should a Damper be installed in a vent pipe

Steamhead (in transit)

the draft regulator is essential to maintaining proper draft and a stable fire.

2. The only "blue-flame" burner I've heard of was the Blueray, and that was a very troublesome unit. If this is what you have, replace the boiler NOW. But most modern burners produce a whitish flame. The color of the flame might indicate if something is grossly wrong, but the burner settings must be verified with a digital combustion analyzer and smoke tester.

3. I hope he doesn't mean a filter with a glass housing! These are not approved for oil since they may break. But if there is no filter there now there should be. Some may have fiberglass insides.

4. If you have a "flame-retention" burner (the most efficient type, includes most Beckett and Carlin burners and all Riellos), 10% or 11% carbon dioxide should be easily achievable. But the burner must be set to produce zero smoke, that is, no smoke at all.

What gives me pause here is his reliance on flame color. This may mean he doesn't use a combustion analyzer. If he doesn't, find someone else who does.

winston

I have encountered many different opinions on replacing my oil burner or not. A local oil supplier said that the $3k would not be worth spending on a replacement since the steel boiler is only rusted. he suggested that: 1. I need a barometric draft regulator going from vent pipe to the chimney to contain some of the heat(temperature) produced by the boiler,otherwise all heat produced goes right out the chimney. 2. The fire color should be more blue in color than white it has to do with replacing the nozzle to a different size. 3.Install a glass oil filter to the oil line that feeds oil to the boiler.4.Set up Burner CO2 to 2*4 0 10 or 11 500 degrees. All of these changes would be free of charge if I buy oil from him at $2.69 per/gal and no contract for unit required. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and if possible explanation to the CO2 figures Thanks in advance....

J.C.A._3

Thanks Frank,

I was pondering the same thoughts...but was also trying to figure if this was a baited thread.

Any question about a barometric damper will be available from the instruction manual. (some DO NOT require one!)
If you have it....read it and weed out the improper answers to your question.

If the contractor isn't using a test instrument, like Steamhead said...move on to someone that is.

3K for a boiler ? Who can do that realistically? Chris

Leo

What type

What type of burner/boiler combination do you presently have. The Make and model of boiler is critical along with the burner to give you accurate information. Nozzle sizes and types are determined by the mfg of the equipment not the color they produce.

Leo

Steamhead (in transit)

Chris, you're probably thinking

of a pressure-fired boiler. Most of these would not normally require a draft regulator, but if connected to a chimney with excessive or varying draft, would need one. As you correctly point out, the instruction book should tell you.

I think Firedragon mentions this in his book also, have to look it up.