Heating Help

Tim McElwain IN New Jersey

@ March 4, 2013 12:01 PM in Tim McElwain IN New Jersey

The training has been opened up to everyone.  Sorry at the present time there can be no one or two day sign ups. You must sign up for the full week. I am being sponsored by the Fuel Marketers Association of New Jersey so all applications will go through them. Here is the info and application:

Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey
Presents:

WEEK LONG IN DEPTH GAS TRAINING FOR OILHEAT SERVICE TECHNICIANS
Week of April 15, 2013 or
Week of April 22, 2013
WEEK LONG IN DEPTH GAS TRAINING FOR OILHEAT SERVICE TECHNICIANS
Week of April 15, 2013 or
Week of April 22, 2013 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

To be held at:
 
Energy Kinetics
51 Molasses Hill Road
Lebanon NJ, 08833
 
 
8:30am – 5:00pm
Daily

   COURSE SCHEDULE
 
 
Monday
Fundamentals of Gas Combustion
 
 
Tuesday
Circuitry &Troubleshooting
 
 
Wednesday
Hydronic Controls
 
 
Thursday
Electric Ignition Systems
 
 
Friday
Advanced Electric Ignition Systems


 
DATE:          Week of April 15 or Week of April 22, 2013
LOCATION:   Energy Kinetics, 51 Molasses Hill Road, Lebanon, NJ 08833
TIME:           8:30am – 5:00pm - Daily
COST:           $895 per person
$795 per person for 2-5
$695 per person for 6+
$1095.00 Non FMA member per person
 
As FMA members continue to diversify their service and installation offerings there is recognition that additional focus must be placed on educating our technicians on gas heat systems. To meet this need FMA has arranged for a week long course to be taught in New Jersey on gas heat basics.
The course will be offered twice in April 2013, once during the week of April 15th and once during the week of April 22nd. This scheduling will afford FMA members the opportunity to send some of their technicians one week and the rest the following week. The course will run from 8:30am-5:00pm and be taught by Tim McElwain President of Gas Appliance Service Training & Consulting and Gas Training Institute. Tim has over 40 years of gas training experience and comes highly recommended by Dan Holohan. Roger Marran of Energy Kinetics has graciously allowed the course to be offered at the Energy Kinetics facility; 51 Molasses Hill Road, Lebanon NJ, 08833, since it has both the room to accommodate the course and the ability to live fire equipment.
When Tim offers the course at his facility in Rhode Island the cost is $1,500 per person for the week. FMA has been able to negotiate a special rate which includes course materials, and breakfast and lunch.
For those who need overnight accommodations for their technicians the Holiday Inn in Clinton, NJ has provided us a special rate of $99 per night.  To make reservations contact 908-735-5111 and use Group Code: Energy Kinetics.
We need a minimum of 30 students per week or that week’s training will be cancelled.  To confirm your participation FMA must receive your payment in full no later than March 25, 2013.
 
 
 
 
 
REGISTRATION FORM
WEEK LONG IN DEPTH GAS TRAINING FOR OILHEAT SERVICE TECHNICIANS
COMPANY
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE                             ZIP
PHONE
          Week of April 15, 2013
          Week of April 22, 2013
Name(s)
 
 
 


Please complete this registration form and mail with your check payable to FMA/NJ in the amount of $____________.
$895 per person
$795 per person for 2-5
$695 per person for 6+
$1095 Non FMA member per person
 
Please return to FMA/NJ
Attn: Diana Gann
P.O. Box 477
Springfield, NJ 07081
Telephone: 973-467-1400
Fax: 973-467-4066
dgann@fmanj.org
 
 
 

The VR8300A-1054

@ March 1, 2013 9:14 PM in Penn Boiler G-75 (year 1966) parts, or replace unit?

is a 24 volt standing pilot gas valve which will defintly replace your valve. I would stake my 64 years experience in the businees of gas on that.

The replacement gas

@ March 1, 2013 2:22 PM in Penn Boiler G-75 (year 1966) parts, or replace unit?

valve is a VR8300A-1054 3/4" x 3/4" and it comes with bushings.

It looks like

@ March 1, 2013 11:01 AM in Gas Training

the group sponsoring me in New Jersey will be opening up registration to everyone who is interested. If you are on my e-mail list you will get an application on Monday by e-mail.

If I can fit everything here I will also post one on this site on Monday.

Which Integrated Boiler control

@ March 1, 2013 10:57 AM in Another GV problem

do you have on the GV?

Have you gone through testing the differential pressure on the pressure switch? It should be 1.4" W.C.

What are the numbers on the

@ March 1, 2013 10:54 AM in Penn Boiler G-75 (year 1966) parts, or replace unit?

