This pre-1900 house is heated by hot water running through radiators. When it is working, the system is quite nice. Some noise from the water pumps, but never a rattle or shake.
ileA problem I am having is that it does not fire up when the thermostat calls for heat. I can go to the unit and turn the power off and back on and it fires right up. My interpretation is that the thermostat is doing its job, but what would cause the boiler circuit to not recognize the call for heat. The unit is only a couple of years old so we are not dealing with aging electronics.

During this cold spell, it means restarting the unit three times a day which gets the job done but is most inconvenient and does mean the house is pretty cool in the mornings since the 4 or 5 o'clock call for heat does not work.

On a side note; I had the system inspected in November and it passed with a clean bill of health. Then last week we had an episode where the burners were blasting away, leading to a complete failure to work. Guy came out near midnight on the 23rd and again on the 24th to get it working. On the 23rd he had to clean the burners with acid and on the 24th he cleaned the firing pin. Apparently, right about that time, Vectren/CenterPoint Energy put a large amount of propane in the natural gas line which apparently took out a large number of hvac and boiler systems.

Really would need to know what type of boiler, and what type of ignition system.

Is there a pilot light? If so, does it remain lit? Is there an electronic ignition? If so, do you hear it sparking? What type of safety/flame arrest or systems are there? Is there an electronic zone controller? Does it have power? Does it show a “calling for heat” light?

There are way too many variables, and not enough information.

Sounds like a safety circuit is kicking in, possibly when the first try to ignite the burner fails. You cycling the power probably resets the circuit. Any excess gas would have dissipated and the burner lights the second time.

What type of burner is it? Standard, a high efficiency condensing burner, or what?

Is there an automatic flue that isn’t opening?

It is a Lochinvar residential boiler, Model CBN180, installed in Dec, 2019. It does not have a pilot light and does have any number of safety devices. i don't know if it is standard or high efficiency. I don't see a "calling for heat" light on the electronic panel. I just know that it starts right up when I do the power reset.

When I do the power on and off, I hear a buzzing sound and then the ignition flame lights, the transducer detects the flame and turns on the main burners which would seem to suggest that the call for heat is there but the system is not detecting it.

That said, I am never next to the boiler when the thermostat first calls for heat, so I guess it is possible that something is failing on that call. There is a light on the circuit board, which I think blinks a code if there is a failure and it is not lit.

I had a problem last year when the transducer failed to send the OK signal to the main burners. Outside temperatures were headed into the 20's and the test burn would light, but the main burners would not ignite, or they would ignite and then fail soon after. Three different repair guys spent hours on the problem including a lot of time with tech support (thankfully in TN). Tried several new parts including three or four transducers. Last guy went to his truck and got a different transducer and that one has worked just fine.

Thanks

Don

What happens when you stand by the boiler and someone cranks the thermostat upstairs?

I've lived with a boiler for 20 years. They give fantastic heat. They are also the level of pain in the ass that is similar to having 4 girlfriends simultaneously.

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Z
Is there an automatic flue that isn’t opening?

Also known as a damper. Some have a bypass switch . Make sure it is opens and flick the switch.

Old thermostat..... take off cover and make sure it sparks when the mercury rolls to the on side of the glass.

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Staunton, Virginia

Ask them for a recommendation: [www.lochinvar.com]

If they suggest local help you've already used, gently let them know those techs don't know what they're doing, or that they are not getting adequate support from them.

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chopper
I've lived with a boiler for 20 years. They give fantastic heat. They are also the level of pain in the ass that is similar to having 4 girlfriends simultaneously.

Now I'm wonder about both your boiler and your dating history. We have a boiler system that we're yet to service that works very reliability. I'll take that as your recommendation for dating multiple women at once.

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My boiler's relief valve blows at 26 psi and I run it at 25. The area I live in has very very very hard water with strong lime. Plumbing was run with hard water for ... 60 years? House is 100 years old.

I think the boiler is ok but the pipes running throughout this house are so old they are steel--not even galvanized. They probably have a pencil sized ID for water to get through them.

House has beautiful plaster and woodwork. It's not an easy nor cheap thing to re-plumb. We just deal with it.

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chopper
My boiler's relief valve blows at 26 psi and I run it at 25. The area I live in has very very very hard water with strong lime. Plumbing was run with hard water for ... 60 years? House is 100 years old.

I think the boiler is ok but the pipes running throughout this house are so old they are steel--not even galvanized. They probably have a pencil sized ID for water to get through them.

House has beautiful plaster and woodwork. It's not an easy nor cheap thing to re-plumb. We just deal with it.

It sounds like we live in the same house. Maybe you win on water hardness. Luckily only our first floor is boiler heated so any plumbing is accessible in the basement.

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The damper seems to be working just fine. It opens when it is time for the burners to ignite and closes when they shut off. I do need to have someone come and change the thermostat while I watch below (bless her heart, my wife is not capable of doing that these days). I thought my boiler guy would be coming back and we would do that very thing, but since I have heat I am probably low on his list right now. Temps up to 64º tomorrow will certainly help both him and me.

Thermostat is electronic, no mercury sloshy thing inside.

Gas company is denying that the propane they put in the lines during the coldest nights had any negative effects; any problems are because customers did not maintain their units. RIGHT!

Follow up:

The damper is prime suspect of the problem. I noticed that it was open this afternoon and with no fire, it should be closed. I wiggled it a bit and it rotated 180º and the boiler fired right up. Tech guy suggested that I flip the switch that holds it open which I will do this evening.

Thanks for the suggestions to you all!