Can't Get Heat Out of Oil Boiler

 
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CoalHeat
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Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert

Post by CoalHeat » Wed. Mar. 12, 2008 10:27 pm

What they are referring to by a flow control valve is a valve that is incorporated into the system to regulate the water flow through the system. It has an adjustment on top that you would turn in the event of a power failure to change the flow restriction and allow the system to operate as a gravity feed. This valve could possibly be faulty or may need to be turned back and forth a few times to loosen any scale inside of it. The zone valves could cause a problem as well, they may not be opening fully.

 
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LsFarm
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Post by LsFarm » Wed. Mar. 12, 2008 11:43 pm

If you haven't run the circulator pump in the last six months to a year, I'll bet the circulator's rotor is stuck to the rotor housing by a small amount of corrosion.

Ken you might try whacking the pump with a rubber mallet or a chunk of wood.. whach the pump part, not the motor.. they are pretty tough, but the pump part is a casting and can take more 'abuse' than the motor housing. What you are trying to do is to jar loose the round pump rotor from the cast iron pump housing.

Right now with the pump siezed [if my theory is correct] the system is in thermosiphon mode, so the circulation rate is very slow, so the heat output from the baseboards is minimal.

Greg L

 
ken
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Post by ken » Fri. Mar. 14, 2008 8:51 pm

if you look at the pic , the zone valve on the left is for the upstairs. you guys know I can't get up there , so for the last 4 years I never heated up there. I was looking at the pic my son took , while he was downstairs running the boiler to temp to try and beld the supply line on the Taco pump. then it hit me , theres air under that zone valve. had him open it manually , then it went a full turn to close. the pipe above was real hot. I have heat now :D lol. so I guess when I run out of coal :( , I will have him bled them up there. then a couple times during the heating season turn the stoker down and use the boiler for couple days. :shock:

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User avatar
CoalHeat
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Posts: 8862
Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert

Post by CoalHeat » Fri. Mar. 14, 2008 10:07 pm

Hi Ken,

Glad you found the problem. Lots of times it's something simple that is overlooked in the quest to find the "big problem".

 
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Sting
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Post by Sting » Sat. Mar. 15, 2008 10:30 pm

Good catch _ glad your warm again!

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