Honeywell gas valve?

Yes you can, however

@ February 28, 2013 12:43 PM in Water heater vent...

it may turn out that the water heater may not be able to create enough heat (Delta T) to create sufficient draft at all times especially when the pilot is burning all by itself.

How tall is the chimney?

I would also run double wall vent connector to the chimney and make it no smaller than 4".

I would tell the customer that there is a possibility that it may not work and that a more insulated vent may need to be run. If it is a straight chimney no bends then you could run a "B" vent up through the existing chimney and make it a chase.

Big Bass concerning proper ignition

@ February 26, 2013 8:22 PM in Thunderous GV90+

on the GV series gas boiler it has been the case that delayed ignition can take place relative to the following. The Hot Surface Igniter is energized after prepurge by a relay in the Integrated Boiler Control United Technology 1013-200 the igniter has a warm up time of about 20 seconds, during this time as it reaches a temperature of at least 1800°F it should easily ignite the burner which is located right next to the igniter.

A damaged or rusted or defective burner will affect this timing for ignition. 

However there have been times with this system that I have experienced delayed ignition caused by the flow velocity of the gas exceeding the flame velocity causing a build up of gas in the chamber which finally ignites. A proper combustion analysis should dis prove this as a problem. The flame has to prove with in 4 seconds or the system will recycle 2 times then go into lockout. The burner itself has very close port loading so it is critical that proper flame adjustment has been accomplished within this time.

One of the other things on the GV series that will cause delayed ignition is the pressure switch which has to sense at least 1.4" W.C. pressure differential malfunctioning at pressure very close to that and opening and closing rapidly causing a build up of gas in the chamber.
Things to check:

1. Blockage in the hoses to pressure switch (water)

2. Loose blower wheel on motor shaft

3. Blower motor not proper RPM

4. Blockage in air inlet or hose

5. Blockage in Flue pipe or termination

6.Condensate trap filled with condensate or frozen

Paul S you can find

@ February 26, 2013 7:58 PM in gas line sizing

everything you need in either the National Fuel Gas Code NFPA54/ANSI Z223.1 Chapter 5 & 6 and Annex "C" or the International Fuel Gas Code and others. You want to total up all the BTU inputs for all the equipment. On gas ranges you can figure 4 top burners 10,000 BTU's each plus the oven 25,000 so that is roughly 65,000 BTU's get the inputs for other equipment from the rating plate. There are tables in the code 6.2(a) through 6.2(v) for Natural gas and 6.3(a) through 6.3(m) for Propane. Annex "C' also contains Table C.3.2 Equivalent Lengths of Pipe Fittings and Valves. To use the tables you need to find out from the local gas utility what they use for an allowable pressure drop as you will need this to be able to get the correct table. Natural Gas uses a specific gravity of 0.60 and propane uses 1.50.

Gas utility must not only size the meter correctly but the gas line into the building may also need enlarged. The AL 250 meter will pass roughly 250,000 BTU's.

There are two methods for sizing shown in Annex "C" of NFPA 54 which are used The Longest Length Method which is conservative in its approach by applying the maximum operating conditions in the system as the norm for the system and by setting the length of pipe used to size any given part of the piping system to the maximum value. The other method is The Branch Length Method this sizing method reduces the amount of conservatism built into the traditional Longest Length Method.
My Fundamentals of Gas Volume I illustrates with actual piping examples all of this.

Make sure the sidewall

@ February 25, 2013 3:06 PM in Thunderous GV90+

vent system is set up correctly based on the I and O manual. If not cross contamination of products of combustion with intake air can cause audible ignition at times. Is the vent free and clear of all obstructions?

That does not make

@ February 25, 2013 10:47 AM in Thunderous GV90+

any sense if you are talking about the gas company regulator that reduces pounds pressure to inches Water Column. If the pressure was 8" W.C. and he reduced it to 7" W.C. it has no effect upon what comes out of the gas train as the pressure is reduced to what ever the outlet pressure setting is on the gas valve.

Has anyone taken this thing apart and checked the condition of the burner and chamber?

Has anyone done a combustion analysis and checked the outlet gas pressure with a digital manometer (do not use a water filled it will suck water into the gas valve). Was the burner clocked to see if it is firing at correct input?

Is this unit sidewall vented?

Is the gas valve a Honeywell VK8115V-1176?

Which version of GV90 is this the 3, 4 etc?

This unit is just a GV Weil McLain that we have been seeing for years using a United Technology Control Module 1013-200, what is different is the added "recuperator" which makes it a condensing unit. Has anyone cleaned the recuperator according to instructions in the manual?

