Heating Help

CO problem???

I recently posted this message elsewhere and wanted to get other responses.I recently had a hot water boiler installed, (oil).
The unit installed and then checked for efficiency by a licensed oil burner tech, and everything checked out fine.
Now the problem, An independent vendor for NSTAR Electric came by to do there inspection and tells us the co level in the flue has maxed out their meter at over 2000ppm. The drafty is ok, it is going up the chimney and there isn't any levels in the occuppied space in the area of the boiler.
My tech says there reading aren't correct and would come out to verify but couldn't make it right away. My wife, being nervous called our oil co. and they sent a tech out to do a test.
He stated that the draft was neg. the co was 9.7 % not ppm ( which he says oil burner aren't read in ppm).
I'm getting mixed information on this and I'm hoping someone could clear this up for me. They are using 2 different testing instruments The tech using a bachrach liquid test and the inspector a digital test instrument.
Sorry for the lenghthy explanation, I look forward to anyone's answers. Reply Edit

CO

CO2 is read in %. CO is read in PPM. Did the most recent tech. that came out have a digital anaylzer or did he have a wet kit? The wet kit would would have had several different componets. One item would have looked like a viel with read fluid and he would have had to use his hands to pump it. Like he was taking your blood pressure. If he did not have a digital tool, he could have not checked your CO levels. Sounds like he gave you a CO2 reading. If your CO is over 2000ppm, you have a problem and should shut the unit off! Ask for a print out of your readings, if they use digital anaylzers that should not be a problem.

CO problem???

Yes the tech from the oil co. did use a wet tester. All his readings were fine to him (draft was neg. CO2 was 9.7%
The original test at instalation was done digital (Testo) and read co at 673ppm
The inspector for NSTAR is the one who read 2000ppm.
I don't know whose right here and they all claim they are, that's my dilema.

Uh Oh

Normal CO readings should be less than 100 PPM. If the original guy got 673 something is up. Sometimes we get high readings on a new installation or after a cleaning, but that clears up usually within a day. I think you need to find someone else who knows what they're doing with a digital analyzer to come out and see what's going on. 

I second that

over 600 PPM CO is BAD.

What amazes me is that the original installer left it like that!

Paul is right. Have someone else look at this who is actually qualified. Have you tried the Find a Professional page of this site?

Oil Techs

Working with an oil company for a ton of year , the standard oil techs where never issued equipment to measure CO ... Just the standard Vile for measuring CO2 , smoke tester , draft gauge and stack thermometer ...

That

is a serious omission, and the company should have known better. Any flame can produce CO- even oil. A flame can look OK and show a decent CO2 reading while still making CO. Those of us who use digital combustion analyzers have seen this time and again.

I like to sleep at night, that's why I use a digital analyzer.

Steamhead

Frank hit the nail right on the head. In my opinion a CO test is a must. Here in the land of lawsuits! Not only that but it's the proper way to check any piece of equipment!