servicing

JimGPE_3

http://www.tjernlund.com/Draftinducer.html. This link will get you started, but I've found them and their reps to be very responsive in helping with situations like yours.

Remember, you are working with carbon monoxide here. If you haven't done this before, get plenty of help. You now own this problem in the eyes of your customer....

Good luck!

Chris_4

servicing a

nat. gas water heater.......

had a call this am where a commercial water heater was acting and smelling funny.

there had been 2 attempts from another company within the last 2 weeks to try to correct the problem.

Owner said the pilot would only stay lit until the water was at temp, and would then go out. they finally shut it down after the last attempt to fix it because it was smelling funny.

large amount of flame rollout, so decided to check draft..... there was absolutely no draft, the entire flu pipe including the portion inside the heater was plugged. My guess is that someone had almost completely closed the air shutter at the burner, and it was burning almost completely yellow flames. (lots of soot)

anyone have ideas why it was plugged so bad? what else would be causing that problem?

the new heater is burning nicely, with steady blue flames.

had to replace the entire length of flue, but at least now they won't be killing their customers with CO

Chris

antman

Exhaust Fan?

I had a job in a reastaurant once that had a kick **** exhaust fan in the kitchen, mechanical room didn't have proper air intake, when that fan would turn on,look out!
Big time flame roll out, Before i figured it out i had to replace pilot tubing because it melted. Finally came to my senses and figured it out, proper air for combustion and a fire rated door in mechanichal room, good to go.
Don't know if that is your situation, you didn't really elaborate as to what type of commercial app. it was

good luck..Ant

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Gary Fereday

BOTH

above answers are real

Chris_4

thanks Ant

seems like your situation is similar to what I've got.

the heater is located in a japanese resturaunt. there is no door where the heater sits. it is located down a hallway from the main kitchen. most of their cooking is done at the tables, but they do have a large exhaust fan in the kitchen, not sure about make-up air. combustion air for the heater is taken from the indoor air near the kitchen. maybe that heater room should have a door, and outside combustion air installed?

didn't turn the fan on, to see if that could have been the cause, but if it starts acting up again, I will try it. fortunately the heater sits on an outside wall, adding a door and combustion air won't be a problem.

have never seen one so plugged up before. it was a solid mass!

thanks for the tip, just something else to look for when installing equipment.

Chris

JimGPE_3

Checking for proper makeup air in a restaurant can be as easy as opening the front door (both of them if there is a vestibule). If you feel massive amounts of air getting sucked in to the restaurant, there is for sure not adequate makeup air.

But even if you don't, it could still be the problem.

How about a draft fan in the water heater flue? That can overcome a pretty nasty building negative and cure your problem.

Chris_4

Jim

where would I find a draft fan and who makes them? great idea, think it might work. checked the building today, there is make up air, but not enough, and with the exhaust fan on in the kitchen, the water heater is getting a slight backdraft, nothing major, but needs to be corrected.

thanks

Chris

Dave Flood

Hi Chris,
The 1996 International Mechanical Code states that nothing shoud effect the combustion of a heating system...............(I.E. exhaust fans).........if this is a proble, it needs to be corrected. About 30 yrs ago, we had a restuarnat in our area with that problem. Most of the patrons were taken to the hospital by ambulance being sick from the fumes. Heating system need 50 cubic feet of air for every 1000 BTU's of input to the system. An average ranch house with a hot water heater and a furnace needs about 75% of the basement to support combustion and dillution air for the systems. Usually we don't have that. Old houses with no insulation never really had a problem with this. But new houses being built so tightly have lots of problems. A direct vent kit will get you out of most problems for combustion for your heating systems. One suggestion may be to contact Field Controls and take a look at thier direct vent kit.

Dave Flood
Dir of Tech Ed
ICPA Tech Trng Ctr
Wallingford, Ct

Chris_4

Dave

thanks for the advice, actually, I fixed the problem yesturday. we added a door, and outside combustion air for the heater.

I had to get it fixed before the we had any problems with CO. There was a slight backdraft when the hood was running, checked CO levels and they ranged from 10ppm at the heater, to less than 5ppm throughout the restaurant, only when hood was running. when hood was not running, the draft was good, and no CO.

Problem now fixed!

thanks to everyone for the advice and help.

Chris