Others mentioned other things that can cause noise such as zone valves shutting down to fast etc.

By the way someone mentioned that a gas burner will not delay on ignition when shutting off, I hope not as it is not just starting but shutting off. There is however "Extinction Pop" which can occur from time to time not always  but occasionally on shut down. Doing a proper combustion analysis and getting the gas air mix correct will usually solve that.

Rick e-mail me

@ February 21, 2013 11:03 PM in conversions

at gastc@cox.net and I will send you a catalog with recommendations for which manual you will need.

How much experience

@ February 21, 2013 2:18 PM in conversions

do you have with gas power conversion burners? If your experience is limited I would be careful with converting burners. You would probably be better off with new equipment, of course you say that is not an option. So I would recommend the Carlin EZ burner and get in touch with Carlin for information on the conversion with their burner to the equipment you have.

As for Metalbestos stainless that is fine for gas however if a chimney it must be lined. That now becomes another reason to perhaps go high end and side wall vent.

It requires someone

@ February 18, 2013 5:08 PM in weil mclain gv gold lockout problems

with experience to pull the burner and clean it. The failure could be the result of a poor flame condition caused by the burner. Get in touch with a professional and have them also do a combustion analysis on the burner after cleaning. It would be a good idea to also replace the igniter at that time.

Give me a breakdown

@ February 18, 2013 12:16 PM in Intermitted gas furnance problem

of the make and numbers of some of the controls in particular the control board.

Has a combustion analysis been done on the unit? If so what are the readings O2, CO, stack temp etc.

Have you gone through the

@ February 18, 2013 11:49 AM in weil mclain gv gold lockout problems

Chart #5 checks in the manual? If so is that how you determined the problem was the "igniter"?

Somewhere on the igniter or wire to the igniter there should be some numbers other than Weil McLain part numbers can you find those?

Some other things that can cause this to happen is the burner is dirty or corroded. How do you get your air for combustion to this unit? Is it from outside (better option) especially if there are contaminants listed in the I and O manual.

As for BTU look for the rating plate and on the plate it will list "INPUT" that is the BTU rating.

I will keep evryone posted

@ February 17, 2013 7:41 PM in Gas Training

as to when it is go!

You can't go

@ February 17, 2013 7:38 PM in Gas conversion, contractor recommendations in Nassau LI

wrong with Robert he is one of the best!

Yes there was

@ February 17, 2013 2:55 PM in Any one know where to buy parts for old boilers?

such a resistor. The reason for the resistor was a faulty pressure switch on the valves right from the factory. So without the resistor it would have never worked, This is not the same White Rodgers gas valve series it is older than that Cycle Pilot series. We never allowed the resistor to be used here in RI as we found if the system was rapid cycled such as turning the power switch of and on the equipment would delay on ignition. All the resistor really was is a resistive "jumper" it was really unsafe. We had White Rodgers send us all new valves with a beefed up pressure switch rather than use the resistors

That is not a

@ February 17, 2013 1:55 PM in Any one know where to buy parts for old boilers?

thermocouple it is a mercury pilot system. The fact that you get it to work and then it fails tells me the three prong switch/plug in and the mercury sensor are probably okay. You need to have someone pull the pilot ( a professional) and clean the orifice before you invest any money for parts. What are the numbers on the plug in part itself? White Rodgers still has some of those listed in their catalog. Get me the number and I may be able to cross reference it for you.

As someone coming from a

@ February 16, 2013 6:18 PM in What business lessons did you learn from the Great Recession?

different side of this business as a trainer and consultant.
1. I got somewhat spoiled when I first started out. Classes were full and more work than I could handle went to months without any one coming for training.

2. I added night classes to provide income so I could stay in business. The state licenses classes also helped pay the rent on my building. Looking back I should have bought a building instead of rent.

3. Adding manuals for sale also helped to cover the lack of people signing up for training.

4. You have to find ways to reinvent yourself and not loose hope,

5. Many of the folks I have made friends with in the industry were there for me to encourage me when times were tough. It is important to make friends in what you do not enemies.

6. Having a wife who never lost faith and told me every day "it will be okay we will make it through we always have".

7. Keeping my faith in God is the real answer to all these things. I have to realize that since being downsized from a major utility in 1994, loosing money in the investment world and other financial catastrophes God has always provided. I jokingly say "I have not received a pay check from anyone since 1994".

Do you have

@ February 15, 2013 1:13 PM in Dust

adequate make up air for operation of the dryer in the combustion zone? I would move the dryer to another location. Another suggestion, something I have done in somewhat impossible situations is place some window screen around the combustion zones of the equipment, old screens connected together in a sort of box shape will pick up a lot of the airborne lint.