Allen Zadr's Journal: Trapped Under Ice

Sunday, can't go anywhere. Can't do anything. Waiting for Gas Company repair guy, expected before 8PM. Water Heater is going flaky. Technical Details for reader's skipping convenience are below.

Job thing is getting even scarier. The CFO at my company (relatively small company) whom I've worked with for near seven years had a 40 minute conversation with me. He's never before talked to me for more than 5 minutes. He's concerned that I have an exit strategy, because the CEO doesn't think IT is an expense that we need to consider (meaning, my salary). CFO discussed options of talking to the CEO about the importance of IT at a Technology Company (we write and sell freaking SOFTWARE). He also discussed his (and other managements difficulty in defending me because none of them really know what I do for a living. He prefaced this with his knowledge that I must be doing a pretty good job, because he never has to think about what I do, which means, stuff rarely breaks.

So... I spent the next 25 minutes or so, discussing the history of my position, and how I came to be responsible for all of the things I'm responsible for. Why I do what projects for other regions, and I detailed some of the problems that the other regions have had when they've had newbie MCSE types trying to run things.

In the end, I think he was more afraid of losing me, and I felt a little more like there was nothing he would be able to do to stop it.

Yet, I have /yet another/ verbal job offer, and I'm really hoping I'll have it finalized and in writing by the time week's end rolls around. I'm quite scared, partly because my last major project rollout is probably going to happen during this week (Exchange Server and ArcServe Backup), assuming I can fix the few issues that are still remaining on the ArcServe side.

Water Heater Technical

My water heater, like many of the newer gas models has an electronic ignition. When the water starts to get cool, an exhaust fan turns on, and a pilot starts shooting gas. The ignition starts sparking, and a temperature sensor makes sure that the pilot is actually lit. If the temperature sensor doesn't detect the flame, the gas shuts off for 30 seconds (remember there's an active exhaust fan running), and then it tries twice more. If it fails three times, the temperature control unit starts steadily blinking off and on (usually it stays on, but blinks brighter every 10 seconds or so).

At that point, I can turn off power to the unit (through the exhaust fan control), and turn it back on (in which case, it tries three more times). It is still lighting after the sixth try, but the pilot sensor is dying (thankfully a slow enough death that I could still have a hot shower). So, I wait for the Gas Company tech to come replace the faulty sensor.

A note about the technical

[trmj]

I believe it's a photo cell eye that detects the light from a flame, rather than the heat of the flame. If the machine cycles rather quickly, the burner chamber would still be hot from the previous ignition, and thus give a false reading. The nozzle disburses the gas, which crosses the path of a 10,000 volt spark. Poof, fire.

Me? Oh, I fix computers. Don't know anything at all about heating system repair. Or fixing cars, for that matter. Or carpentry. Or masonry. I think I should find a field and just sti

Re:A note about the technical

[Allen Zadr]

When he finally showed up (around 5PM), he pulled the whole thing out, and the sensor is basically a probe that hovers just above the primary flame. He scraped it clean (it had carbonized some), and ordered a new sensor, and a burner to boot. From observation it appears that the sensor (at the base of the probe, is integrated with the peizo element as well.

I think the heat collected on the carbonization from the flame, acts as an insulator to detecting the flame on the first few cycles, and keeps accu

Re:A note about the technical

[trmj]

The machines are supposed to burn at 94%-96% effeciency. The photo-cell is behind the flame, and so it doesn't get nearly enough soot to cover it. Once a year those machines should be cleaned, and the cleaning replaces nozzles / filters, and cleans the eye. Also, the eye costs about $1.80, and is a very simple design. One of these [stanford.edu] in some heat-resistant casing.

If you're being charged more than $5 for the eye, you're being ripped off and it's time to find a new service company.

Re:A note about the technical

[Allen Zadr]

It's a monthly service agreement, that I have against multiple appliances. It costs me approximately $25 per month, and includes Washer, Dryer, Furnace, A/C and Water Heater (maybe other things too). I got the service because my Washer and Dryer are over 10 years old, and have a tendancy of needing service.

How does one "clean" the flame area of a water heater? Is this a user-service thing, or does it require a wrench (for removing the burner assembly from the thermostat)?

Re:A note about the technical

[trmj]

You need a whole bag o' tools and some pretty nifty knowhow. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself, it's pretty easy to mess it up if you haven't done it before. The only way I know is because it's my father's trade, so I learned it throughout childhood.