There is nothing quite so satisfying as feeling stupid and then finding out you're not alone.
Several years ago I bought a new Voltarc-Hyde 16 inch ribbon burner with "economizer" and wondered what the hell the little screws an the economizer were, and how it was supposed to work. The older Hyde burners I'd been using didn't have these.
I called Voltarc and the man I talked to said. "Funny you should ask. When we bought out Hyde. these things came without instructions, and I can't really help you." He did confirm that the incoming pipes marked "G" and "A" are for gas and air. and that the third inlet, with the valve. is for oxygen. "...something I wish they'd never put on there -- it makes it too dangerous."
Upon dissecting the economizer, I concluded the following:
1) With the lever flipped down. you're in "normal" mode. The main air and gas inlets are open. Gas and air adjustment is made by you, externally. with in-line valves prior to the ribbon burner body.
2) With the lever flipped up, you're in "economizer" mode. which means that you've got a pilot-light-type setup. The main air and gas inlets are closed. but two tiny passages are drilled out and these are adjustable.
3) The two screws "G" and "A" adjust the pilot mixture. They only have an effect when the lever is up. To adjust them properly. turn them in as far as possible while still keeping a flame. If the flame goes out when the lever is flipped down, it's too low.
For the solenoid-valve on-off-flame crowd this is of no use. unless of course you want to cut out the hiss of the air when the ribbon is not in use. In this case just fully tighten the air valve. and flip the lever up.
Now you too can have visitors say. "Oh, so that's how those work." Image of Economizer
Copyright 1989 THE NEON NEWS
Published by Ted Persig & Val Crawford
Email: crawford@hawaii.net
