Honeywell Smart valve for Burnham RV3 boiler

HansonG

About 4 years ago my gas valve for Burnham RV3 boiler quit working. My local vendor came up with a Honeywell SV9602- a "smart valve". Not a direct replacement, but it did work. I ended up with a small continuous pilot flame that didn't shut off after ignition of the main burners (it's supposed to shut off). I now see the pilot flame has gotten bigger, I get soot in the firebox, and the thermocouple is looking pretty ragged. My question is whether this is safe as is or should I just replace the thermocouple and try to adjust the pilot flame?

EdTheHeaterMan

Honeywell smart valve has a 24V HSI ignitor to light the pilot flame. Once the pilot flame is there the flame sensor signals the control inside the smart valve that it is ok to open the main valve for the main burner. Since the flame sensor is actually sensing the pilot flame, that pilot flame needs to be on the entire time the main burner is operational.

As far as the pilot flame looking larger and maybe a little funky, my guess is that there is dirt in the pilot burner. The combustion air for the pilot is not getting there in the normal way, so the flame turns yellow and stretches out farther to find the needed oxygen to completely burn.

Get that pilot burner cleaned out.

HansonG

Thanks, Ed. On the whole time makes more sense. So does dirt in the works. I've cleaned the fire box and tubes that the burning gas comes from but not the pilot area. Dirt belongs in the garden..