This has been the most informative site for the DIYer. My old Oneida is on her last voyage I’m afraid but, so am I LOL. Started getting a lot of smoke smell this season and it’s about as good as I personally can get. Pretty sure there may be a issue re the heat exchanger but CO detector has never registered. We live so far in the country the only other option is propane and I think we’ll make the switch this spring. Hate spending the money but, so many vendors just want to sell new equipment and finding a real expert just doesn’t seem that easy these days. Thanks again!
So True! I have to laugh because just casually listening while I'm working on something else, I hear grayfurnaceman give tangential information that is extremely useful and important to know! You truly cannot beat real-life experience from a teacher/instructor. ...I can't imagine what I would learn if I was paying full attention! LOL
If you are real discriminating using the smoke tester, you can get to the point where the slightest draft adjustment change will get you from a 1 to 0 smoke which is the sweet spot to achieve. Even if you were to use a gas analyzer you wouldn't want to move too far from this draft adjustment unless you were prepared to play with different nozzles. For the average homeowner however we likely stick with the nozzle that the burner / boiler combination was paired with from new.
Hi thank you for you videos, I've been trying to set up a oil hot air furnace in my mother in laws home, anyway I bought the furnace used and installed it on back porch. First year went pretty well thanks to your help. Replaced the Honeywell primary, and geniuses A/C plate.and transformer. Suddenly problems replace nozzle now can't get the gun set up even though I'm following your directions. Plus dumped a crap load of fuel in burner chamber. Anyway to clean that up? Plus the red and white wires coming off the A/C plate, does that go to the transformer? Thanks for all your help, great videos
Gary, video has been very helpful but a few questions remain. What settings should be used on the manometer? I’m assuming negative pressure tested in in/h20? Or do you have a video that covers these questions?
Great knowledge. Thanks for sharing. Can you make your own smoke pump? How fine (restrictive) does the filter material have to be? A piece of white tee shirt or paper-towel?
it's fairly heavy paper strip and quite restrictive. it's closer to extra thick vacuum cleaner bag, index card stock, or heavy weight crafting paper. hard to say what would work in an emergency.
Can I ask your thoughts about my settings? The new hydrostat is set to 173 High and 170 low. The furnace Warmer 160 and Cooler 120 nozzle line is “in the middle” facing furnace. The hydrostat/ furnace temp can go up to 174 (above my setting) - 75-80d. The 2 house thermostats are set to 67 (addition strong half) and 72(weaker half of house). One room had stinky heat from couple weeks ago ... replace a filter? dust burn off?
The hydrostat should be about 20 or more degrees between high and low. I don't know about the "furnace warmer". Room thermostats should be set to your comfort level. I would certainly be checking filter. GFM
I recently moved into a mobile home with a oil furnace and it has no draft regulator. It's been like that for years and has been seemingly fine. Does it have to have a damper?
I just found out my O2 sensor for my testo is going to cost 366 dollars. Man thats horrible I might as well by a whole new tool for slightly more every year. I hope this video helps me use other methods
So the smoke off my cig drawing faster on the draft than on the bottom is not accurate? The back of the fire box is grey so I call it good. 32x34 garage and have not died so I call it a win. I got this monster out of a 2 story house for free and keeps me warm. I was 19 when we got it and the guy who set it up did it with a cigarette. I check it every year when I start it to his specs. Lol
So many questions you did not answer or show. 1. Where to buy pyrometer and cost? 2. Where to buy smoke tester and cost? 3. Where to buy draft gauge and cost? 4. How to perform smoke test? Video shows you pumping it several times; why? 5. How to adjust air intake? You don't show how much you changed the setting.
I have dozens of videos on oil furnaces. Here is a playlist that may help: th-cam.com/video/KAQR5Ctyw1E/w-d-xo.html I do not get into tool costs and sources. GFM
The use of the smoke pump and draft gauge are essential to get the highest efficiency when used with a combustion analysis tool. The analysis tool alone can give you a dirty smoke that will soot the heat exchanger. CO is checked in the vent. GFM
This has been the most informative site for the DIYer. My old Oneida is on her last voyage I’m afraid but, so am I LOL. Started getting a lot of smoke smell this season and it’s about as good as I personally can get. Pretty sure there may be a issue re the heat exchanger but CO detector has never registered. We live so far in the country the only other option is propane and I think we’ll make the switch this spring. Hate spending the money but, so many vendors just want to sell new equipment and finding a real expert just doesn’t seem that easy these days. Thanks again!
Glad I could help.
GFM
I agree...Gray has some very good videos! I too have learned a lot.
So True! I have to laugh because just casually listening while I'm working on something else, I hear grayfurnaceman give tangential information that is extremely useful and important to know! You truly cannot beat real-life experience from a teacher/instructor. ...I can't imagine what I would learn if I was paying full attention! LOL
Thanks for taking the time to share all this information. I really appreciate it. I’ve learned a lot from your videos.
