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Strange situation of Utica MACF 150

budalb
budalb Member Posts: 23
in THE MAIN WALL

I hope there are people from Utica can see this and provide comments.

After about 3 years of new installation, I got E133, indicating ignition issues. I called the installer to check out. The technician did maintenance work, but left with the boiler not igniting. I was upset and got somebody else (handyman) to help. He found that there were sparks on one of the wire connections. He thought the technician wrongly swapped the wire connectors between the ignition and the flame sensor. So he swapped them. The boiler just started to work since them.

After about 2 years, the ignition issue reappeared. I checked the igniter and the flame sensor myself with distrust of technicians. I found the igniter was deformed and bent due to heat. This is not an isolated incidence. There is an YouTube video showing how to replace the igniter, which shows deformed igniter too. I installed the two and conducted auto calibration per instructions. Then I still have ignition issues. Puzzled for days. Then I realized that the wires to the ignition and flame sensor were swapped, which I didn’t do since I replaced the devices one by one. Reflecting back, I have the boiler running with the two wires swapped for two years! I corrected the wiring and redid the auto calibration. It works without any issues.

Now I am puzzled why the boiler can run with swapping the ignition and flame sensor wire connections. This is a huge design flaw!

For people who own Utica MAC/MACF boilers, cleaning the igniter may not be sufficient. The igniter shapes should be checked. If it is deformed with big gap between the two metal rods, it needs to be replaced.

My theory: the igniter was bad at the time of maintenance services 2 years ago, but the technician was ignorant. So he left with the boiler not working. The handyman swapped the wires. Then my boiler has run for 2 years with the flame sensor acted as igniter and the igniter acted as flame sensor!!! Did this cause any internal damage? Utica, please comment.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,272

    Well… before the burner guys ask — to save them time — they will need to know the make and model of the burner, not the boiler, and the ignition control module.

    This isn't a boiler problem, it's a burner problem.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 2,581

    Regardless of who put what where I would restore it to the manufacture's intended electrode placement. Looks to me like there is an intentional bend with both electrodes to get the electrodes near where the flame is expected to be. Since the electrode gaps are almost the same, 4mm & 5mm I could see it working if the wires were swapped. However it appears the Ignition Electrode has its own dedicated ground wire. The ignition spark should jump across the ignition electrodes gap. If the flame sensor is used for the ignition spark it would arc to the burner which may cause damage.

    If either or both electrodes are dilapidated they should be replaced.

    image.png image.png image.png

    image.png

    https://uticaboilers.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MACF-MAHF-75-205-FLOOR-CONDENSING-BOILER-MANUALS-MGC-1225-REV-A.pdf

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
    GGross

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