Pensotti blows out

[Pensotti]

I have a Pensotti oil fired boiler. Sometimes (couple times a month -- as my luck has it -- really cold nights) when there is a call for heat the boiler ignites so hard that it blows itself out, not sure if they call this puffback...doesn't really make a mess but the circulators are on so the water moves through the boiler jacket it just never heats up (if the boiler blows itself out it never attempts to re-ignite -- so in the winter everytime I go away I worry about not heating the house....if no one at all is home I try to get somebody to stop by and check every day.

Called a service guy...his answer was "These Pensotti's are very quirky...if the wind is blowing and disrupts the draft this will happen" I'm no expert but that doesn't seem like much of an answer. So as far as the draft:

6" exhasut from Pensotti into a 8" chimney thimble, into a 13" x 13" chimney opening with no liner at all, just brick.

Found a Pensotti manual which speaks about having too much draft and it can cause puffback along with several other items...the Pensotti manual diagrams a handmade damper of sorts to cut down on draft...wondering if this is my issue...I'd like to go away next winter and not have to worry about my pipes...come home and the pipes will be burst and the fish tank will be a block of ice..

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Bill Arden]

Disclaimer: The following is not standard or approved...

I would run a 3 to 4 inch pipe down the chimney and connect it to the blower intake so that the intake air is at the same pressure as the exhaust regardless of the wind.

You would have to have two U bend pieces at the top of the chimney so that it draws in fresh air and not exhaust.

This plan would also have the advantage of pre-heating the incoming air and thus increasing efficiency.

Running the air-intake separately would be a more standard method. As long as the air intake is near the chimney exhaust the pressures would be about the same.

[jpw8e]

I've never heard of the Pensotti being finicky. I know my brother had a question about his boiler and called the home office and talked to a service tech. He was quite satisfied with the information they provided.

[nhmaster]

The air pressure in the basement is the same even if you put a pipe down the chimney.

Is your pensotti oil or gas fired and either way, which burner does it have in it. I need make and model please.