Posted by Richard Bradley on September 21, 2001 at 08:13:13:
In Reply to: I think , you made a mistake... posted by benoit g.n.c.v on September 19, 2001 at 21:04:12:
Yes, it is "S" rather than "5". Thank you.
The following is a full description of boiler and what I want to know:
Top of boiler:
1) Steam pressure gauge and Honeywell differential control
2) Two pressure relief valves (one that can be tested with lever, the other without lever). One I assume is for steam, the other for water?
Front of boiler:
1) sight gauge (?) may be a threaded plug in upper portion of boiler
2) 2 valves (?) to right of sight gauge that look like organ stop knobs
3) Off to the left side is the piping for the water supply, I assume, with a shut off valve and a valve at the bottom for draining (?)
4) Several doors to the boiler shelves, all open to refractory chamber at the bottom, these shelves are all coated with heavy layer of caked soot.
Right of boiler:
1) McConnel #60 Low Water Shut off
2) Glass cylinder gauge above this is ½ full of water with dry brownish residue in upper ½ of glass. There are top & bottom valves to gauge
3) Oil burner motor with red reset (?) button. High voltage wiring box to it. Also pump with 2 copper oil supply lines & smaller copper pipe goes from pump to motor base.
Rear of boiler:
1) Vent pipe to chimney. Where it exits boiler is a cast iron manually operated damper, which I assume is to gain access to clean vent pipe.
2) Similar cast iron arrangement at bottom of boiler, also I assume for cleaning.
3) Cast Iron box “A6 Improved Holyhoke Heater” with small electrical like box at bottom (but it has no wiring) and a Honeywell electrical box at top with multiple wires (I assume power and some to a thermostat) and a red reset button on box.
My questions:
I want to test the system as much as possible myself and need to know the steps & precautions I need to take. There is no oil in the oil tank and I don’t want to go to the expense of filling the tank if the boiler will not work or will not work safely. I would like to get just enough oil for testing (how much advised?).
Then, what steps should I take to safely test the boiler, what do I turn on first, second, etc.
I am a little concerned about the oil burner and the refractory. The bricks away from the burner are intact but there are ones missing around it, which makes me think the bricks were cut away to retrofit the burner (being coal originally?). How do I know it is safe?
I do not see a pilot light or a pilot light tube. Would one of this vintage have electric ignition? Where is the pilot light normally located?
Any help anyone can give will be appreciated.
Richard Bradley