Beckett Burner Leaking Oil

mikeo

Brand new install of a beckett burner on a brand new weil mclain boiler. Oil will drip whenever system is running.  Only spot that leaks is where you see in the picture on the connection from burner to boiler. any information to fix the issue will help me.

HVACNUT

Bad nozzle or it isn't tight in the bulkhead fitting or there's something blocking the spray at the head, or the settings are way way off.

How is it even remotely possible the tech that commissioned the system didn't pick this up while testing? The numbers on the analyzer and the pink dot on the smoke test should've sent alarms off. This could be a potentially dangerous situation. It's the very definition of incomplete combustion. The chamber and blanket are probably saturated. Find a new tech because the old one is a disgrace to the industry. 
Post the combustion report when everything is safely up and running. Good luck. 

EBEBRATT-Ed

You have a problem as @HVACNUT pointed out.

Don't ignore it this will lead to a larger problem.

Was this burner combustion tested

mikeo

I don’t believe the system was ever tested. Since I found the leak i’ve had the system turned off until i can get a new tech out to look at it. Wasn’t sure if it was something i could fix on my own, but i guess not. thanks and i’ll let you know test results. 

rick in Alaska

When he comes out, ask him how he will open the burner door with the fuel pump hard piped like it is. I like to see at least a loop in the line, or even better, flexible braided lines.
There is also a possibility you have air in the fuel line that needs to be bled out, but usually with a one pipe system, and that much air, it wouldn't run. But something else to check anyway.
Rick

EBEBRATT-Ed

Probably a loose nozzle or improper adjustment.

mikeo

i adjusted the depth setting on the igniter assembly so we’ll see if that fixes the problem. It was set all the way back, but i don’t have the beckett depth gauge to know if it’s perfect. 

mikeo

i took igniter assembly out and looked at it. nozzle was tight and not blocked. cleaned everything and put it back in.

mikeo

still leaking oil. so i’ll have to call someone out on monday. 

Big Ed_4

That would do it....

mikeo

the problem ended up being that Beckett had installed the improper size nozzle on the burner. the outside of the burner reads 0.85X45B but brand new out of the box it came with a 0.65X60W nozzle installed on it. no clue how that nozzle size was put in the burner but no more leak now. 

MaxMercy

mikeo said:

the problem ended up being that Beckett had installed the improper size nozzle on the burner. the outside of the burner reads 0.85X45B but brand new out of the box it came with a 0.65X60W nozzle installed on it. no clue how that nozzle size was put in the burner but no more leak now. 

I seriously doubt a 60 degree nozzle would cause that. Most likely the original nozzle wasn't tight.

HVACNUT

If the burner calls for an .85 45°B, it better be in a GO-3 with an L1 head. Otherwise no.

mikeo

HVACNUT

The burner also lists the .65 60°W.
It seems Revision 4 got a downfire option.

So either nozzle is acceptable, as long as it's set up correctly. Which if this installation was DIY, and it seems like it was, then it would be extremely wise to get it tested by a tech with a combustion analyzer, smoke tester and draft gauge, at the bare minimum. Your neighbors would appreciate it. How's that chamber look BTW?

MikeAmann

HVACNUT said:

If the burner calls for an .85 45°B, it better be in a GO-3 with an L1 head. Otherwise no.

Impressive, you called that one right.

mikeo

the chamber was clean. i mean the unit has only been running for about a month. i’ll get someone out to run proper tests. 

still have no clue what nozzle should actually be on there. it’s not leaking anymore with the 45 on there 

Steamhead

The air tube part # shown on the sticker does, in fact, use the L1 head.

STEVEusaPA

.85x45, 140 psi AND low baffle? Doesn’t seem right. The spec on the label says 140, but there’s a 150 psi sticker on the side of the burner.

DJD775

No low firing rate baffle specified in the Beckett OEM guide.

mikeo

HVACNUT said:

If the burner calls for an .85 45°B, it better be in a GO-3 with an L1 head. Otherwise no.

it is a GO-3 with an L1 head

HVACNUT

DJD775 said:

No low firing rate baffle specified in the Beckett OEM guide.

Is it possible that's a typo (or lack of type) with the .65? It's showing a 9 on the shutter setting while the .85 is showing an 8. Everything else is the same except 150 vs. 140 pump pressure. 
So maybe .65 yes LFB, .85 no LFB?
If there was only a way to know for sure. Some kind of instruments to verify and test these things.
If it's currently firing with the .85 and the LFB, I'm not sure I'd want the CO sensor in my analyzer to have a coronary. 

DJD775

HVACNUT said:

DJD775 said:

No low firing rate baffle specified in the Beckett OEM guide.

Is it possible that's a typo (or lack of type) with the .65? It's showing a 9 on the shutter setting while the .85 is showing an 8. Everything else is the same except 150 vs. 140 pump pressure. 
So maybe .65 yes LFB, .85 no LFB?
If there was only a way to know for sure. Some kind of instruments to verify and test these things.
If it's currently firing with the .85 and the LFB, I'm not sure I'd want the CO sensor in my analyzer to have a coronary. 



Quite possible. Just took a quick snip of the OEM guide without looking too deep into it.

mikeo

so what’s the difference between a .65x60B and the .65x60W that came on the burner originally 

because based on that chart beckett is saying i should use a .65x60B but the chart on the side of the boiler is saying i should use a .65x60W

Jamie Hall

Not to put too fine a point on it -- you shouldn't be using it at all until you or some else fully qualified can get there and check the flame pattern (that's where the W vs. B makes a difference) and check the combustion numbers and adjust for clean combustion.

This isn't a plug and play out of the box USB widget we're talking about here...

EBEBRATT-Ed

@mikeo
Delevan nozzles are sold with a hollow cone spray pattern (more oil on the outside of the flame) less in the middle which is an "A" nozzle.

or as a solid cone spray more oil in the center of the fire which is a "B" nozzle

or as a "W" nozzle which is "semi solid a combination of hollow and solid.


Boiler and burner MFGs test with different nozzles and spray pressures. For all any of us know they have made a revision to what they originally specified for this boiler. The only way to know for sure would be to contact Weil McLain or Beckett directly. It's the only way to get a straight answer.

Your first question should be "who did the testing on this combination of burner & boiler"? It could have been Beckett (who wants Weil to use their burners) or it could have been Weil Mclain.

Boiler and burner MFGs make changes all the time.

And it wouldn't be the first time if they have made a mistake.

I have seen more than a few jobs where their original specs didn't even work at all.

So I take it all with a grain of salt.

The right nozzle for That boiler with That burner with That oil in the tank is the one that tests best with combustion instruments.

But, you have to start somewhere and that is with what the MFG specs. If it runs ok and tests ok after that all is good.

mikeo

beckett service tech says .65X60B is what I should be using.

and here’s what the chamber looks like

SuperTech

Regardless of what the Beckett tech says, the right nozzle needs to be confirmed by running a combustion analyzer on the boiler.  Like Ed said above, the factory specified nozzle is like a starting point, you try it out, combustion test it and go from there.  You need an experienced oil burner technician to verify the burner is functioning optimally with a combustion analyzer, pump pressure and vacuum gauges, smoke testing pump as well as some other tools.

Adk1guy

Sounds like 1st nozzle was loose, had a burr, or was over tightened which newbies tend to do ,which distorts the nozzle adapter. If a nozzle won't screw in and out with your fingers before being tightened that's an indication. Ditto to an experienced tech with correct tools to check it and set it up.