Soot monitoring

billygoat22

You could contact Exellance Alliance Inc. (www.excellancealliance.net) They're an organization like ASE is to auto mechanics, with high standards for members.

Bill_6

Soot monitoring

In my area there are not many (maybe none) boiler people who know how to adjust the air to fuel ratio (oil fired steam).

I hired a man recomended by Burnham last year. When he left the flame was BIG and redish orange. I learned (from him) that you basicly want the flame to "JUST NOT" produce soot and then a LITTLE more air to be sure.

After he left I slipped a coat hanger in the flue and left it. A few days later it was coated with soot, about 1/8". So I opened the air vent until the flame was all yellow (no redish orange) and retested with coat hanger. After 3 days it was still clean so I reduced the vent every 3 days until the hanger had a small amount of soot and increased the vent until it was clean and then a final vent increase.

Now this year I've done some work on the boiler and need to check it all again. I was wondering if I could use a mirror to detect the soot quicker. Or any other ideas that would speed this up. Whew !

Thanks for any help.

you can email me: williamb@prismafibers.com

ed wallace

soot monitoring

the only way to properly adjust the flame on an oil heat system is with a combustion test kit doing it by eye is not right find someone who does it right or by a kit bacharach and testo both make test kits

Bill_6

Yea...any ideas on finding one ? I have tried.

Where do I buy one of these testers ? Can I rent one ?

ed wallace

testers

i dont know of anywhere to rent them but if wanting to by o

ne testos web site is wwwtesto.com and bacharach is at bacharach.com

Joe Grosso

Bill

Tell me where you are located and I will try to find you someone that knows what they are doing.What that so called burner man told you and did for you is not proper.It must be checked with combustion equitment and then properly setup.

rudy_2

Properly setting up an oil burner

You might find some helpful info at www.bacharach-training.com and I could probably put you in touch with one of our distributers who rents test instruments but.... while setting up a burner is not rocket science, it certainly takes a bit of experience to do it properly. Like Joe asked, where are you located? With all the qualified folks who follow this discussion board, I'm sure there is someone in your area who could help you out.

John@Reliable

Bill, as a Burnham dealer this really

upsets me that a person recomended by them would do this.Please check around and find someone who knows how to do this the proper way. But I must say you did find a different way to find that it wasn't right.What state do you live in?

Bill_6

reply to all

I live in: Bristol, VA 24201

I've been on and read the Bacharach-Training sight (2 times) and some others. I know what needs to be done and understand it. I've worked in Industrial Process Control for 21 years, so I do know how to go about using this kind of equipment, and I also know that there is always a learning curve. But I have to do something as I've installed some new pieces in the boiler and so forth. I still don't see why the wire method as a visual check for soot would not get me close, at least until I find a good boiler adjuster.

I also want to clairify; the only person I've found who had the equipment to do the job right was the man I tried. I've talked to about 6 - 7 others (all I can find) and they ALL say that they'ed just adjust it by sight. Of course I've not tried them. I think my method is better than that !

Bill_6

thanks

I forgot to say Thanks for all your help.

I've been upgrading this boiler for about 6 years and last year tried the boiler dial-in man. Unless something breaks I've done all I can on this old dawg except get it dialed in correctly or at least close.

mp1969

Soot Detection

We very rarely run into oil fired units in the Milwaukee area but I was factory trained for Kewaunee boilers and burners. The desired soot sample using the reverse pump with sample paper was 0 , occasionaly we would let a #1 go on a combined burner (gas/oil) but that too will create soot buildup!
Sight setup is guessing at best and equipment by Bacharach can give you results for oil,gas and even coal.In the late eighties I purchased a unit for about $1,200.00 that we used to set up ommercial boilers. It had a 20'sampling hose that allowed you to set up the burner while doing the burner adjustments. With the advancement of test equipment I believe you can find combustion testers in the $400-$500 range now.
I always enjoyed the challenge to get #2 fuel oil to burn with zero soot. It can be a tedious procedure but well worth the time and effort!

Trial and error is the procedure!

MP 1969

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