Cleaning Baxi 552 boiler burner/jets

[jirams]

What is the correct way to clean the jets and burner on Baxi 552 back boiler? I have no problem getting the burner out but need advice on cleaning the parts to obtain a clean burning flame. Thanks for any advice.

 

[shorticus]

Baxi's service advice is to never use anything hard or abbrasiive, certainly never try to clean any jet with a needle or piece of wire, just use soft bristle brushes and air, most of the merchants will sell aerosols of compressed air

 

[jirams]

If there is any build up of 'crud' on the jet can this be removed by use of a soft implement such as a wooden cocktail stick or toothpick?

 

[shorticus]

I'd get a new one

 

[jirams]

Thanks shorticus. The basis of my enquiry is that this boiler is burning with quite a lot of bright yellow above the blue flame. The flue above is in good open condition, there is no restriction of air from the room into the boiler. I therefore expect that the next point to check on this old set up is the cleanliness of the jets and burner. The pilot is pure blue. The system is overseen by monoxide alarms and they NEVER have registered any CO. The system has been cleaned out, free of any dust or debris and lint arrestors are immaculate.

 

[shorticus]

Your CO alarms are of course monitoring your room. If ventilation and flueing are good and there's no spillage then the burner could be spewing buckets of CO up the chimney and you'd (thankfully) never know, the yellow flame is as you say indication of less than satisfactory combustion but the only way of knowing for sure is to test with an analyser, this is difficult to do properly on a bbu so I'm told, I've personally never tried.

Did you know that this boiler has a seasonal efficiency of only 65%, you maybe chucking CO up into the atmosphere but you are most definitely chucking money up there. Baxi now make a condensing bbu with over 90% efficiency, might be worth a look

 

[jirams]

Have to admit that this is a very old installation. Has been very reliable but really should be brought up to date. I wonder if the regs allow me to replace this old 552 with a condensing BBU - how does it get rid of the condensate?

What happens to a boiler burner to make it produce yellow when there is no problem with flue or supply of air?

 

[metaldust9]

i always boil the jets in a pan of water bring them to the boil usually does it ,if the flames are yellow there has to be a reason ventalation or lack of gas to jets

 

[jirams]

i always boil the jets in a pan of water bring them to the boil usually does it ,if the flames are yellow there has to be a reason ventalation or lack of gas to jets

Water gauge is at correct pressure for boiler - could crudded up jet cause reduction in gas flow to produce yellow in flame.

 

[tamz]

It will be dust INSIDE the burner. Take it out and wash it.

 

[shorticus]

Have to admit that this is a very old installation. Has been very reliable but really should be brought up to date. I wonder if the regs allow me to replace this old 552 with a condensing BBU - how does it get rid of the condensate?

What happens to a boiler burner to make it produce yellow when there is no problem with flue or supply of air?

The new baxi's got a inbuilt pump, then you just run a 10mm plasitic pipe along the skirting to outside....and purpose built soak away.
I'm assuming that this is gravity DHWS, if so part L requires it converting to fully pumped, Y or S plan etc

 

[jirams]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the kind assistance offered here.

Could I ask - what is the opinion in the Heating trade of the Baxi BBU HE boiler with respect to reliability, cost, performance etc etc. I will have to look closely at a new boiler next summer and replacing with another (condensing) BBU would be the easiest wrt space and ease of fitting. I expect that it will be one of the more expensive options due to needing a front fire as well?

 

[jirams]

My hot water is indirect cylinder with 9 rads on circulating pump - just like Noah had on the Ark. I am a 'poor old pensioner dude' who thinks that things like cars and central heating should last for ever - How much do Baxi BBU He + fire systems come in at?

 

[shorticus]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the kind assistance offered here.

Could I ask - what is the opinion in the Heating trade of the Baxi BBU HE boiler with respect to reliability, cost, performance etc etc. I will have to look closely at a new boiler next summer and replacing with another (condensing) BBU would be the easiest wrt space and ease of fitting. I expect that it will be one of the more expensive options due to needing a front fire as well?

The front fires are holographic screens, you can get them with a little warm air heater but you can't get them with a real flame

 

[kirkgas]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the kind assistance offered here.

