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.

American Standard A 34. 1BJ1 issue

Sussmad
Sussmad Member Posts: 5
in THE MAIN WALL

Oil fired: hot water: probably from 50s or 60s. For the past month I have had to restart every week or so. This happened last September. the nozzle was replaced and they also cleaned the electrodes. It was doing well through the New England winter until last month. We've been in the house 36 years and have had it serviced every year. I haven't had the chimney swept in some time, would that be related at all? There is no flue.

Thanks. Just trying to gather information before talking with technicians. New boiler not really in the budget.

Comments

  • Sussmad
    Sussmad Member Posts: 5

    there is no flue liner.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,932

    The chminey may or may not be a problem. By "no flue liner" do you mean no metal liner, or do you mean no tile? You should get a reliable chimney sweep to inspect and clean the flue anyway.

    The other problem may be nothing worse than a tired igniter. Where are you in New England? It would probably be worth getting a really good technician in to look the whole thing over and tune it up — but depending on where you are, that may be harder than it sounds.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Sussmad
    Sussmad Member Posts: 5

    we are right outside of Boston. Plenty of companies. We have a service contract with the local co. that also supplies us. Some of the techs seem to very competent and others probably haven't had much experience with a beast like mine.

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,545

    @Sussmad oil is oil pretty much. Easier to find someone to fix an old one than some of the newer stuff. Talk with the service manager at your oil company.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,932

    That's encouraging.

    Do get the chimney inspected — though it's probably fine.

    The intermittent lockout, as I say, may just indicate that the ignitor and control box is tired, but being intermittent that's hard to check. I hate firing the parts cannon, but… a modern control isn't all that expensive.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Sussmad
    Sussmad Member Posts: 5

    Jamie Hall: where's your museum? open for tours?

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,396

    @Sussmad , can you post some pics of the boiler and the burner? Let's have a look at it.

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Sussmad
    Sussmad Member Posts: 5
    AS furnace.jpg
    furnace.jpg

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,396

    OK, that's an A-34 boiler that has been retrofitted with a Beckett burner, probably a model AF. These boilers were built like tanks.

    The boiler used to heat your hot faucet water, but the coil that did this has been disconnected.

    What part of New England are you in?

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,932

    Nothing out of line about that installation — but I still say that the first thing I'd look at (and I'm not a parts cannon guy) is the control for the burner, and I'd be suggesting a nice Carlin 70200…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,396
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1804352#Comment_1804352

    That would also require a new aquastat relay, since the primary control for the burner is integral with the aquastat relay. What a great opportunity for a HydroStat.

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting

Categories