Best way to clean electrode for gas boiler?

Ted_9

I alway heard sand cloth but Ive heard that it was bad to clean them that way.

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

Ken_8

I never heard it was

bad. But a small "scratch" or wire brush will do about the same job.

If this happens frequently, it could be excess air (nitrogen) in the mix.

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Glenn Harrison_2

Sand cloth can ruin a flame sensor...

is it will leave silicon residue on the sensor then when it gets heated it becomes a glass like coating on the sensor that insulates it and will reduce the flame signal significantly. I suppose it could reduce the spark on an electode as well.

The preferred choices are: emory cloth, scotch-brite pad, steel wool, wire tooth brush.

Ted_9

Great, I guess I should have said emory cloth since thats all I use. Great.

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

Unknown

Emory cloth only

as others can leave a residue. I have also found pieces of steel wool stuck in flame sensors. Make sure it is a soft clean emory cloth, not the one just used to clean copper fittings.

Ted_9

Well I cant get that for tomorrow. What about something else?

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

jim lockard

oh scrape

it with the little knife you keep in your pocket and it will be just fine

tommyoil

REALLY Tim????

Oh no, I've been using 000 steel wool. Could I be leaving an un-wanted residue using it?? Would it be o.k. to windex a paper towel an wipe it afterwards?? Or is that taboo too??? I dont do much in the way of gas service so I really dont know this stuff.

lchmb

ok

I was told if you do that you wont get it completely cleaned. Instead I use a small file to clean the electrodes completely? Is this helping or hurting? Ahh the things you learn on the wall!! Thanks

Dale

Scotch pads

We use scotch brite pads and have had no problems, I think the main contaminant is from laundry products so the closer the washer or heaven help you unvented dryer the more you need to clean. The micro amp read is the key but if there are no reported problems and it's yearly service you may as well brighten up the sensor while the burners are out.

Unknown

Really I would not

think such a simple task would cause a discussion. The important thing is to get the flame sensor clean that is what is important as far as microamp circuit goes. It simply completes a circuit through the flame to the larger ground area 4 to 1 or greater that is ground area 4 times or more greater than rod.

The spark electrode on a dual rod system can be cleaned with just about anything that will not damage or remove metal. You must maintain 1/8" spark gap.

In working with the engineers at Honeywell and a couple of other companies they alerted me to the possibility of certain cleaning methods causing problems with microamps. The soft clean emory cloth was the answer. There are several things about testing the rod that are covered in our manual on same.