Burnham MPO Boiler Review
By The MPO Boiler is one of the boilers that were designed with an innovative design. The main ideas for creating this boiler are the efficiency, the quality and how easy it is to service the boiler. The efficiency rating of the boiler is 87% AFUE and they are proud to say that there are no other boilers in the industry that is more efficient or even more reliable in providing of heat.
The MPO Boiler System has a one of a kind 3-Pass Cast Iron Design. This makes the boiler’s efficiency increase because there are more passways for the heat to travel through before coming to the heating system that heats your home. The 3-Pass Cast Iron Heat Exchanger takes as much of the Btu’s from the combustion process and uses them to heat your home. Each MPO Boiler comes with a one of a kind return water device that will automatically mix the hot boiler water with cool return water. The instrument can also keep the temperatures steady, this will also help improve the efficiency of the boiler.
There are 5 different sizes to the MPO Series Boiler, the MPO84 has a heating capacity of 74,000 MBH, Model MPO115 has a heating capacity of 98,000 MBH, Model MPO147 has a heating capacity of 129,000 MBH, Model MPO189 has a heating capacity of 167,000 MBH and Model MPO231 has a heating capacity of 203,000 MBH. Some of the features of the MPO Boiler System include, a Large Combustion Chamber. There are other systems that need a target wall to increase the heat but with this system there is no target wall or blanket, this will help increase the transfer of heat and will lessen the amount of repairs on the system. The MPO also has a Removable Flue way Baffles, this system will let the boiler to be installed in a multiple of different ways with the chimney application and will also allow cleaning to be done with ease.
The boiler is surrounded with a 3″ thick insulation, which is centered on the boiler block. This insulation will decrease the amount of heat loss that often escapes through the boiler jacket. The MPO has Honeywell Aquastat which is an electronic aquastat that includes a digital display and an interface that has the capacity of giving the homeowner diagnostic information. This style of boiler will help you save money on repairs, because as these diagnostic systems tell you when there are problems, you don’t have to wait until the problem gets worse before you can repair the system.
If you live in a home that does not have a chimney, the MPO-DV (Direct Vent) is available as an option kit. The kit includes a stainless steel sidewall with a concentric vent/air intake termination. There is insulated pipe that come sin lengths of 5, 10, 15 and 20-foot lengths. The Burnham MPO is one of the best boilers in the market; if you are thinking about replacing the old style boiler you have now, think about the MPO and make the smart choice.
HAve recently (10/31) had a Burnham MPO84 (with Beckett AFG burner) installed in my home. Being early in the season and since I do keep my home fairly cool (55-60F) it did not run much until late November. Since Thanksgiving i ahve had the installer/servicer in four times due to igniton failures varying from poor ignition (taking several tries to stabilize) to absolutely no ignition at all. Problem seems to be related to clogging of the low-flow nozzle (.5 gph). When the nozzle is changed, igniton is prompt. Great except I can not have the servicer coming twice a week to replace the nozzle! Yes we have checked the oil and twice replace the filter cartridge. Does this sound at all familiar? Am getting to the point that I have no confidence at all in this unit.
– I’m in the same boat with Tom. Our MPO84 worked like a champ heating water. Soon as winter hit – bam – no ignition. It only does it when the temps are in the single digits, to add insult to injury. I’d love to have clue why this is happening to a unit that seems to get such rave comments on the web.
– Thanks!!
Same type of problem with the MPO84. Worked fine for 3 months until the weather got really cold, then ignition problems started. Woke up freezing one morning and called my installer. Of course they tried to blame the oil line but that was not the problem. The Beckett burner uses intermittant ignition which was not working properly. As I was told, the tech wired the ignition differently so it is on all the time when the motor is running. So far, so good, but this is NOT how it was intended by the factory. I’d like a better “fix” explained to me if possible. I’m also not very happy with this unit so far.
I have the MPO147 wBeckett NX burner. It has been a headache every heating season. Heats water great in the summer, son as winter hits, the burner carbons up!! Company states it has to be set up with a combustion analyzer( 11.7-12.0 CO2, .085 B Hago nozzle, 180 PSI are the recommended specs) which doesn’t make a bit of difference. The aforementioned specs dont allow the unit to run better than 84.8% efficency. The company is misrepresenting the capabilities of the boiler. Bottom line, it is unrelliable and the company knows!
HOW DO I CHANGE DRAIN VALVE ON MY BURNHAM BOILER
Here in Alaska we run into cold weather issues often w/ oil. Check 1. Is the fuel oil supplied type 1 or type 2? 2. Do you have a Tiger Loop installed on the Burner? These help warm the oil before it hits the nozzle. 3. Do you have a water filter? 4. Have you tried wrapping a heat trace on the fuel supply line with poly insulation around it? Usually if a burner works adequatly in warm temps, it will with correct protection on the fuel supply. In extreme temps a Day tank can be used, ensuring room air temp fuel hits the burner, eliminating gelling of the oil.
