Almost lost my head today... (ME)

[Deleted User]

But it ain't. Got called out to a job today where we were the fourth contractor (as usual) to be called out to try and straighten out a big blue german boiler with a Canadian R-400 burner on it. It was lighting off pretty hard. Kept the whole family up at night. The first thing I always do is disassemble the burner assembly and compare the head gate and air gate settings against what the manufacturer recommends. I check the pressure in the combustion chamber and compare them with the manifold pressure, just like the manual instructs you too. Funny how no one else does this, right?

So I go for a start on the boiler, after making the necessary adjustemnts, got my gauges all hooked up, combustion analyzer purring along, hear the gas valve click, no immediate ignition, am counting to my self, 3 mississippi, four mississippi, start to reach for the gas valve to shut it off when the explosion happened. BANG!!!

NO fire shooting out, no flame visible anywhere, just the fastest gas explosion you've ever seen.

The blade of the draft damper flew over my head (I was fortunately on my knees) and put a BIG old dent in the DHW storage tank, and the flue pipe literally turned itself inside out. Most amazing thing I've ever seen, and I don't want to see it again...

The blower motor seized immediatley. Probably a good thing too. It shut down, or there may have been a secondary explosion. I may never find out what caused the explosion, I'm just very glad I wasn't standing up, or the damper blade might be imbedded in my chest, or worse yet, my head.

I replaced the burner assembly with the alternative burner assembly, fine tuned the equipment and left knowing that it was done right. The sad thing is, the other three people who had been there considered themselves "experts", and not ONE of them had used a combustion analyzer on the equipment. In fact, the homeowner said she didn't remember seeing ANY (manometer, magnehelic, amp meter etc..) of the instruments I had with the other experts. Someone had SERIOUSLY modified something on the burner that shouldn't have been, and it almost cost me my life. If you don't know what you're doing, DON'T MESS WITH THE EQUIPMENT!!!

The soap box is free, and I'm going to go say a prayer to the powers that be that kept me on the face of the Earth today...

Happy Earth Day.

ME

ScottMP

Marc

Glad your still with us. Should'nt that burner go back to the factory and let them find out what happened. Thats a pretty extreme situation and I would think you and the home owner would like to know what happened.

Its amazing the places we put our selves everyday. Thanks God thier not as bad as you where in, to frequently.

It think it sounds more like a CSN song.

Scott

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Wayco Wayne

Holy crap Mark!

Glad you're OK. This job can be a little frightening at times. Who would have known what to expect on that job. I've had things happen where I'm just plain lucky. The funny thing is it usually doesn't upset me until later when it sinks in what really happened. WW

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Tom Meyer

Move over on that soapbox, Mark!

I should send a copy of ME's letter to our State Reps. It still rankles me that in every state, the person who cuts your hair has to have a license, but few require a person installing, servicing, or "putzing" around with a boiler doesn't need one.

Good thing they finally called you in, Mark. Glad you're ok, otherwise we'd have to buy our own dinners in Sacramento. 8-)

Senior Designer/Trainer
Precision Hydronics Corporation
www.precisionhydronics.com

Paul Rohrs_2

Glad you're Okay

Glad you're okay Mark.

Sounds like time on your knees has kept you in good standing.

PR

Mad Dog

ME you have to start charging for combat pay

Don't forget your Kevlar helmet next time.. That is a wild story - God was with you that time. I would want to know who the geniuses were that "worked" on it last. Glad your ok man Mad Dog

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Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

So,

how many lives do you have left?

As far as using the right equipment when troubleshooting goes, I think most people are just plain lazy, myself included. There are times at the end of the day when I just don't feel like dragging out all that equipment and having to jump-start my brain. So I usually end up re-scheduling.

Nice work, Mark.

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Jackchips

The way I

see it, ME's time on the wall is not up and we're all the more appreciative for it.

I've asked my guardian angel to give ME's a most sincere thanks.

John G. Merritt

Glad you are OK

Hey Mark,

Glad you're OK, sounds like a close call.I've told my new boss that I will not work on any Gas jobs until I have training. Been an Oil Heat Tech 42 years.
There is a big difference I believe.
Just refused to work on a Propane Pool Heater 2 weeks ago.
Until I have training, I'll stick with the Oil heat.
Good advice for all.

John

Richard Miller_2

Glad you are OK. Real glad.

kevin

Glad you are...

still in one piece...I hope you had an extra pair of underwear in the glove box of your truck...:) kpc