Need some help on this one guys (SE)

Steve Ebels

Our community center has a gigantic, ancient forced air furnace in it. It was installed in 1952, made by Jackson and Church out of Saginaw Michigan, and has a Mid-Continental Products burner on it. Along with having a fist sized hole in the heat exchanger, which is roughly 300 sq ft of steel, the end of the burner has deteriorated to the point that it does not fire reliably anymore and locks out daily. I need to find a new burner tube/head for this old burner if such a thing is out there. The burner model number is a G56-2A1C1 and the serial number is 9200100. It fires at 925,000 btu's with 2.4 wc" pressure and I'm guessing this was installed in the early 60's as that's when natural gas arrived in Falmouth. The company that made the burner was out of Chicago, IL and I haven't been able to dig up any info on them.

Somebody out there tell me you have one of these laying in your garage or parts room that I can get for free. The Center hangs on financially by a thread and I'm going to try to repair the burner and weld up the HX at little to no cost for them.

Looking for some ideas, places to check or new parts, not nessecarily in that order.

bigugh_4

1.

tried to send you a personal note. E-m refused, is it correct 2. try this outfit here. they may have that stuff, we will not know till asked. http://www.intermountainboiler.com/

Otto

Repair no way!!!!

Steve stop and think. No repair of a failed heat exchanger is acceptable. You'll be doing no one at this community center a favor by exposing them to the dangers of this failed exchanger. You're there to protect the public and do what's right, they deserve nothing less. I am sure there's someone out there with some good ideas about funding emergency replacement put them to work.

Paul Mitchell

no good deed goes un-punished

at least when it comes to customers. If its like around here they will be the first to take you to court for trying to help.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Paul Mitchell

no good deed goes un-punished

at least when it comes to customers. If its like around here they will be the first to take you to court for trying to help.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

tim smith_2

burner and heat exchanger

That burner co. is now I think midco, in other words economite. Call them about parts. Also i think Jackson/church is still around and you will be amazed how long these company's make replacement heat exchangers. See if you can locate jackson/church. I did a church a couple years ago and replaced a mid 50s stainless heat exchanger on a Mammoth co. furnace of about the same size and they made one and sent it out. Did this because the church could not afford to replace entire unit. Another option I have looked at many times is remove burner and heat exchanger and from case and install a water to air heat exchanger and maybe a somewhat cost effective boiler/boilers. Then you can use the old very large well built blower still.

Steve Ebels

Heat exchanger.......

This isn't your typical heat exchanger. Definitely not what your mind pictures when you think of a forced air furnace. It's made of sections of 1/4" boiler plate that are riveted together. There's a piece gone right above the refractory brick (5 ft off the floor) that can easily be patched over by a good welder. The vertical height of the whole thing is over 9 ft. Repairing the HX is not the problem. Finding a new burner head is.

Dennis - Reliable Services

I would try Ebay if someone has one it will be on there.

Unknown

Midco Burners

Midco International

4140 West Victoria Street

Chicago, Illinois 60646

312-604-8700

FAX 312-604-4070

Steve I do not know if that burner head is still in production but they may be able to recommend a replacement burner. The Unipower G Series is within your BTU range the Model G-56 is good for 300,000 up to 1,075,000 at 5" W.C. inlet pressure.

Steve Ebels

Thanks Timmie

Going over there to manually light the old beast is growing old rather quickly! Let's just say at it brings new meaning to the term "scorched air" when the old girl has a little delay in the ignition cycle!!!

I'll call them on Monday.

Steve Ebels

Bigugh

The email listed is correct.

Joe Kuhl

welding a cracked heat exchanger

Somebody correct me if this is not the case but I believe repairing a cracked heat exchanger on a warm air system is against the law all over the country irregardless of what its made of. If you have one hole who's to say you don't have more. You're leaving yourself open for one hell of a lawsuit. For the rest of the life of that furnace you will have your name on it! And it sounds like somebody wants to keep this thing around for a long long time. The best advice I would give you is "keep your lawyers business card on you at all times" JK

Unknown

I am not sure if it is against the law...

I would be curious as to what law????

Having said that it is probably not a god idea nor is it cost effective to try to repair a modern heat exchanger 1970's up to today.

However prior to the 70's we had very good results with welding, brazing and other types of repairs on older HX's when I was with the gas company. We used liscensed, certified pipeline welders to do the repairs and then pressure tested the HX's after the repair.

Many large commercial packages are next to impossible to replace the HX so a repair is often another option. It is without saying that any repair you do on any equipment you are liable for the repair. It just goes with the business. I do not recommend however every Tom, **** and Harry going out and doing repairs on these systems. You bettr have a reputable welder or repair facility to do the work.

The original post by Steve Ebels who is a very capable and careful individual will I am sure take all precautions.

If there is such a law we would all be well advised however to follow the law. I will have to look into that here at our local Department of Regulation.

Steve Ebels

Joe

Your concern is understandable and well founded. With this unit however you can literally crawl inside and examine the whole thing. (which I have done) It is do-able as a stop-gap measure until we figure out what kind of system to replace it with. This is not being done as a permanent solution. Everyone involved knows the old girl is breathing her last and needs to be replaced. Thanks again for your concern.

Steve Ebels

Timmie

The number is correct but the area code is now 773. Just info for your file.

Thanks