What did I break!?! Rheem Oil Combustion Chamber???
While inspecting the combustion chamber on my Rheem RONC-112 oil furnace for rust/burn through, I broke what I'll call the fibrous heat distributing basket that extends around and in front of the air tube on the Beckett oil burner. Turns out it is really, really fragile, and setting the burner assembly down to hard can cause it to break. SO, question is, what is this thing, is it uber-essential, and how do I find a replacement if absolutely necessary? My inclination is that it is a baffle intended to more evenly distribute the heat and stop the flame from burning out the back of the combustion chamber... but I'm no expert and I don't know. I can't find any reference to one of these anywhere on the internet. Please help me identify and educate. I've attached pictures of the broken piece as it orients to the burner, all removed from the furnace, and a shot inside the combustion chamber. What you have broken is the combustion chamber. Yes, it is essential. DO NOT run the furnace without it. To do so will likely result in a prompt burnout of the heat exchanger. You are probably going to have to get it from a Rheem dealer, if it is even available. You might want to try Patriot Supply -. They may or may not have it. If there is an aftermarket part available it likely would be made by Lynn. *sigh* Anyone on here a Rheem dealer that's willing to look up that part number for me? The local rheem dealer told me very politely to go pound sand. Internet is absolutely zero help - if it was a dishwasher I could find the part number in minutes It's a Rheem RONC-112. I need a combustion chamber. Got one to sell? I'm all ears. I did e-mail one place am supposed to get a reply within 1/2 hr. but I'm not holding my breath. I can get a part# tomorrow. I contacted my local Rheem distributor today was informed the chamber is not available as a separate part, only as part of the complete heat exchanger. A skilled inovative tech could probably make one from a wet pack. A skilled inovative tech could probably make one from a wet pack. I've done some creative work with refractories and I sure wouldn't take on the job of trying to duplicate that chamber. It looks to me that your only recourse is to purchase the entire combustion chamber and heat exchanger repair kit or installing a new furnace. unfortunately, the cost of a complete heat eaxchanger is prohibitive, as is a new furnace (obviously). Before I start searching craigslist for a used (up) furnace, would one of these combustion chambers work? It appears from the limited description to be a 'universal' combustion chamber of roughly the same dimension as the one I broke... and it's cheap! Patriot Supply - 1039 Anyone know if this is a 'universal', as it gives the dimensions, and even if it's not is there any reason I couldn't use it if I can find a way to securely attach it to the plate the old combustion chamber was attached to? Thanks again! Originally Posted by furd I've done some creative work with refractories and I sure wouldn't take on the job of trying to duplicate that chamber. It looks to me that your only recourse is to purchase the entire combustion chamber and heat exchanger repair kit or installing a new furnace. I also found this, for a photo of the chamber mentioned in the last post: http://www.fwwebb.com/pdf/htgcat03/2003htgcat_p132.pdf what about alternately using the wet blanket to line the heat exchanger walls so it will act as a combustion chamber? I talked with another person at the supply house today. It seems the original parts guy or I used the wrong model number. The chamber is available the part number is: AS-46531-09 My supply house does not have one in stock would take about 4-5 days to get but maybe someone in your area does have it. Originally Posted by Grady I talked with another person at the supply house today. It seems the original parts guy or I used the wrong model number. The chamber is available the part number is: AS-46531-09 My supply house does not have one in stock would take about 4-5 days to get but maybe someone in your area does have it. Thank you so much! It being the weekend here I won't be able to look until Monday. I found it online at partsguy.com for about $200. This still leaves me interested in that universal looking one I posted earlier and if it's applicable. I'm very mechanical and can likely adapt as needed if it is even possible. Anyone? That is very close to what the part would cost me (including shipping). I'm told because of the size the way Rheem packs it, it would be oversize for UPS comes via freight. The shipping was about 40% of the cost. Sounds fishy to me. The parts list I got lists that part as: Combustion Chamber / Burner Mounting Plate I suggest you call them to verify this is the right part. Be sure to have the complete model serial numbers of your furnace handy when you call. Originally Posted by Grady That is very close to what the part would cost me (including shipping). I'm sure that price doesn't include shipping, so it's probably considerably more expensive as you noted. It would make sense that it was pre-mounted to the burner plate, looks to be a minorly sensitive mounting. How about that $20 from patriot supply? I'm no oil guy, so this is what I regard as common sense: You are LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY that you can get the original part at a modest cost! Don't even think about patching something together on your own! You have already learned what the downside of DIY can be by breaking the original. Don't make that a lot worse by risking your family's health and safety by patching together a key component that obviously undergoes great thermal stress from having all that oil burned in it, year after year. In my view, the alternative would be replacing your existing oil furnace. On the bright side, I see quite a few rather late model oil furnaces available for free on Craigslist or for a few dollars because people are abandoning oil in droves, at least around here. I have to agree with S/P on this one. If the part from Patriot were an exact replacement, I'd say go for it but these universal wet packs are not easy to shape especially with the fact the chamber is horizontal with all the holes you would have to cut in it? Stick with the OEM part even at 10X the cost. Even as an experienced professional, I would. thank you everyone for your inputs. I guess I've got some thinking to do. Used furnaces are certainly not free here, the oldest ones can be had for $125, and there's a new thermopride 0C5-85 for $1200 (all via craigslist). A new furnace (with no efficiency gains if the AFUE is correct for furnaces 14 years apart) for six times the cost of fixing the old one is not an easy comparison. Again, I thank you all for helping me. If you ever need help fixing a car just let me know Anyone know anything about that thermo pride unit? Thermo-Pride is THE premier oil fired furnace. They are built to last last last. If I had warm air heat, I'd have a Thermo-Pride, no doubt about it. I routinely work on them 20+ years old that are still in great shape. The OC5-85, I think is a discontinued model do you really need that much heat? Anyway, here's a link to the install manual: http://www.thermopride.com/manuals/Mo100G.pdf I really don't need that much heat, but it's significantly less than the current rheem's rating, and it's what's available on craigslist Twice what I need is better than four times what I need, right? I think an in-the-box new thermopride, even if it is a few years old, for $1200 is probably a great deal, particularly since it's almost the same dimensions as my current furnace and the correct configuration. My wife has told me 'just get it over with', so I think this is the route I'm taking. I'm heading there now to look at it, and if the dimensions work out it's coming home with me. The price is right, no steal but a good price. Be prepared with a strong back. Thermo-Pride is HEAVY. Originally Posted by torgysbuick I really don't need that much heat, but it's significantly less than the current rheem's rating, and it's what's available on craigslist Twice what I need is better than four times what I need, right? I think an in-the-box new thermopride, even if it is a few years old, for $1200 is probably a great deal, particularly since it's almost the same dimensions as my current furnace and the correct configuration. My wife has told me 'just get it over with', so I think this is the route I'm taking. I'm heading there now to look at it, and if the dimensions work out it's coming home with me. Thermo Pride is great ! Good people and good equipment ! Good luck in your decision ! can anyone point me to decode the serial number on this thermo pride to find out when it was manufactured? No code to it. You have to call Thermo-Pride. You can get a rough idea by using the date code off of the burner control. Honeywell uses a 4 digit date code. For example 2502 would be the 25th week of 2002.
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