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.

Relighting a gas-converted WM boiler?

Options
SteamoPhilips
SteamoPhilips Member Posts: 17
in THE MAIN WALL
It's the first brisk day of Fall, here in Upstate NY, and my steam-heat boiler—an elderly Weil-McClain Gold Oil 8—has failed to come on, although the Nest is demanding heat. I'm guessing it's just that the pilot light is out, having not been called upon for half a year, and YouTube makes relighting a GO-8 look pretty straightforward. My hesitation is that this is a gas-converted GO-8, on which the Internet provides no specific guidance, and we've never had to relight it before in the three years we've been living here, which makes me think it may NOT be the pilot light.

I'm playing phone tag with my service guy, and I can probably get him here by the weekend, but is there anything that I, a total layman, can safely try in the meantime that might get the boiler going and impress my shivering womenfolk? The big red reset button did nothing.

Photo of the gas-conversion bit attached. At least I think that's what it is.



Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,639
    Options
    Is the gauge glass at the water line? If you turn off the switch and turn it on while you are there when the t-stat calls for heat, does anything happen?

    Has the nest worked reliably over the summer before? Try jumping the thermostat connection with a test lead or a piece of wire and see if it fires. Probably at the thermostat base since it will be harder to figure out where the thermostat connects to the chain of safeties at the boiler.
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,785
    Options
    TT is on the blue box with the red button ... , There is no pilot on that Carlin burner it is spark ignition . The reset is the red button on the blue box . You can try if you see a red led light . No light check the shut off switches or fuse , The one on the top of the stairs are always thrown off by mistake ... Check the water level as mentioned which will kill power to the burner ...
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,061
    Options
    I recall that back in April you had a problem with having 2 switches for your boiler.
    We perhaps came to the conclusion that your switches were "3-way" type.
    Just flip one of them and see if the thing starts.
  • SteamoPhilips
    SteamoPhilips Member Posts: 17
    Options
    Thanks all!

    I'm pretty sure the power is flowing, as the blue box briefly shows an amber light when both emergency switches are set to On, before going dark. What does amber mean in this context?

    The water level is exactly at the line on the gauge, and there's an autofeeder that should kick in if it gets too low. The water level isn't budging. The whole boiler is silent and still.

    The Nest seems to be working fine, and we've never had a problem with it.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,523
    Options
    Check on the end of the motor for a red reset button. Not all motors have them but if you find a red button reset it and then try the red reset button on the blue control.

    If you know your way around electrical check to see if the the low water cutoff switch contacts are closed (if the water is halfway up the glass0 and also check the pressure control contacts.

    If you don't feel comfortable don't do it wait for your service tech

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,835
    Options
    Wait for the weekend and have your tech check it. The burner did not go into lockout (red light) so the issue is further back in the circuit. Whatever it is, it's a safety and needs a pro. A couple days with an extra blanket is a small sacrifice. 

  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,785
    Options
    check voltage across TT terminals if voltage its the thermostat or thermostat wire ..
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
  • SteamoPhilips
    SteamoPhilips Member Posts: 17
    Options
    Thanks everyone. Turns out the Carlin controller was fried. He replaced it with a new one and we're all set.
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    Options
    It is ALWAYS best and safest to get a licensed gas technician than do DIY.

Categories