New burner smelling

[Homerj]

Hi guys, I had to replace my oil burner, it was a Worcester bosch.
The burner house is outside but I have noticed the new burner is stinking the house when running, mostly my son's room which is above the burner house... Is this normal and will it clear or do I need to get the engineer back who commissioned it... Thanks

 

[SJB060685]

What does the smell smell like? New boilers often smell a bit and commissioning after installation is best done after the burner has run for a day or so. Having said that that might not be whats happening here and I'm concerned you might be experiencing POC's (products of combustion) escaping the flue, or flue terminated wrong. Do you have a CO detectors at hand? I would be reluctant to fire that boiler again until the smell has been identified.

 

[Homerj]

What does the smell smell like? New boilers often smell a bit and commissioning after installation is best done after the burner has run for a day or so. Having said that that might not be whats happening here and I'm concerned you might be experiencing POC's (products of combustion) escaping the flue, or flue terminated wrong. Do you have a CO detectors at hand? I would be reluctant to fire that boiler again until the smell has been identified.

Hi, I don't have a CO detector at hand.When you get close to the flue when it's running the exhaust gases really sting your eyes . It's a Bentone BF1... I was wondering could I adust the airflow setting to see if it improves it any in the mean time.. Thanks for the reply...

 

[Aquarius]

I’d be looking at getting the installer back, or at least get in touch.

 

[SJB060685]

No, do not fiddle with the burner, you have no way of telling what you're doing to the flame pattern and combustion process. I strongly advise you isolate until an engineer can reattend. IF you have high CO (carbon monoxide) content in the flue gases this is life threatening.

 

[Homerj]

No, do not fiddle with the burner, you have no way of telling what you're doing to the flame pattern and combustion process. I strongly advise you isolate until an engineer can reattend. IF you have high CO (carbon monoxide) content in the flue gases this is life threatening.

Ok guys, I will contact the installer... Thanks for the help.

 

[Timmy D]

Ok guys, I will contact the installer... Thanks for the help.

DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO RUN IT UNTIL CHECKED.

I know it’s cold but if it’s really causing irritation to your eyes, combustion products are exiting the flue when they shouldn’t be.

The co can/will kill.

Get a co alarm for each room along the flue route/boiler room.

 

[SimonG]

Incomplete combustion. Hence the eyes stinging. Needs tweaking. Maybe set a bit near to supposed manufacturers recommendations.

Did you get a printout of the combustion gas analysis, interested to see co2 and excess air.

 

[SJB060685]

I agree this sounds like incomplete combustion but whats just as important is the fact these symptoms are experienced in his sons bedroom. ABSOLUTELY NO products of combustion should escape a flue, nor should a flue terminate in such a way for these gases to migrate internally. It only takes a few ppm of carbon monoxide for any individual to experience problems and those with underlying health conditions are much more likely to be affected more severely. If this was to happen while his son sleeps then the risk of death is very real.
Yes, for someone who understands the combustion process and how to set up this is a straight forward fix but I will in no way advise or encourage someone without proper understanding or tools on how to achieve this. What some people don't know is too much air can cause high counts of carbon monoxide as well, its not just a lack of, which is why I said the OP should not touch the burner and to isolate immediately.
Safety is paramount.

 

[Homerj]

Incomplete combustion. Hence the eyes stinging. Needs tweaking. Maybe set a bit near to supposed manufacturers recommendations.

Did you get a printout of the combustion gas analysis, interested to see co2 and excess air.

Incomplete combustion. Hence the eyes stinging. Needs tweaking. Maybe set a bit near to supposed manufacturers recommendations.

Did you get a printout of the combustion gas analysis, interested to see co2 and excess air.

Hi Simon, yes I got a printout...

 

[Aquarius]

I’m not qualified on oil burning boilers, but the CO ppm seems high and no CO2?

Edited: hadn’t noticed the 20.9% O2, which is fine on the air intake, not in combustion process.

 

[SJB060685]

That burner is not set up! It strangely says 0% CO2 and 20 odd % O2 and a CO ppm of over 300!
DO NOT FIRE THAT BURNER AGAIN under these circumstances

 

[Homerj]

That burner is not set up! It strangely says 0% CO2 and 20 odd % O2 and a CO ppm of over 300!
DO NOT FIRE THAT BURNER AGAIN under these circumstances

Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't fired it up after the advice you gave me yesterday.. I think I will get a different service engineer to look at it for me after showing you the printout as Its a tad worrying the way it was fitted and commissioned. Thanks again ...

 

[SJB060685]

I’m not qualified on oil burning boilers, but the CO ppm seems high and no CO2?

I was always told 100ppm or less for oil but obviously the lower the better. In fact some older boilers it doesn't matter how good you as an engineer are or what you adjust you still won't get the ppm down to less than 100-200 ppm. However most modern boilers you're getting a few ppm max if you know what you're doing, in some cases 0 ppm. CO2 and O2 go hand in hand, 12% CO2 on our kerosene is around 5%O2, those figures above suggest very little proper combustion and that is reflected by the CO nearly 400 ppm. CO2 and excess air change with type of fuel and different grades.

 

[SJB060685]

Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't fired it up after the advice you gave me yesterday.. I think I will get a different service engineer to look at it for me after showing you the printout as Its a tad worrying the way it was fitted and commissioned. Thanks again ***

Any photos of flue and its termination?

 

[Aquarius]

Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't fired it up after the advice you gave me yesterday.. I think I will get a different service engineer to look at it for me after showing you the printout as Its a tad worrying the way it was fitted and commissioned. Thanks again ***

I get your reasons, and that’s your call. The trouble is, your installation engineer has left it in a (what sounds like) dangerous situation.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

would say that print out is fake as o2 is listed as 20.9 so its in fresh air near enough or a broken analyzer

 

[SimonG]

That printout is definitely bogus. Apart from a few ancient machines I wont leave co above 30ppm.

 

[Timmy D]

would say that print out is fake as o2 is listed as 20.9 so its in fresh air near enough or a broken analyzer

Look at the air/flue temps... likely had excessive ppm 1000+, pulled probe to fresh air, probe temp went down as it reacts quicker to change, machine did ppm calc which drops slower, did print out when it got to currently shown level....not sure I’d use that engineer again.

 

[Timmy D]

That printout is definitely bogus. Apart from a few ancient machines I wont leave co above 30ppm.

Got a 45 year old boiler/2 year old burner down to 12ppm/11.4% co2 on Christmas Eve.

350kw... took half a day to clean/seals/re-commission.

Did your engineer use a soot pump, interested if it come back a bit yellow (unburnt fuel).