting? Lots of options to go with but you gotta have a good installation and servicing company.  Is oil your only fuel source? 

gyrfalcon

Also, Daikin makes a high efficiency combi boiler but I’m not sure if it’s availability in the N American market.  They also make an air to water heat pump but that is electric not oil and depending on the rest of the homes emitters, a heat pump may not generate enough heat for radiant.  Where are you located?

BigO

What kind of heat emitters do you have? Baseboards  Do you have A/C already? There’s ductless split units on basement & first floor.

Good ducting?no idea just bought the house  

Lots of options to go with but you gotta have a good installation and servicing company.  Is oil your only fuel source?  Yeah no gas lines , I’m in Suffolk 

HVACNUT

Ask for a heat loss calculation. Don't go by the ratings of the existing boiler.
Describe your domestic needs. 12 people, jacuzzi tub? 
A 3 pass boiler with an indirect water heater or a System 2000 with their water heater is what you're looking for. 
You're in Suffolk County NY? There's an oil dealer on every corner. In the mall too.

MaxMercy

BigO said:

upon further inspection I realized the box with the red thing the button was out when it used to be in so I pulled off the box and discovered this looks like something burned out

Nothing burned out. Some dolt was removing the wire from under the screw with the power on and got his screwdriver between the terminal and the case ground. It just arced, probably tripped the breaker, and left behind the black carbon telltale sign.

BigO

MaxMercy said:

upon further inspection I realized the box with the red thing the button was out when it used to be in so I pulled off the box and discovered this looks like something burned out

Nothing burned out. Some dolt was removing the wire from under the screw with the power on and got his screwdriver between the terminal and the case ground. It just arced, probably tripped the breaker, and left behind the black carbon telltale sign.

So is this thing still usable ? 

EdTheHeaterMan

From what I see, the oil burner is operating. The 428 Ohm reading says that there is a flame inside the chamber. Although you have 2 primary safety controls. That Reset Button control has a primary control built in and the Carlin control is also a primary safety control. Someone with a brain may have rewired that Triple Acting Aquastat Primary control to eliminate the primary control function… OR …there are 2 cad cell holders in that burner. Either way, that setup is unconventional. I would replace the Triple Acting Aquastat Relay with something like an L7224U in order to eliminate any confusion. They are more reliable and much less expensive than the control you have.

Can you tell if the circulator pumps are operating? The pipes to the radiators should get hot when you turn up the thermostat.


Real mystery... Who decided you need 2 flow check valves within 12" ?

EdTheHeaterMan

I think this guy must have been a Belt and Suspenders kind of mechanic
Two Flo-Control valves per zone
Two oil filters
Two primary controlsI wonder if he has 2 wives? Are you located in Utah?

Mad Dog_2

You need Robert O'Brien of Technical Heating in Mount Sinai. I'd get the call to him in. Every plumber worth their salt is busy doing boilers and heat still. He's Honest, excellent and probably not far from you. He's listed on Find A Contractor. We know of him and his work for 25 years. Mad Dog

BigO

EdTheHeaterMan said:

From what I see, the oil burner is operating. The 428 Ohm reading says that there is a flame inside the chamber. Although you have 2 primary safety controls. That Reset Button control has a primary control built in and the Carlin control is also a primary safety control. Someone with a brain may have rewired that Triple Acting Aquastat Primary control to eliminate the primary control function… OR …there are 2 cad cell holders in that burner. Either way, that setup is unconventional. I would replace the Triple Acting Aquastat Relay with something like an L7224U in order to eliminate any confusion. They are more reliable and much less expensive than the control you have. Can you tell if the circulator pumps are operating? The pipes to the radiators should get hot when you turn up the thermostat. Real mystery... Who decided you need 2 flow check valves within 12" ?

If you mean those big red thing that’s look like baby fire hydrants there warm and vibrating , when I raised the thermostat in the basement the pipes all stayed cold.

HVACNUT

EdTheHeaterMan said:

From what I see, the oil burner is operating. The 428 Ohm reading says that there is a flame inside the chamber. Although you have 2 primary safety controls. That Reset Button control has a primary control built in and the Carlin control is also a primary safety control. Someone with a brain may have rewired that Triple Acting Aquastat Primary control to eliminate the primary control function… OR …there are 2 cad cell holders in that burner. Either way, that setup is unconventional. I would replace the Triple Acting Aquastat Relay with something like an L7224U in order to eliminate any confusion. They are more reliable and much less expensive than the control you have. Can you tell if the circulator pumps are operating? The pipes to the radiators should get hot when you turn up the thermostat. Real mystery... Who decided you need 2 flow check valves within 12" ?

The 7284 is on the water heater. The 8182D is on the boiler.

EdTheHeaterMan

HVACNUT said:

The 7284 is on the water heater. The 8182D is on the boiler.

Thanks, I took a closer look at the 2 Carlin burners... makes sense now. But there are still 4 more Flo-Controls then needed. As far as diagnosing the heat... it appears that one of the circulators may have a bad coupling by this statement.

If you mean those big red thing that’s look like baby fire hydrants there warm and vibrating , when I raised the thermostat in the basement the pipes all stayed cold.

Are any of the pipes on the heating boiler warm? With that R8182D control, the boiler should be maintaining temperature @ 150° to 160° if there is no call for heat. If the boiler is not hot, then there may be a burner problem or an electrical/control problem. Need Professional help.

BigO

I hit the reset button , twice back to back I watched where it tripped I touched it probably shouldn’t have but all my zones are running so I’m gonna get a service contract and get one of these oil companies to come take a look and give me more insight but I have Heat Now house is nice and toasty 

BigO

Everybody here been helpful AF I appreciate all of you