Out with a GE in with new boiler. The problem we have.

Bill @ Boro

I have been in the field for 20 years now, 17 as service tech 3 as GM. I have an ongoing debate, well not so much a debate, with my top Tech. with a problem I have always seen after we remove a GE boiler and replace it with new. I have always had trouble with the oil suction line. To this day the only way I have solved it is using a suction & return, or a Tiger Loop. (I prefer the Tiger Loop) I have this problem even if the tank is 10' away, new lines, new drop piece into tank, or check valves ect.. We just can not seem to figure why this only happens on GE replacements but we should be able to run the new boiler with just one suction line no return or Tiger Loop. The tanks are normally no more than 20 feet away tops and the height of the oil lines are no more than 6 ft from inside tank to ceiling. One more thing, and this is our debate with each other in our shop, if installing a Tiger Loop solves the problem forever, do you think, as my top Tech puts it, this is a band aid or, as I think, it is a solution?

Thanks for your time.
Bill C.

Dave Palmer

we..

run off the bottom,after the oil valve put a spin on filter then a spring check and up you go.Prime the filter first if you must.We don't put lines in the floor anymore if we don't have too,sleeved or not.Maybe its the GE's ghost giving you problems?

Bill @ Boro

The problem is...

that I am always a little afraid to start tugging at a plug in the bottom of an oil tank that has been in place for 20 years.

I hope the ghost is not only haunting me!

Unknown

Are they the hanging GEs in the kitchen ?

Whenever we replace them , if theres one line , we always add a Tigerloop . We use the Riello , and they just dont have the lift on one pipe . On the Tigerloop we get oil up there in seconds . And with those 50+ year old oil lines in the floor , its the safer way to go rather than using a return line back to the tank.

Bill @ Boro

I hope Mike is reading 1 for me goose egg for him

Gotta love those Tiger Loops

Floyd

If I had my way....

a Tiger Loop would be standard equipment on every oil job!!!!
Their just "Good for what ail's ya"!!!

Will solve many problems AND when they HO runs outa oil.......
the burner will most always prime it's self!!!
No service call to bleed the lines!!!

Floyd

Alan R. Mercurio

Hi Bill, To answer your question about it being a band aid. everyone here knows I am a big fan of the tiger loop and its abilities. however I do always stress that you need to be careful in how you apply it.

Example: If you truly do have an air leak that means you may very well have an oil leak. If the tiger loop over comes the air leak problem it might only accelerate an environmental nightmare. it's now becoming a very costly band aid.

So I would get a vacuum gauge on the jobs in question and confirm the integrity of the lines. If you're replacing 20+ year old systems you may need to replace the fuel lines.



Just my 2 cents

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio
www.oiltechtalk.com

Bill @ Boro

I only wish it was an air leak.

Still a mystery.