exploding Hamworthy Commercial

[MarkAqua]

The only reason I am putting this thread here is I dont want people who dont belong to the forum reading, incase it gets picked up somewhere. As I work for a medium sized company eyes are every where.....

I have to go look at a Hamworthy 100M x3 = 300Kw. next week that apparently on ignition has been described as an explosion.....

Hamworthy themselves have been to look at it and say there is nothing wrong, boilers are fine, installation is fine Etc.

However me and probably most of you wouldnt assume this to be fine as no boiler should ignite with a BANG

Does anyone have any clue as to what I could be looking for? any potential faults that could cause this?


I do have the MIs at hand now as I am flicking through, So I can give additionl info of the boilers, but not the install itself.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

gas or oil?

 

[Barry98]

Moved to the commercial section

 

[Dotty]

It'll be gas Mark. Check the burner gauze. The slightest imperfection will give the symptoms of explosive ignition. You'll need new gaskets.

 

[MarkAqua]

yes its NG

Got the gaskets at the ready. I will check the gauze thank you Croppie

 

[Dotty]

Thinking about it there may not be a gauze depending on the exact model but the burner tube should, when you inspect it, be in good condition. any damage at all renders the burner tube useless.

 

[MarkAqua]

I am imagening the burner tube to be in a bit of a state as the MI say that they should be cleaned every 2 years with a high pressure water hose. I cant see many service firms doing that, can you?

Cannot see anything about gauze in the MI, croppie.

 

[MarkAqua]

Wessex 100M

 

[Dotty]

You got a wessex or a purewell?

 

[Dotty]

yep, no gauze on wessex. The burner tube is about 12-14" long with tiny rectangular holes all over its surface. check the tubes in good nick.

And I do a full strip down every 12 months!

Good job you posted this thread Mark, reminded me I gotta go look at a wessex 400m tomorrow!

 

[MarkAqua]

Happy to help :19: haha I love those things <

Do you use high pressure water? I think it says 40-80 psi If so what machine do you use to do this?

 

[Dotty]

Na. I use compressed air and a 5 litre garden sprayer.

And a long handled angled radiator brush I found somewhere!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

It'll be gas Mark. Check the burner gauze. The slightest imperfection will give the symptoms of explosive ignition. You'll need new gaskets.

i suppose comm boilers can also suffer the same as domestic boilers on zero govs we get a mini explosion on start up if the meter governors playing up

 

[Dotty]

The advantage with the hamworthy wessex is that it's modular. A each module has an output of 100kw. If all boilers had an explosive start I'd be looking at the meter regulator as you say, but when only one of three is banging then it's that module. I love commercial!

Unfortunately come Fantastic February (when the creme de lá creme renew their vows) it looks like I'll be doing domestic too!

Bah!

 

[SimonJohns]

I've also had springs on the air inlet causing faults with these.

Check combustion values.

And I've been to a job that one of their top engineers signed off. I raised very strong issues on the site yet he said it was fine

 

[Dotty]

Thanks Simon, haven't come across a spring problem yet. And as a reminder to checking combustion make sure your probe's set at the right length!

 

[SimonJohns]

Thanks Simon, haven't come across a spring problem yet. And as a reminder to checking combustion make sure your probe's set at the right length!

On the purewell condensing. I had my probe 20mm too long and it totally put ignition all to pot

I find it amazing how different the readings can be

And on a similar note. Why did they use an imperial Allan screw for the FGA point

 

[Dotty]

Because the nuggets like to trip you up. I actually findthat one handy because it reminds me to set the probe length!