checking and adjusting beckett motor oil pressure?

john@TR

This is not an adjustment that Joe DIYer should ever be thinking about!

Joe.G

checking and adjusting beckett oil pressure? peerless boiler

Hi,I was wondering how can I check teh oil pressure on the beckett pump and where can I get the set up to do it?
The pump should be 140 psi, the burner guy turned it down to like 110, he hooked a gauge up to the little line that runs from the pump to the head (if that is what it is called Maybe it is the motor it is a short line maybe 4 or 5 inches) The screw is it right in the front of the pump that you use to adjust it I think. Any onfo would be great, thanks
P.S it is about 2 years old.

Ken_40

There's more involved here...

The relationship between the pump pressure and nozzle size is critical! If a boiler (NOT the burner)is designed to run at 1.00 GPH and you install a 1.00 GPM nozzle, the nozzle is rated to deliver one gallon per hour at 100# (pounds) of pressure, and 100# ONLY!

If you raise the oil pump pressure to 200#, a 1.00 GPH nozzle will not deliver twice as much oil, but roughly a third more - exceeding the boiler's capacity to handle that big a flame - and destroy the boiler over time. How much time? A few days, maybe a season, but you cannot overfire a boiler without serious consequences.

Conversely, you CAN underfire a boiler! Not beyond the limits of the burner's (not boiler's) design however! Typically, the lowering of the firing rate by using a smaller nozzle is a good way to begin this process; which in many cases is perfectly okay to do.

All the burner guys generally agree higher pump pressure results in a finer oil "mist," which results in a cleaner burn. However, you must use a "nozzle firing rate chart" to determine what a 1.00 GPH nozzle will do at 140# in BTU firing rate, always being sure the added pressure from the 100# "standard" upon which all nozzle firing rates and imprint is based upon.

The way to measure the actual pressure is to look at the oil pump decal, see which port is designed for a gage and attach one to determine what the actual pressure is. Then use the firing rate conversion chart to determine what the REAL firing rate is, once you change the presure on whatever nozzle rating you jave.

One last but most critical caveat: Without combustion test apparatus, YOU CAN NOT determine the results of your tweaks and will create a danerous situation. Smoke and CO are your enemies. Excess air is as well. Without a combustion analyzer, you are embarking on a disaster on all fronts!

Next question.

Joe.G

The chart on the boiler says I can use a .65 .85 or a 1.00 60 B nozzle they rec hago, at 140 psi that is what they call for. Can i just buy this gauge? or does it come in a kit? any gauge better then another? The guys at the plumbing and heating store should know what sizing fitting i need (are all becketts the same?)
Also how do I get the motor to run by pressing the reset switch? how long is long enough to get a proper reading?thanks

ralman

Some good reading material

This link to the Delavan nozzle website has a lot of good information. Which Peerless boiler do you have? I have a Peerless ECT 03-100 and the operation/maintenance manual lists nozzle sizes, firing rates, pump pressure configurations that can be used. You can download manuals at the peerless site. Also check out the Suntec pump website. I am just a homeowner. Although the information is fascinating, Ken is giving you the best advice, get a pro involved.

J.C.A._3

TRUST ME...

Ken ISN'T LYING. This is NOT something that should be done by a homeowner!!!!!!

You don't want to "screw up the landing" on something like this. It IS FOR PRO'S ONLY! Nuff said?

Waking up dead isn't a good way to start the day. Call a pro. Chris

Joe.G

Which port is the one that I would hook the gauge to? My buddy is going to come over and tune it I just want to set the pressure my pump model is a A2EA-6520 beckett cleancut

Joe.G

Which port is the one that I would hook the gauge to? My buddy is going to come over and tune it I just want to set the pressure my pump model is a A2EA-6520 beckett cleancut
http://keithspecialty.com/k/66-316.htm

Unknown

oil pressure

Good morning Joe; I use a pump testing manifold model#p115-10 purchased from Sid Harvey's. To take pressure readings you disconnect the jet line and attach hoses to corresponding fittings, after replacing nozzle and making proper adjustment to oil pump you will also have to do a combustion test which consists of doing a smoke test first and then doing a draft and co2 testing, either using a wet kit or a electronic digital anylizer. In Massachusetts to do these procedures you have be a licensed oil burner technician, so get your license first. Best regards.

Joe.G

You hook it up to the the runs from the motor to the pump?

Joe.G

You hook it up to the the runs from the motor to the pump?

J.C.A._3

/

Let a pro do it! JCA

Weezbo

That is not something \"To Do\" today.

there is far more to it than you may belive.what you have read in these posts is a minute fraction to adjusting fuel pressure. the relationship with a carburetor would be closer to the truth.

even if you have done majors and can snap it together in an hour, not only are the tools , settings,dimensions,parameters and pieces important,... the relationship is of one variable to another .

the larger burners can wake a complacent tech up in a New York min.... how to is simple enough,... you would need; a pressure gauge ,a small crescent, a phillips, screwdriver, a oil nozzle wrench, two open ends and this little blue gizmo i have in my pocket just to have some tools to check the oil pressure....:)) adjusting it properly requires some Reading material what the readings mean requires experience...some of the best will use a few more tools, instruments and a vacuum gage..;)


your best bet is to hire an oil burner tech...if there is no one close by you on the Find a Professional , here,...then try logging on OilTechTalk...

