Contractor FAQ
General Information
How do I determine the manufacture date of boiler?
The numbers after the hyphen in the serial number indicate the manufacture date. Example: 123456-0310, “0310” would indicate a manufacture date of March, 2010. PB Heat, LLC has manufactured the Peerless® brand since 2003; prior to that the company who manufactured the Peerless® brand was The Peerless Heater Company who are no longer in business.
Where can I find information regarding rebates, tax incentives, etc.?
Please visit the “Rebates & Incentives” section of our website.
Where can I find boiler pricing?
Pricing and availability can be obtained from your local Peerless® product distributor. To locate a distributor near you, please use our website “Find a Distributor” search.
What is the difference between Series EC and ECT, SC and SCT?
The Series ECT and SCT have an opening for a tankless coil water heater in the rear section. This opening is cast closed on the Series EC and SC.
What is the difference between Series EC and WBV?
The Series EC is bigger: 42” tall vs. 35” tall. The EC has higher firing rates and outputs for a given number of sections (EC-03 vs. WBV-03 for example). Since it is bigger, the EC tends to have longer cycle times.
What is a Series 63 “L” model?
The “L” models have one less burner, a lower firing rate and a lower output. Flue collectors, labels, and safety devices are also different. PB Heat, LLC does not offer conversion kits to change “L” models to non-“L” models.
Can I convert a Series WV-DV to chimney venting?
No.
What size chimney does my customer need?
The National Fuel Gas Code governs chimney installations, therefore any questions pertaining to chimneys needs to be addressed with them.
Can I convert a Peerless® oil boiler to gas? What will the efficiency be?
We have not tested aftermarket gas conversion burners in our residential oil boilers. We do not have any specific recommendations. We do not know what the efficiency will be. You should contact your local gas supplier or the aftermarket gas conversion burner manufacturers, such as Riello or Midco for recommendations.
Peerless® residential oil boilers have three different model numbers listed on label/boiler tag. What does that mean?
Each of our residential Peerless® oil boiler models can be fired at different firing rates. Nozzles and other parts are included with the burners for multiple firing rates. A lower firing rate will have a lower output and higher efficiency, while a higher firing rate will have a higher output and slightly lower efficiency.
Was there ever a Peerless gas-fired “unit” heater manufactured?
No. If the heater was made in Kentucky (model number LUH – LOW-BOY-UNIT-HEATER ) it was made by a different company – PEERLESS UNIT HEATER Company – not our company.
Can I buy direct? Can I get prices from PB Heat, LLC?
PB Heat, LLC does not sell directly to retail customers. To locate a distributor near you, please use our website “Find a Distributor” search.
I’m looking for information for models manufactured prior to 2003:
PB Heat, LLC has manufactured the Peerless® brand since 2003; prior to that the company who manufactured the Peerless® brand is no longer in business.
Do you have an Extended Warranty Program:
Yes. Visit our website for information.
Installation/Maintenance
Can I turn my summer/winter boiler off during the summer?
Please contact your local contractor/service company. PB Heat sells many cold start boilers that do not run unless there is a call for heat, however if your boiler is in a damp environment, it probably should not be turned off. The low limit and differential can be turned completely down. A small amount of heat will keep inside of the boiler dry.
Can I install a Series PSC II or WV-DV without connecting the outside combustion air inlet?
No.
What is the correct setting for a steam boiler’s pressure control?
We cannot answer that question. It should be as low as possible, as long as all of the connected radiators get hot. A setting below 2 psig is usually enough.
Where should the water level be in a steam boiler’s gauge glass?
When there is no call for heat and the system is cold, the water level should be even with the normal water line. Marking this line with a string, tape or marker is a good idea. (From the bottom of the unit: WBV = 26-1/2”, EC/ECT/SC/SCT = 32-1/4”, LC/LCE = 46-1/2”, TC = 50-1/2”, 63/64 = 25-7/8”, 211A = 40-1/2”).
Can I use a power venter on a natural draft boiler?
We do not sell or specify power venters or draft inducers. They should be sized and installed according to the manufacturer’s requirements. On the Series WBV and EC/ECT there should be -0.01 to -0.02” W.C. draft over fire.
Residential oil boilers come with Beckett, Carlin and Riello burners.
They all perform equally well. If your distributor stocks parts for a particular brand, you might want to purchase that one.