I too have a Burnham MPO147 Unit. We had so many problems with our 1st unit, the Burnham Rep gave us an “offer we couldn’t refuse!”. Now my second unit is also shutting down and failing to ignite. It’s always the .85 nozzle! I jsut replace the oil pump for $400.00. Burnham has no idea how much aggravation this unit has caused my family. The president of the company should wake-up without heat like we do! Someone should start a class action suit. Count me in!
I replaced a Burnham V8 with this new junk Mega Steam with the Beckett furnace on Dec. 18th, 20009, to date it is a problem. if it isn’t one thing it’s everything. i went through the winter cold. the house is not big but with the orginial burner and even the V8 the house was warm and comfortable on 68-72 degrees. i haven’t dared to turn the heat down below 70 because the house is COLD. i have to turn the heat up to 76-78 degrees just to get warm, then there is a blast of heat the house gets warm and then it goes back down to COLD before it heats up. i have had the service department so many times they should move in. today they changed the thermostat no change and this is after they had to change a part that regulated the pressure which was a “factory” defect. it appears that these burners are not what they claim to be no matter what. it’s all the name and the money behind it. as the “little” guy who paid through the nose for crap and i mean that what recourse do i have. it takes 5-6 minutes for the hot water to make it throught the pipes which is raising my water bill and i am using more oil than this new efficent burner was suppose to use. it is a lemon, plain and simple. where do i go from here?
your boiler is either not sized right or its not piped correctly sounds like a installation problem
I have installed many of the mega steam boilers and so far have not had any of these type of problems. I beleive they are the best american manufactured boiler on ths market and give the buderus a heck of run for their money
MPO IGNITION PROBLEMS: Try a Semi-Solid (SS) nozzle. The spray pattern will help ignition reliability. You may also try a 60- or 70-degree spray angle in this regard rather than a 45-degree angle. Make sure your oil pump pressure is at least 140 psi. Also make sure that there is not too much air (lean combustion). Your problem is more likely due to your service provider not knowing these “tricks of the trade” rather than the equipment– there are a lot of variables. The boiler can be tough to fire because it has a high back pressure– it’s what makes it efficient– and the burner has to “push” the products of combustion through the boiler– so make sure the boiler and chimney are clean and not causing an increased pressure for the burner to work against. If the nozzle is clogging prematurely, there is a fuel cleanliness issue; have an old tank? Try a product called HOT OIL (a fuel system treatment) and make sure you have a good fuel oil filter. If the filter looks like a tar baby when you replace it annually or less, that’s telling you something about the fuel in your tank. Increasing the filter size/capacity will also help if you have this problem, by giving you a little more time between maintenance cycles. I hope this helps–
I have this boiler installed in my home for the last three years. I’m a heating contractor and I felt guilty not doing anything to maintain this Rolls Royce of a boiler so just today I went and opened the combustion chamber. It was cleaner then my desk,
I did not have the exact nozzle size so I just hit it with a bit of brake clean, I’ll get the right size nozzle tomorrow.
I used my Bacharach combustion analyser to confirm the 87% eff.
I guess I’m doing something wrong because this boiler will put me out of business.
Act Now HVAC 973 579 9911 Newton, NJ
The problem is your set up that is being provided by the technician…. Secondary air, Spray angle (45′ SS Hago), and Z setting are critical on this small boiler…. I have set up several and they run great… Tech may also need to move Cad Cell To Ensure Proper Flame Sensing Intensity…. They are a great boiler…
All these reviews with ppl P’ing and Moaning about the boiler… The great majority of fuel tanks these days are above ground and often in unheated spaces. I am willing to bet that ALL these ignition problems that were described are due to COLD OIL being fed to the burner. There are ways around this that your service techs should be aware of. Don’t bash the equipment until you are sure it IS the equipment and not the Knucklehead Bozos that call themselves technicians.
I have an MPO147-DV. Are any of these issues related to Direct Vent installations? My brand new oil tank is in the basement, so the oil should not be too cold. It might be the setup, but every technician (and there have been many) has told me, “The last guy did not know what he was doing. I will set it right.” Two to three months later, then next technician tells me the same thing. The thing burns so dirty, that it just stops running and there is oil-soot all over the outside of my house.
— After six years of service calls and headaches, I am replacing this piece of junk with a brand new GAS furnace.
I hate this boiler I have 2 MPO147-tn. They are horrible. the most unreliable systems ever. My house is 48 degrees now. I have called a tech and am ready to take a hammer to this thing. I have had it apart and cleaned it and am ready to go get a nozzle myself. How much to replace this hunk of scrap?