removing gas pilot bellows

Empire_2

What you are describing sounds like a "Baso" safety pilot cut out. This control breaks the main gas valve circuit in the event of a pilot outage. You must either replace the control itself or switch to a combination gas valve which will incorporate it's own safety. Pilot burner may have to be changed to allow for thermocouple. If you are not familiar with these and all safety controls, it is best to call a professional. Remember your families safety is a stake here....

My .02

Mike T.

michael_4

removing pilot bellows device

Sorry I cannot provide pictures. My Adobe photoshop is not working. Client has a very small gas leak on her pilot bellows. This device comes off the tap of an 3/4" gas cock. It looks like a diaphram/bellows device with a 1/4" stop valve. After the valve is 1/4" alum. tubing going to the burner compartment. But it is not the pilot which is coming from the A cock. This on a Penn Boiler. Leak was barley picked up by my combustible leak detector. Seems to be from the bellows part. Any ideas on what this control was for and can I remove it with it being a safety issue? Thanks. -Michael

Steamhead (in transit)

If you mean

a unit about 1-1/4" round screwed into the side of the main gas cock, with a 1/4" or 1/8" cock for the pilot screwed into the other side, it's a filter unit which was used in the old days of dirty gas. In our area that is known as the "A-B" system- the A cock goes to the main burners, and the B cock goes to the pilot.

Many of these older systems did not shut off the gas to the pilot if it went out- they just disabled the main burners. In an old drafty house you might have been able to get away with that, but as we tighten houses up there's more chance for gas to accumulate. For this reason I would second Mike T's recommendation to upgrade to a more modern system that also shuts off the pilot gas on pilot flame failure.

For the safest possible upgrade, consider a spark-ignition retrofit kit like the Honeywell Y8610U. This kit contains all the components needed to upgrade a boiler (up to 300,000 BTUH input or so) which are designed and certified to be used together as an upgrade. The flame detection in this setup can shut off the gas in less than a second if the flame fails, whereas the typical standing pilot system takes up to three minutes. And the spark module has a socket for plugging in a stack damper if you want to add one for energy savings.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Unknown

Make your job easy

just remove that filter for the pilot (that is what you are describing) you really do not need it anymore.

What kind of gas valve is on this job? Is this a thermocouple operated system? If it is and you want to upgrade just put in a new 24 volt dual seated (redundant) gas valve and leave the thermocouple system alone. Spark igntion just invites possible trouble.

Empire_2

Filter???

I'm sorry guy's,..I didn't see that one. Still not sure what he is talking about.:-)

Mike T.

michael_4

Steamhead desribed it better than I did, thanks. Can I remove the filter and tubing and use a 1/8 inch plug in the gas cock to seal the hole. Sounds like it is something not needed anymore.

michael_4

Steamhead desribed it better than I did, thanks. Can I remove the filter and tubing and use a 1/8 inch plug in the gas cock to seal the hole. Sounds like it is something not needed anymore. I told the client I needed to research this older style piping. Boiler is original from 1953 according to her. CO test revealed still in safe order. I sold her a CO moniter from NCI anyway for her safety.

michael_4

After gas cock it has a presssure reducing valve and then a soleniod valve. Sol. valve is 24vac. The boiler has other issues with it as far as the hydronic piping is concerned. I have already talked to her about replacing.