How can I fire a Series WBV-03 at 0.60 gph firing rate?
Only with a Riello F-3.
What nozzle is recommended for residential oil burners?
See Residential Oil Burner Specifications in individual product manuals (https://www.peerlessboilers.com/document_category/literature/ )
What is the clearance to combustibles for a new boiler?
It is listed on a label on the jacket and in the manual for all residential boilers (https://www.peerlessboilers.com/document_category/literature/)
My customer would like me to install an Automatic Water Feeder to their steam boiler so that they don’t have to go to the basement to keep adding water. Is that okay?
- A boiler that needs to have water added to it frequently to keep running indicates that there is a leak in the system. Water can leak out as steam through faulty vents or as liquid through a hole in the condensate return pipes. Either type of leak must be repaired to prevent corrosion damage to the cast iron of the boiler. Excessive amounts of water fed into the boiler to replace leaking water also brings fresh oxygen, which as rust eats away at the iron. Boilers have been known to fail in as little as a year or two because of oxygen corrosion caused by excessive make-up water.
- Most Automatic Water Feeders (AWF) can hide leaks because there is no way to see if water is being added to compensate for the leak. Boilers without AWFs will shut-off on low water when there is a leak. The lack of heat will cause someone to see that there is a problem and call to have it corrected.
- There are newer-style AWFs that have built-in devices to measure the water that is fed into the boiler. As long as someone, either the homeowner or the contractor, is monitoring the amount of make-up water, this type of AWF does offer some protection against oxygen corrosion.
I am quoting a new steam boiler. My customer has recently installed new energy efficient windows and new attic and wall insulation. Will a smaller boiler work better than the same size boiler that’s there now?
- The only factor that matters in sizing a steam boiler is whether the boiler will generate enough steam to fill all the radiation connected to it. The heat loss of the building, including how well insulated it is, doesn’t matter at all. The best way to size a boiler is to measure the surface area of the radiators, which is usually very simple.
- There is a one-page radiator chart in all of the Peerless® Boilers’ Color of Heat Manuals. Following the instructions you go to each radiator and count the number of columns or tubes, measure the height of each section and count the number of sections. From the chart you can see how many square feet of steam (surface area) is in each radiator, add them altogether, then look on the Peerless brochure for the boiler with the same net square feet of steam.
- Before quoting on the boiler installation, it is a good time to look at other items in the steam heating system that might need to be fixed or replaced. Many homeowners assume that replacing the boiler will solve all problems they may be having.
New high-efficiency gas boilers, like the Peerless® PureFire®, recommend Primary/Secondary piping. I’ve never really understood the concept. What does it mean?
- Instead of the supply and return to/from the heating system being directly connected to the supply and return on the boiler, they are connected to each other to form a heating system loop. Two closely spaced tees (within four diameters of each other) are installed in the heating system loop with the side outlets pointing towards the boiler. The tee closest to the system return is connected to the boiler return. A circulator and check valve are installed in the boiler return piping. The boiler supply is connected to the tee closest to the system supply piping is connected to the boiler supply. Now you have two loops connected to each other at the two closely spaced tees. The boiler loop has a small amount of piping, so the circulator only has to overcome the pressure drop through the boiler. This is important on the high efficiency gas boilers, as their heat exchangers only hold a couple quarts of water and they have a high pressure drop. If the circulator is not big enough, the flow rate through the heat exchanger will be too low and water can flash to steam. Also, the water in the heat exchanger may heat up too quickly and the boiler will shut off, causing short cycling.
- Depending on the flow rates in the heating system loop and the boiler loop, the water in between the closely spaced tees can flow forward, backward or not at all. All three possibilities are acceptable.
- If primary/secondary piping is used, the heating system circulators can be sized without worrying about the large pressure drop through the boiler.
I am replacing a hot water boiler in an old house with fairly large pipes and one zone with a circulator. The previous boiler being replaced didn’t last very long. Is there anything special I need to do?
A bypass between the supply and return should be installed near the boiler to reduce condensation. Refer to the “Preventing Condensation” section in our Water Survey or to “Piping for Constant Low Temp Operation” in The Color of Water for suggested piping. You can also refer to Part 4, “Piping for Low Temperature Systems” in the Hydronics Institute Residential Hydronic Heating Installation Guide.
