Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Laars Endurance!!

Abbo
Abbo Member Posts: 4
Hi. I have a Laars Endurance. The 13 apt. in my Manhattan Coop have the same. Ours is 16 years old but every year after 4 there's been a problem. Either it lockouts and needs an new igniter, OR it doesn't respond to the thermostat and keeps the heat charging. What is the solution to the latter?
I believe many of the problems are from the original installation but does anyone have an answer to this?
I understand their parts are disappearing for this unit so that's another problem.
Last question what do you recommend? Its gas supplied, makes our hot water and pushes the hot water through baseboards to heat the room. When it works, is great. Ten minutes after i arrive into a cool house, turn it on and the house is warm. Just hate these regular semi annual breakdowns.

Comments

  • Abbo
    Abbo Member Posts: 4
    Just to make clear: it is now not responding to thermostat when i turn it down. Came in yesterday and the house was boiling.
    Thank you
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,139
    Sounds like the problem is the thermostat, not the boiler. But the thermostat and the wiring need to be checked with an electrical multimeter.
    BillyO
  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 3,979
    edited February 2020
    Hard to say. Need to get a technician in there with a meter.

    I'd start by disconnecting the thermostat. If the boiler still fires, it's a problem with the boiler. If it stops, replace the stat.

    I don't usually see thermostats fail closed.
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    There is no endurance with an Endurance
    Zman
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226

    Hard to say. Need to get a technician in there with a meter.

    I'd start by disconnecting the thermostat. If the boiler still fires, it's a problem with the boiler. If it stops, replace the stat.

    I don't usually see thermostats fail closed.

    Hi @Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes I just had a Honeywell Vision Pro 8000 fail on the board. My Lochinvar would keep running even though I removed the thermostat from its base. Disconnecting the R wire stopped the boiler from firing. Replaced it with a new thermostat (Same make and model) and all was good.
    HenryAlan (California Radiant) Forbes
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    You are at the end of the road for that boiler, so expect the breakdowns. I would start the process of finding the right person and getting on their schedule to swap it. I just swapped one last week, it took a day and they are very happy.
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
    SuperTech
  • icy78
    icy78 Member Posts: 404
    edited February 2020
    > @Le John said:
    > (Quote)
    > Hi @Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes I just had a Honeywell Vision Pro 8000 fail on the board. My Lochinvar would keep running even though I removed the thermostat from its base. Disconnecting the R wire stopped the boiler from firing. Replaced it with a new thermostat (Same make and model) and all was good.

    End quote.


    That comment would make one think that there was either a short in the base plate or by removing the R wire, you reset the boiler.
    Changing the thermostat may have rectified the issue because you most likely changed the base plate also. The other thing that could have happened there is that you have a short in the thermostat wires and moving the wires around opened the short.
    Or a Wi-Fi stat issue. There was a problem recently with Honeywell thermostats on the Wi-Fi models , where the heat wouldn't work properly and had to be updated via Honeywell thru your Wifi.
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226
    icy78 said:

    > @Le John said:

    > (Quote)

    > Hi @Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes I just had a Honeywell Vision Pro 8000 fail on the board. My Lochinvar would keep running even though I removed the thermostat from its base. Disconnecting the R wire stopped the boiler from firing. Replaced it with a new thermostat (Same make and model) and all was good.



    End quote.





    That comment would make one think that there was either a short in the base plate or by removing the R wire, you reset the boiler.

    Changing the thermostat may have rectified the issue because you most likely changed the base plate also. The other thing that could have happened there is that you have a short in the thermostat wires and moving the wires around opened the short.

    Or a Wi-Fi stat issue. There was a problem recently with Honeywell thermostats on the Wi-Fi models , where the heat wouldn't work properly and had to be updated via Honeywell thru your Wifi.

    Hi @icy78 - yes the issue was in the base plate. Tech Support at @taco helped me find this. To test - I ran the base plate directly to the Zone valve control with new wire and it opened the zone vale and fired the boiler. I removed the bad plate and installed a Honeywell Pro 2000 plate and it did not open the valve to fire the boiler. Only when the Pro 2000 called for heat the zone valve control opened to fire the boiler. SupplyHouse.com send me a new Vision Pro 8000 redlink thermostat and the problem went away.
    SuperTechicy78
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,226
    I live in Manhattan too. Endurance boilers were very popular in our part of the world for their small footprint and easy venting. Since then, the Codes have made the way we were venting them largely illegal and they are known for frequent breakdowns. In my experience with these boilers over many years, they internal "anti-condensing valves" were problematic and required replacing, but there are other known and frequent failures. Many of the new wall-hung units are better replacements.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
    SuperTech
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226
    JohnNY said:

    I live in Manhattan too. Endurance boilers were very popular in our part of the world for their small footprint and easy venting. Since then, the Codes have made the way we were venting them largely illegal and they are known for frequent breakdowns. In my experience with these boilers over many years, they internal "anti-condensing valves" were problematic and required replacing, but there are other known and frequent failures. Many of the new wall-hung units are better replacements.

    @ johnNY - I have several in operation in closet installation. 40 inch by 40 inch by 80 inch, Problem is they are on upper floors with no drains. Any quality non condensing units out there?
  • Abbo
    Abbo Member Posts: 4
    Did check, it still runs without the thermostat connected. So likely not the thermostat. Yes thank you John NY and others' response. Yes our Endurances were put in closet and I am on 6th floor. They were vented to outside. Still lots of lots of problems right away! within 4 years and for last 11, every two years something goes wrong (throughout the individual units in building same issues): either igniter needs to be replaced because won't go on and in my case, keeps running. What needs to be replaced then? I could go through my tax receipts from years ago but maybe you know something. The endurance people said something like "the controller; TTT" ??? Not sure what they meant.
    Then, for replacement, what company do you recommend for condensing heater that does for hot water and water in baseboard heaters?
    So appreciative of your helps.
    Abbo