If you are real discriminating using the smoke tester, you can get to the point where the slightest draft adjustment change will get you from a 1 to 0 smoke which is the sweet spot to achieve. Even if you were to use a gas analyzer you wouldn't want to move too far from this draft adjustment unless you were prepared to play with different nozzles. For the average homeowner however we likely stick with the nozzle that the burner / boiler combination was paired with from new.
Must have been reading my mind, just watching some of your old analysts vids last night.👍
Always very grateful to you. God Bless you 🙏
Hi thank you for you videos, I've been trying to set up a oil hot air furnace in my mother in laws home, anyway I bought the furnace used and installed it on back porch. First year went pretty well thanks to your help. Replaced the Honeywell primary, and geniuses A/C plate.and transformer. Suddenly problems replace nozzle now can't get the gun set up even though I'm following your directions. Plus dumped a crap load of fuel in burner chamber. Anyway to clean that up? Plus the red and white wires coming off the A/C plate, does that go to the transformer? Thanks for all your help, great videos
Can you explain the purpose of adjusting the nozzle assembly depth in the blast tube
I'd say it's the positioning of the oil spray to the air swirl pattern to maximize oxygenation of the flame, with the minimum necessary air volume.
What kind of readings do you think the combustion analyzer would have given with that final configuration?
Gary, video has been very helpful but a few questions remain. What settings should be used on the manometer? I’m assuming negative pressure tested in in/h20? Or do you have a video that covers these questions?
Thank you for this excellent video. What brand and model is your draft gauge? I'd like to get the same one. Thanks again!
Its an Ebay special. Its is unbranded.
GFM
The old way, that’s how I do mine at home, smoke pump and draft gauge, gets it close enough for me
Great knowledge. Thanks for sharing. Can you make your own smoke pump? How fine (restrictive) does the filter material have to be? A piece of white tee shirt or paper-towel?
it's fairly heavy paper strip and quite restrictive. it's closer to extra thick vacuum cleaner bag, index card stock, or heavy weight crafting paper. hard to say what would work in an emergency.
Can I ask your thoughts about my settings? The new hydrostat is set to 173 High and 170 low. The furnace Warmer 160 and Cooler 120 nozzle line is “in the middle” facing furnace.
The hydrostat/ furnace temp can go up to 174 (above my setting) - 75-80d.
The 2 house thermostats are set to 67 (addition strong half) and 72(weaker half of house).
One room had stinky heat from couple weeks ago ... replace a filter? dust burn off?
The hydrostat should be about 20 or more degrees between high and low. I don't know about the "furnace warmer".
Room thermostats should be set to your comfort level.
I would certainly be checking filter.
GFM
@@grayfurnaceman thank you. What if the furnace hydrostat says 183 and I set high to 175? Why might this happen?
@@kaltrex9465 There is certain amount of thermal mass between the flame and the output of the boiler. It is not unusual.
GFM
I recently moved into a mobile home with a oil furnace and it has no draft regulator. It's been like that for years and has been seemingly fine. Does it have to have a damper?
Mobile homes use a special oil furnace. It has a non adjustable combustion air supply and damper. You also must use a specific nozzle.
GFM
I just found out my O2 sensor for my testo is going to cost 366 dollars. Man thats horrible I might as well by a whole new tool for slightly more every year. I hope this video helps me use other methods
Get a Field Peice S0X3, field replaceable smart 02 sensor, i have picked them up for around 50 dollars. The sensor @ around 50 dollars.
So the smoke off my cig drawing faster on the draft than on the bottom is not accurate? The back of the fire box is grey so I call it good. 32x34 garage and have not died so I call it a win. I got this monster out of a 2 story house for free and keeps me warm. I was 19 when we got it and the guy who set it up did it with a cigarette. I check it every year when I start it to his specs. Lol
N what if u don’t have that how do I It my without the tools
Try this video: th-cam.com/video/zQHIgPFmh9U/w-d-xo.html
GFM
Timely... Thanks! :-)
Welcome
GFM
so.. really all this thing is telling you is that your adjustment is between a 2 and 10? somewhere in there looks 'bout right!
i like scientific eyeballering-- seriously even for wood/metal measuring it is better than my tools in so many instances! -- eyeballing ftw!
So many questions you did not answer or show.
1. Where to buy pyrometer and cost?
2. Where to buy smoke tester and cost?
3. Where to buy draft gauge and cost?
4. How to perform smoke test? Video shows you pumping it several times; why?
5. How to adjust air intake? You don't show how much you changed the setting.
I have dozens of videos on oil furnaces. Here is a playlist that may help: th-cam.com/video/KAQR5Ctyw1E/w-d-xo.html
I do not get into tool costs and sources.
GFM
this is using Dinosaur analysis tool on Dinosaur equipment, I refuse to work on equipment like this, change it out.. how do you check co?
The use of the smoke pump and draft gauge are essential to get the highest efficiency when used with a combustion analysis tool. The analysis tool alone can give you a dirty smoke that will soot the heat exchanger. CO is checked in the vent.
GFM