CompletelyClean 14 Report post Posted April 25, 2004 How long should my burner keep heating my water? I have been doing a lot of flatwork inside auto repair shops. After about 3 hours of continuous cleaning with my Steel Eagle surface cleaner, my water gets cold for a looong time. I know there is an internal thermostat to cool down the burner but how long should it take before it heats up again? Would it help if I shut off the burner or the whole unit for a few minutes? You can REALLY notice the streaks in the concrete when the water suddenly turns cold, i.e. it isn't cleaning as well. Also, what are you guys using for fuel for your burners...diesel, kerosene, fuel oil? A PW'er mechanic told me that #1 fuel oil keeps the coils cleaner longer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russ Johnson 141 Report post Posted April 25, 2004 Hey, Bryan. That burner should run as long as you don't run out of fuel. Does your machine have a thermostat, a high limit switch, or both? A thermostat will regulate temperature with only a slight variation, a high limit has to be stone cold to reset. Are the nozzles in your surface cleaner sized for your machine's output? If the flow is restricted slightly, the water may tend to get too hot and open the high limit. Could be, too, that the high limit is defective and is opening too soon. One other flukey thing to check is fuel tank venting. If the vent is clogged or otherwise inoperative in your fuel cap, the fuel pump will pull a vacuum on your tank and the fuel flow will stop. As soon as the burner stops firing, remove the fuel cap. If it relights, there's your problem. If not, get a pressure / temp gauge or find a service tech with one and see at what temp your burner is dropping out. A circuit breaker tripping can also cause the symptoms you describe. Happy hunting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stoppie101 20 Report post Posted May 1, 2004 http://www.pressurewasherstore.com/pw/hotwater.html This is the heater I have. An All American that uses propane. I have had the same problem. when I first fire it up, I have heat, not super hot, but definately warm. and after about 20 mins or so, the temp really drops down. The water is still warmer then normal, but there is a noticable difference. my unit has a flow sensor on it, and whenever I pull the trigger, I can see the flames kick in, so I know it's working. Anyone have experience with this? Russ, is a high limit like a thermostat? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russ Johnson 141 Report post Posted May 1, 2004 A thermostat is made to regulate temperature, a high limit is to prevent the water from turning to steam and damaging a machine and its components. Thermostats are designed to cycle numerous times, a high limit will wear out if cycled continuously. The range of temperature difference on a thermostat is relatively small, while, as I stated above, a high limit has to cool completely to reset. The biggest pain in the butt about lp burners is related to the surface area of the gas in the bottles. Vapors boil out of the liquid, so the tank diameter will severely limit output. I have found that siamesing 2 or 3 bottles together will provide much better gas vapor flow. Another option would be forklift bottles designed to lay on their side. There's more surface area in a 40# bottle on its side than a 100# upright cylinder. Hey, Bryan, did you find your problem? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stoppie101 20 Report post Posted May 7, 2004 it worked! i wired 2 20lb tanks together and i had heat all night. THANKS!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russ Johnson 141 Report post Posted May 7, 2004 You are quite welcome. Happy cleaning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CompletelyClean 14 Report post Posted May 7, 2004 I haven't hadto use my surface cleaner longer than 1-2 hours since that post. I have a 3+ hour job tonight, though. I'll let you know if I have the problem and if loosening the gas cap helps. Stay tuned... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