Ragu_5

Here We Go Again....

AAHHH!! Chris, Weezbo, Ken.... Oh so truthful, and oh so right! Is Joey G. even listening??? I don't think so. Joey: can you hear us? No offense, but you are out of your league, pal. You fool with this stuff and you make a boo boo: Things can go boom boom. Understand?

Now, for you guys in the trade: I HAD (repeat HAD) a customer who thought that by reading a book that he could do this stuff. He even went so far as to portray himself as a Heating Contractor to my supply house and buy his materials in order to circumvent me. Guess what? My supply house is one of the good ones and said: "Bye, bye baby!".

For Joey and the "Boys" (my Irish is up a bit, I must admit). I went to a Miller trailer furnace "no heat" call a few years ago, and the woman said that she had only hit the reset twice. Right!!!

I lit it off with newspaper and the darn thing almost exploded on me! I sent her out with her kids and this thing ran, gaged, spit black soot, rumbled and jumped for an hour! Afterwards, she told me that she had hit the reset 11 times before she called me. This thing was like a locomotive trying to jump off of its' tracks; to tell youse guys the truth, I was scared to death!

Anyway, thanks; the rant is over. Joey: there is stuff in this trade that only experience can teach you; unless you do it for a living, don't mess with it. Hire a PRO! Money has NOTHING to do with it; you can get killed (or if you are down South, killt!). Please hire somebody who does this for a living. Hope you hear this, buddy.


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Joe.G

Joe.G

Guys I hear you, the pressure was at 140 psi, he turned it down to the 120 area, everything in the manual says to use 140 psi, after I turn it back to where it si suppose to be my friend is going to bring over his test kit and fine tune it. I am just wondering which port to hook it up to.

Mike L

Leave it alone!!

For christ sake Joe don't fool with it,there is a balance between input and output and if the tech set it up that way he had a reason for that,assuming he knew what he was doing.(that's one reason I hate the damn homeowner in my pocket while I'm working,they always think they know more about it than I do)I usually bring the pump on everything up to 140,but sometimes you want that inbetween firing rate so you tweek the pressure alittle(alah Riello)to get what you want.Have some faith in your tech or start calling someone else.A customer that frigs with stuff after I leave is not a customer for long.

Leo

Sometimes

I am a firm believer in using 140PSI because most of the time units run well. BUT, there are cases where the pressure has to be turned down to get a clean flame. If the tech was using test instruments to adjust the unit don't worry.

With all the comments to leave it alone why do you persist in saying you are going to turn it back up? To an experienced tech setting oil pressure is very simple, to have to keep asking how, makes it obvious you are over your head.

If you really feel you have an issue call back the people you paid to change it or check it.

Leo

Joe.G

The reason I ask is because he took teh pressure from teh connector line, there is a port on the back of the pump but it is not marked, he turned it down becasue that is where he sets all of his, everything i read and all over the manual it says to use 140, I don't see why io can't turn it to 140 and then have my friend adjust it, I just want to know how to check the pressure I will not touch intill my buddy comes over witht he gauges.

Ragu_5

Hey, Guys....

Am I nuts? See yas.

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Bob Forand

This is one place

This is one thread that should not be responded too. It is OBVIOUS that this guy just can't understand reasoning.

Joe.G

Guys I understand, I just want to know if you would get the same reading if you checked it in the gauge port and the connector line, That is where he checked it and everything else says to use the port. I will not touch it intil the guys come s with the adjustment tools.

Ken_40

The reason you can't do that Joe...

Is because a concurrent (at the very same time) adjustment is required to the air shutter. That, cannot be set without a combustion analyzer and a smoke tester in hand.

You crank up the presure and immediately adjust the air shutter to counter the overly rich mixture that results from the higher pressure. Without instruments actually in place and turned on at the time the pressure is cranked up, the air shutter must be adjusted to whatever the instrument says is required to make the combustion right.

Trying to adjust an oil pump from 120 to 140 is easy. Making sure the sudden increase in pressure, WHICH INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF OIL SHOT INTO THE BOILER is also met with an appropriate increase in air (which is controlled by another adjustment within the burner) is critical - and requires a combustion analyzer AND a smoke checker.

If your friend has one and not the other, get someone else to do it. Both are required.

jagriv

jagriv

All of you Tech guys sound really professional, but over here in New York, Tech comes over to tune an oil boiler with a plier and screwdriver, their reason, "well everything is set to factory specification and cannot be changed". So you want your stuff to work good you had better be creative.

Unfortunately, even the manufacturers are not helpful, their advise to us, well call the Tech, meanwhile they have printed on their boilers that all controls are preset at the factory, and all controls must be set to factory specifications. Crazy stuff, or crazy people.

jagriv

jagriv

All of you Tech guys sound really professional, but over here in New York, Tech comes over to tune an oil boiler with a plier and screwdriver, their reason, "well everything is set to factory specification and cannot be changed". So you want your stuff to work good you had better be creative.

Unfortunately, even the manufacturers are not helpful, their advise to us, well call the Tech, meanwhile they have printed on their boilers that all controls are preset at the factory, and all controls must be set to factory specifications. Crazy stuff, or crazy people.