Old GE down fired

Rick_41

I have had two buildings both with a steam GE Downdraft boiler. They seems to instill fear in the younger heating guys around here.
I was talked into installing a new Smith Boiler with the information that it would be more efficent and save me a lot. Well the next year had almost the same heating degree days and I burned the almost exactly the same gallonage of oil.
Question: Do you think the Smith boiler is just not tuned correctly? I asked them to check it and they say the numbers (temp,smoke CO2 etc) are right on. Or are those oil GE downdrafts just that good!?
RE the remaining unit: Old oil guys sold out to new guys,..My current oil guys also have "an attitude" about it,..keep strongly hinting that I should replace it.
Recently it overfilled and they were sure they needed to put a new autofeed and I had to argue that the low water cut off was the problem. They replaced it and it seems to be working (and filling correctly)but I think the whole matter has made a worst "attitude". They also replaced this low water cut off for over 500.00 ( I have their "gold" contract and I DO realise a LW cut off isn't a thing included) and broke off a bolt and thus won't seal correctly and now it leaks from there and they don't want to do anything about it. They are stating "well they can't fix things like that on an old boiler as these things are old" My argument is that they replaced the low water cut off 2 years ago and assume they put in new bolts? What does "old" have to do with a new bolt now stuck in the jacket? Am I being unreasonable?

kevin coppinger_4

I have used...

plenty of Smith boilers for steam (series 8)and I think they great for that application....My thought is did they pipe the new boiler correctly? Was it skimmed? Is the piping insulated? How is the venting?? If not, the results could be disappointing....kpc

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ed wallace

GE downfire vs smith boiler

how did they size the new boiler did they measure all the radiators? or did they just do the kind of sorta looks like something we installed last year as for the broken bolt they should drill and tap and replace the bolt they broke

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Guy_6

firing

What is the Smith boiler firing at, as compared to the GE? You should be able to lower the firing rate to some degree with more favorable results. As stated above, it might be worth your while to bring in a third, disinterested party to review the piping on the new boiler.

ScottMP

One more point of view

The old GE downdrafts were actually a very good boiler. Thier problem came from the heat rising into the burners and the bruners of the day could'nt handle the excessive heat.

I look at heating equipment just like and old car, the decreasing odds of it continuing. Its life span is on the down side of the curve and eventually it will pass on.

You proabable made a good decision on replacing it, but may have made a porr choice of installer. If you can post a photo of the job that would help.

Scott

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heatboy

Having worked on more than...........

.....a few of them early on, I can vouch for the overall efficiencies. They were years ahead of anything else in the sixties. If the boiler is replaced with anything but absolute top end equipment, fuel usage will be no better, and in fact, may be even higher than before. The major issue is, there are no new parts available and haven't been for years. The rebuilts are even rebuilts. The Master Control was a work of art just watching the cam roll and contacts make and break during the ignition cycle.

hb