Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Flame Retention Head for Weil Mclane Boiler

Assentato
Assentato Member Posts: 1
in Oil Heating

I have Weil Mclain oil boiler, P-WGO-5 series 3, with a QB-180 burner

My service contractor, during annual service call, tells my wife we need a "retention head" for the unit and can't believe the unit doesn't have one. He turned the unit off and said we need to order one and then he'll come back and install it. This is a foreign language to me. Where do I get a retention head for this unit? Is this guy right? How has the unit been working without one? Is it safe to run without one? Someone educate me please?

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,485
    edited October 3

    Maybe the old one burned off the burner tube. I am not familiar with the old QB (which was made by Weil McLain) but if I am not mistaken it was a short-lived burner that was not very good.

    You might want to rethink replacing the burner with a Carlin or Beckett burner if the boiler is in good shape. Not sure if the part he needs is even available.

    SuperTech
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,386
    edited October 3

    Sadly that oil burner was manufactured by Weil Mclain in an unsuccessful attempt to make a "BETTER" oil burner. And this particular part 643-900-110 no longer shows up on any supply house inventory searches and no longer shows up on the Weil McLain Parts Finder. You are SOL trying to find that thing. You will most likely need to replace it with a Beckett or Carlin or Riello burner that is approved for that boiler. I even looked on eBay for the part. NADA!

    Sorry for the bad news, but your contractor is correct, you can not operate that burner without that part. My son is currently operating that particular burner in his Buderus boiler. I can ask him if he may have one in his junk oil burner pile.

    Edward Young Retired

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

    Assentato
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,387

    Or, if your house has natural gas, you can convert that boiler using a Carlin EZ-Gas burner.

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    ethicalpaulEdTheHeaterMan
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,332

    That burner was manufactured FOR Weil McLain by Wayne.

    The head should be attached to the nozzle assembly. If it's not there, then it burned or broke off and is lying in the chamber. And if that's the case, then there's bigger problems than just replacing the head.

    That burner has had Gremlins since it's inception, and it's gone for a reason. Consider an upgrade to a Riello 40 Series, or a Beckett AFG.

    And find the cause.

    SuperTech
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,430

    We swapped out a few QB180 burners for Beckett AFGs this year due to parts being unavailable and it didn't break my heart to see them go. My local Sid Harveys has complete AFG burners designed for those Weil McLain boilers in stock. The swap is simple. Mount the new burner, hook up oil lines and wire up the electrical, start it up and perform combustion analysis.

    EdTheHeaterMan

Categories