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shutting down oil burner for Summer

Live/Learn
Live/Learn Member Posts: 97
in THE MAIN WALL
Dear Wallies, I have a Burnham V83 oil fired boiler with a high/low limit aquastat. I have a seperate domestic hot water heater. My boiler came with this aquastat because the supplier orders them this way. He doesn't believe in "cold starting". My basement is nice and dry and I have never had a moisture problem. I always shut my old weil off in the Summer in the past. I did get some weeping around the domestic coil plate though. With the high cost of fuel I'd like to do all I can to save some money but not at the expense of my new boiler. Thanks in advance, Live/Learn

Comments

  • John@Reliable_9
    John@Reliable_9 Member Posts: 122
    What I would do...........

    is turn down the [low] side of aquastat to around 130 degrees. This will keep the boiler just warm enough to avoid any scale to build up on heat exchanger. The amount of oil used during off season will amount to maybe 1pt or less aday. The real savings are found by keeping the heat exchanger as [clean] as possiable over the life of boiler.After 15 years in the field servicing oil systems I too like your suppier don't like true "cold start" boilers like you have. Hope this helps John@Reliable
  • Al Gregory
    Al Gregory Member Posts: 260


    Even 110 is better than off. Nothing kills those boilers quicker than being shut off all summer.
  • michael_15
    michael_15 Member Posts: 231
    steam?

    I'm not even sure I have an aquastat on my steam boiler. Or is this for hot water systems only? I just have a pressuretrol, a low-water cutoff, a water tube, and a pressure gauge.

    It's not "off" all summer, but it certainly doesn't get cold enough to turn on. . .

    -Michael
  • John@Reliable_9
    John@Reliable_9 Member Posts: 122
    Michael, if you don't get............

    hot water from your boiler , you most likely don't have a aquastat to maintain temp in off season. That's bad but the good news is you can have one installed real easy to maintain temp at around 130*. If no tapping is left over in boiler block a strap-on aquastat can be added to one of the pipes from boiler and you would get the same results. The biggest gain will be boiler life on newer systems.Any good service co should be able to help. John@Reliable
  • Live/Learn
    Live/Learn Member Posts: 97
    Leaving boiler on during Summer

    Thanks John for your reply. Yes I do have a L8124 (high/ low) control as this is how the local supplier sells them even though I don't have a domestic coil. I guess they're not a big fan of "cold starting"). Yes I will leave the boiler on as you make a lot of sense with your reply.Thanks Live?Lean
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