Killer boilers

Mark Eatherton1

These were the subject of a post of mine recently where we were called out for an overtemp conditon and found the boilers pumping 2000 PPM + of CO into the stack. I just got around to unloading them form my camera.

Note the roll out marks. This is what causes people to die. Rarely does a plugged flue pipe occur. Its rollout from the combustion tray door that will kill you, although there ARE many other ways for it to get you.

The roll out guard was no where to be found. Also note the plugged relief valve. Some less than bright technician out there needs to have his man card punched.

ME

Steamhead

Good thing

you got to them in time, they had a real mess there.... Refresh our memory, how did you fix the problem?

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Weezbo

i really think that will indeed take some one off planet..

looking at it from the point of scary sh.. how can that pass code? i noticed the electrical receptacale too... whad da frock !

Mark Eatherton1

First...

We pulled and cleaned the burners. CO was still too high.

Second, we checked the manifold pressure and found 7" WC at the burner, rated for 3.5". You will notice that there are no gas PRESSURE regulators on these boilers, only gas valves.

We choked the flow with the primary gas cock so we got 3.5" WC with the two remaining burners on (we condemed one and disabled it due to a water leak in fire box). CO dropped to a lower value, but still WAY to high.

Visual observation in combustion chamber proved flame impingement on cast iron surface. Lowered pressure to 2.5" WC and CO dropped to 40 PPM and was still falling when we pulled out.

The stack had excellent draft, and I think thats the only reason these people were not made ill. The majority of the spillage was being sucked back into the flue gas stream at the draft diverter hood. Back ground CO was at 35 PPM in the mechanical room.

If you don't test, you won't know, and I don't sleep at all not knowing what was happening...

I slept REAL well that night (due to minor CO poisoning) and woke up rested, knowing that the people who lived here were waking up as well...

Waking up dead is NOT a good way to start the day.

ME

gerry gill

wonder if a barometric damper

in place of the draft hood would have helped? those mushroom hoods a notorious for the ''door curtain effect''..feels good to save a life huh? well done

Mad Dog

I love co jobs almost as much as steam work

Good goin ME. Mad Dog

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Unknown

Mark those Honeywell

valves are notorious for passing. I would remove every one of them in fact on LP gas they have been recalled. Those valves do have regulators by the way it is on the side of the valve and is adjustable. If you had 7" W.C. on that system after the regulator/valve then I would definitely replace all those valves they are a bomb waiting to happen.

Mark Eatherton1

Tim...

Thank you for your watchful helpful eye.

I'm slated to replace the whole system. I'm going back in with a well hung Baderus Boylah. Figure I'd cut his fuel bills by 50% while I'm at it;-)

I'l post some pics when I'm done.

They are regulated eh... Coulda fooled me. Who made them? White Rodgers?

ME

Constantin

Thanks...

...for saving another family, Mark. I hope that there is enough documentation on site to figure out which Einstein caused this mess in the first place... 'cause if I were a judge I'd require some further inspections of that persons work... if the rest of their stuff was this bad, they'd either have to fix it for free or pay someone else to do it for them. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a fly-by-night operator...

Unknown

Mark those

are Honeywell VS8138 Gas Valves called the WWI by Honeywell the Weird and Wonderful. They have problems with sticking open and also building pressure internally in the valve. I have done extensive study on them and taken many of them apart. In your picture as you look at the valve the regulator is on the lower right hand side of the valve it is the little square thing stuck on the side of the valve. I would venture to say you overfiring situation was caused by the gas valve failing internally. Your pressure reading of 7 inches W.C. supports that.

Sometime over a beer I will share how this valve is indirectly related to the Submarine Thresher incident that occured many years back. Same valve technology.

Everyone of these valves should be removed from the field.