So im arguing with the Boss man

I went on a call to fix a steam table , 6 foot long , one burner

I get there and find pilot will light as im holding in button , but goes out when released. Ok fine , new thermocouple.

New thermocouple , still no lighty

Ok lets replace pilot valve

Nobody around has this Baso Valve H15DA-3

I look up specs , its 335,000 BTU , 3/4 inlets

Boss finds one similar , Baso H15HR-2 , 3/8 inlets .... he says dont worry about it , reducers will make it fit , customer needs right away.

Ok do what the boss says.

Fire it up , flames like 1/2 inch tall , crap that wont even light a friggin cigarette

I look up specs online , its 160,000 BTU valve he got

Im like , pffffffft thats your problem right there.

Boss says naawwwww thats not it , oh must be orafice. Pull that , its a 56 , clean as whistle.

Boss says must be main valve. ( regular half turn type)

Take that apart , its clean.

He brings another main valve and says use this one.

Replace that , we now have 3/4 flame.

Hes now saying thats fine , bill them and move on

I told him we need the correct Btu valve , and he says no that doesnt make a difference because it dont need 335,000 btu to run.

Is he right ? If I threw on a valve twice the Btu it wouldnt be a higher flame ??

The engineers designed the table with a 335,000 btu valve nuff said

Model is long gone , but heres pics

Are you saying it worked fine with the 2nd 160k valve?

I don't know who's right or wrong but those chic peas in the first pic sure look good. Did you try them?

Seriously, your boss is dead ass wrong. The customer is paying for a service he didn't get. If I was the customer and found out I'd be madder than a wet hornet.

I did'nt see chic peas?

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Originally Posted by 54regcab

Are you saying it worked fine with the 2nd 160k valve?

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I might not have been clear , the second round was replacing the main valve ( what the chrome knob is attached to ) I think thats what its called.

The pilot valve assembly on this unit controls the pilot , and it also shuts off the gas going to the main valve. I replaced that pilot valve 1st , thats the 160k , (but originally had a 335k )

So in order it would go like this ... gas comes piped into unit , goes thru regulator , then to pilot assy .... and when pilot assy senses pilot is lit , it allows gas to flow through it , gas then travels to this valve with chrome knob ( i call main valve ) which sends gas directly to burner.

Boss claims this valve was bad also. I dont buy that , simply because its a on/ off valve. You take it apart and its merely a snow cone looking brass part with a hole in it.

Tell your boss to take the engine out of his one ton pickup and drop in the engine from a 69 VW Beetle and tell him "close enough."

You are using his logic in the conversation so it should be ok.

Ken

these doohickys , main gas valve , which giving Boss man a tiny bit of credit , did indeed make the flame a itsy bitsy bit higher when i replaced it, but its still a small ass flame comming off the burner. Maybe 3/4 inch tall.

One things for sure , they wont have to worry about over heating the unit anymore ... LOL

it's not about the hight of the flame, but the btu capacity of the pilot for smooth and safe ignition of the gas available in combustion chamber. that's why couple million btu boiler always have furnace size pilot. if the original spec called for 355k you better put 355k or other approved pilot. if not you're altering the engineering and just void off all UL or warnock-hersey or other type approval. if anything blow it's on your hand.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blitz

it's not about the hight of the flame, but the btu capacity of the pilot for smooth and safe ignition of the gas available in combustion chamber. that's why couple million btu boiler always have furnace size pilot. if the original spec called for 355k you better put 355k or other approved pilot. if not you're altering the engineering and just void off all UL or warnock-hersey or other type approval. if anything blow it's on your hand.

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i haven't heard one word about using a manometer to check input or output or manifold pressure to see whats up.....measuring the height of the flame?????

Is there a nameplate with the BTU rating for the burner? Manifold pressures would be helpful. You could clock the gas meter to see if you're flowing enough gas.

I had the manometer sitting right there next to me on the floor but didnt hook it up

After the boss came into the picture i thought to myself .... ok mister know it all .... lets do it your way

Nameplate was long gone , and I have no idea what it was , looks to be custom made

It was in a chinese rest , and all of the other appliances were doing fine

But my original question was .... if you take off a 355k pilot valve , and replace it with a 160k , will it lower the gas flow to the main burner ?

There was only one burner , you can see in the pic. I cant imagine it needing 335k to run it , but apparently it does because the flame is now weak. Its about like having the knob turned on half way.

When I first got there , the problem was the thermocouple wasnt working. Push the pilot button and it had a nice flame hitting the thermocouple , but let go of the button and it went out.