Could I ask - what is the opinion in the Heating trade of the Baxi BBU HE boiler with respect to reliability, cost, performance etc etc. I will have to look closely at a new boiler next summer and replacing with another (condensing) BBU would be the easiest wrt space and ease of fitting. I expect that it will be one of the more expensive options due to needing a front fire as well?

the only person i have spoken to about them is a baxi rep!!!! however he is someone i've known for many yrs and i trust his opinion, he thinks they have their uses but admits the cost can be high, the cost of the flue and peoples need to use a scaffold on most jobs to install it properly, the fire front is electric, so it is now a room sealed appliance with electric fire so potentially/realistically safer, he did say some of the test house customers complained about the condensate pump being noisy, but they changed the motor in them and the second one was fine

 

[kirkgas]

It will be dust INSIDE the burner. Take it out and wash it.

tam, tam, tam, you are showing your age, these young whippersnappers dont strip and clean anything these days, new boiler required

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

you could always replace the burner if the internal baffles worn they are still available at £100,the jet its self rarely wears and is easy to remove as for the fact the burmuda is 65% efficient maybe it is but if it has a good case and flue liner is fitted and serviced correctly it will outlive all your Worcesters and vissemanns

 

[metaldust9]

was thinkin that gas man but didnt wana start another argument lol had a few head mashing days

 

[tamz]

Thats probably true Kirk but does a better job than faffing about with aerosols.

As for the baxi he bbu's.
They are expensive and although the idea sounds good in principle, i can guarantee it will be harder to fit one to an existing system than fit a wall mounted elsewhere. (especially if the existing is gravity). The condense pump, even if they have made it quieter, will still be an issue.
Personally i don't see the point in them.
Also i've dropped enough liners in my life. I ain't doing any more so i won't be fitting them.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i dont see the point of the burmuda he either hard to get the conden away and the fires electric

 

[metaldust9]

had to change the burner on a baxi bemuda with my m8 for my porfollio cos there was cracks between the ports

that was burning yellow and the pilot was to put some air down that

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

was that on the fire or boiler? gf fires and lfes prone to cracking

 

[jirams]

Thats probably true Kirk but does a better job than faffing about with aerosols.

As for the baxi he bbu's.
They are expensive and although the idea sounds good in principle, i can guarantee it will be harder to fit one to an existing system than fit a wall mounted elsewhere. (especially if the existing is gravity). The condense pump, even if they have made it quieter, will still be an issue.
Personally i don't see the point in them.
Also i've dropped enough liners in my life. I ain't doing any more so i won't be fitting them.

Hi tamz - I suspected that the idea of the Baxi BBU HE was probably better than the reality of fitting it etc etc. I suspect that many older heating engineers (like myself in age !) still regard the Baxi 552 as built like a tank? Maybe I should just keep it going - it may well outlive the wife and me ;0(

 

[metaldust9]

carnt remember gas man was a while ago think both had problems might have been the fire ,the retetion ports had crackes in them on the boiler

 

[tamz]

Probably still more life left in it than the lifespan of a new one. The push to condensing has little to do with saving money.
All parts are still readily available and a well maintained OF boiler is no more unsafe than any other.

 

[Toddyplumb]

We still have a few 552s we service, and as Tamz says parts are readily available.
Take the burner out , get a nice white cloth and gently tap the burner with the inlet above the cloth , see how much dust and rust comes out.

 

[Reg Man]

Yer linted filter on the burner. Clean it.

 

[jirams]

Took out the 552 burner this afternoon and found a lint mat on the filter over where the burner draws in air!! Never seen so much lint here before. Cleaned main and pilot jets and washed out all the burner components.

Boiler now burning with 'classic' blue flame with tufts of orange - no yellow at all.

Baxi 552 rides again - 28 years old and amazing - has had a Honeywell valve (solenoid failed after 18 years), a spark generator and a front insulation pad this year + regular routine maintenance.

They don't make them like this any more.

Thanks to all you guys for contributing - great forum.

;0)

 

[metaldust9]

reg man you were rite all give ourselfs a round of applause, lol

 

[shorticus]

my thanks too, I've certainly picked up a few tips, always learning....