The boiler in my customer’s home is in a large open basement. The customer wants to finish the basement and build a room for the boiler. How big does the room have to be to provide enough combustion air or should I install an outside air intake kit?
See “Combustion and Ventilation Air” in the Preinstallation section of the manual. There are calculations that you can make to answer this question. Also, there are required clearances to combustible surfaces listed on the boiler, as well as recommended clearances for servicing the boiler listed in the manual. These clearances must also be considered. If a boiler is approved for “Alcove Installation,” you cannot install a door in front of the boiler. You can only build a room with three walls.
Parts/Repair Information
Where can I purchase Repair Parts in my area?
Contact Parts to Your Door, 610-916-5380 or www.partstoyourdoor.com
My customer’s heating equipment has been damaged by storm surge/flood; what should I do:
Please review the important information provided by AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute) regarding floods and HVACR Equipment.
Troubleshooting
What is the best way to figure out the cause of standing pilots blowing out intermittently?
First look for causes that might be around the boiler: Is there a draft from a window or doorway that could get strong enough to blow the pilot out? Is the boiler in a small, confined space with a clothes dryer that could suck enough air from the space and snuff the pilot out? Are there other gas appliances in the home with a pilot that also blows out? That could indicate problems with gas flow and/or piping. If no external cause is found, there might be a problem with either the thermocouple, which senses the pilot flame, or with the gas valve, which regulates pilot gas and gas for the burners. Use the Standing Pilot Test Procedure to make sure the thermocouple and the gas valve are working properly. Replace the part(s) that fails the test.
The flue gasses from my customer’s direct vent oil boiler keep getting sooty even after it’s been cleaned. Is there a way to check for cross contamination of the flue gasses into the incoming combustion air?
First look for sources of cross contamination: is the outside vent termination in an enclosed area, such as under a deck or closed in by nearby walls, bushes, etc? Is the venting installed and sealed according to the installation manual? An electronic flue gas analyzer (some brand names are Bacharach, Testo & Wohler) is needed to accurately measure the oxygen level in combustion air. Outside air contains 20.9% oxygen. Put the measuring probe of a properly calibrated electronic analyzer into the combustion air stream. If it measures less than 20.9% oxygen, it probably contains some flue gas products.
The relief valve on one boiler job keeps weeping water on the floor. I’ve replaced it and the expansion tank also, but it still keeps leaking. What could be wrong?
- The expansion tank may not be big enough. Is there glycol based antifreeze in the system? The solution will expand more than plain water.
- If there is a tankless coil water heater installed in the boiler, it may be leaking higher pressure water into the boiler.
- If there is an automatic fill valve installed, it may be leaking higher pressure water into the boiler.
- If the cold water supply (with or without an automatic fill valve) is connected to the system in the wrong place, it could add a little water every time the circulator comes on. Eventually there will be so much water added that the relief valve opens. The cold water supply should be connected at the expansion tank.
My customer’s boiler has a tankless coil that doesn’t make enough hot water for them to take showers in the morning. Is there anything I can do?
- Is the boiler brand new or has it been installed for years? If it is several years old and if it has been making less and less hot water each year, the coil may need to be cleaned and flushed or replaced. Minerals have built up on the inside of the coil. If you cannot clean the coil yourself, you may be able to find a plumber who can. In some municipalities the coil cannot be cleaned due to chemical disposal concerns. In this case it should be replaced.
- If the coil is new or does not have a mineral build up inside, is the customer turning up their thermostat before they take a shower? The boiler may not have enough output to heat the house and hot water at the same time.
- Take the gross output of the boiler and divide it by 50,000. This is how many gallons per hour the boiler can heat at 100°F temperature rise (from 40 to 140°F). If the customer uses more than that the boiler cannot keep up and it will drop in temperature, even with the burner running continuously.
- Did the coil come from us or is it from an aftermarket manufacturer? There should be a label on it. If it is our coil, is there an “R” in the model number, such as “X-1019R?” If so, a flow restrictor is built into the coil. If not, an external flow restrictor can be added.
- The low limit of the boiler can be turned up if a mixing valve is installed to prevent scalding. This will store more heat in the boiler before the customer starts their shower.
- A storage tank can be added to the coil if necessary.
- It may be possible to increase the firing rate of the boiler, but then it may be oversized for the house’s heat loss.