Monitor Vented Kerosene Heater

[HayZee518]

go to radio shack and buy a 1N4004 diode and a 100K 1/2 watt resistor and a couple of alligator clips. connect the diode in series with the resistor. put some hookup wire on the diode lead and the resistor lead and the alligator clips on the hookup wire. now when the heater starts the burn cycle, connect the diode/resistor assembly across the flame rod wire and ground. if your heater goes into normal burn and keeps running on high, your problem is in the flamerod circuit or the flamerod itself. the diode/resistor is just a test device, don't leave it in.
if it don't work in one position reverse the connections and try it again.
the test device simulates the flamerod device is working.

[HayZee518]

Sticky on Heaters

'- jimmyj55''s Emporium - Home & Garden'
'- jimmyj55''s Emporium - Home & Garden'

[Jim M.]

HayZee518..... It looks like you might be one of the last resident experts on these great old heaters. Your knowledge of the Monitor heater is impressive to say the least. I completely rebuilt our M41 a couple of years ago (the burn area and igniter) using info from Jimmyj55's pages.....all of which are gone now. Very sad. I know manuals are unavailable for these units (I have an M40 in my garage for spare parts) but I was wondering if you could steer me toward some of your pages or others that could help me with the up-keep and possible repair of mine. I would be extremely grateful. It is just beginning to get into heating season, here in Maine, and after cleaning mine and giving it a good burn, I find that I am hearing some odd noises that I have never heard before. One is like a chirping bird (not too loud) and one is definitely the "pump" squeaking. I've been a member of this site for a long time but am not real savvy as to where i should post stuff like this. Hope you see this and don't mine replying. Thanks, very much.

[HayZee518]

why did you delete your post?
next thing, monitor products international is no more. they stopped making heaters.
any parts you find "out there" is it! no more around.
best to invest in a toyo laser 73 vented kero unit or rinnai.
sounds the heater makes. uh, if it sounds like a jet engine winding up, bearings on the combustion blower. squeals, circ fan needs oil. snapping sound, chamber expanding from heating or cooling down. chirping sound, fuel pump is dry. thump thump fuel pump is working.
I was just in Maine last week around old orchard beach.

[Jim M.]

Not sure how it was deleted, HayZee518. The sound my heater is making is definitely a "chirping" sound (upper left - facing heater). Not all the time and not loud. The second sound sounds like a "pumping" sound.....from the lower right. Both of these sounds are new. Maybe it's just from sitting over the Summer. I appreciate you getting back to me. I'll look into the possibility of a new one.......when I win the lottery! I recently became disabled after falling off a cliff (running from a swarm of wasps) so funds are a bit tight at the moment so I need to try and keep the old girl running as best I can, for now at least. I am learning to navigate my world with one arm/hand now. All things that were a given in the past have become new adventures now.....Including my Monitor maintenance! (Besides....My wife & I love the old thing!) Take care....and thanks for all your help. For me and for others here.

[HayZee518]

Got to thinking about your "chirping" sound. Well, the metal cabinet that forms the shell of the heater is held in place by some sheet metal tabs and cut-outs that these tabs fit into. The top is secured by four screws, the bottom front plate, two screws, the front grill six screws and the over=all front grill with four screws.
the whole ting sits on four rubber grommet posts that sit on a spill platform.
if your floor moves slightly there is a chance that this movement is transmitted to the heater shell and so, moves.
The thumping from the lower right is definitely the fuel pump.

[Gixxer 1k]

I have a Monitor kerosene vented heater in my insulated garage to keep my dogs warm during the harsh VT winters, I had the unit completely "gone through" at the local dealer before installing it. It is fed by a 275 gallon outside tank, gravity fed. The first year it worked flawlessly, always kept up and never smoked or missed a beat This past winter it was -30 F and the unit would show EE code and stop, press the start button and it would run for about an hour and shut off again giving that EE code, I had the dealer tell me it is probably water in the fuel, which is hard to beleive since it is always full and and has only been added to once, regardless I changed the bottom filter and it was below zero when I did it, the filter immediately froze solid once it hit the air, telling me yes there is water, I was able to thaw it out, replace it and tried to drain off five gallons or so from the bottom spigot hoping th water would be on the bottom. It seemed to work OK for a while then EE is happening all over again, the dealer now tells me to use an additive to displace the water?? Any help from anyone on what to use or what to do?

[Gixxer 1k]

Also wanted to say hi, been lurking for a while and decided to join. live in NW VT right on CA border, do all the outdoor stuff and love it. Hi to all!

[hawkins111]

Do you actually have a Monitor heater? If so which model is it and what is the exact code? The dealer that told you to use additive to get the water out is completely wrong. You can not use fuel additive to remove raw water. If you have so much water in your tank that it clogs the filter you are in trouble. Are you sure the problem is water? If it is really cold out and you have the wrong fuel, i.e #2 home heating oil you can have the filter clogged and it looks like ice. Another point is that you should replace the filter, not use it again. Tom

[HayZee518]

Because of the cold temperatures up "here" I'd take out the filter completely. If you have a real old tank outside it isn't a double wall tank kerosene attracts water in the form of "humidity." Next is your outlet elbow and valve. The outlet elbow is brass and a tight ninety degree elbow with a long outlet leg. Next comes the valve with a screw type knob that pulls the stem upwards [or downwards] to open.
There is a stainless steel filter in the sump at the fuel inlet and a little hole bored through to the upper chamber where the needle valve seat is.
Don't use any additive to emulsify water. It'll create problems. only sure way to get rid of it is to pump the water out when it's in a liquid state.
Use a lever type oil or grease pump with an extension long enough to get to the bottom of the tank. Use a hose and pump out the water. Kero floats on water so you might be able to salvage some kero on top of the water.
I think EE-13 indicates no fuel, so I would suspect water in the line.

[Gixxer 1k]

Do you actually have a Monitor heater? If so which model is it and what is the exact code? The dealer that told you to use additive to get the water out is completely wrong. You can not use fuel additive to remove raw water. If you have so much water in your tank that it clogs the filter you are in trouble. Are you sure the problem is water? If it is really cold out and you have the wrong fuel, i.e #2 home heating oil you can have the filter clogged and it looks like ice. Another point is that you should replace the filter, not use it again. Tom

I am at work and the unit is home I will get the exact model number and let you know. I am using Kero, dyed red. Or at least that is what I asked for. It was frozen with ice so I do know water is an issue. One of the problems is that the tank is full, and it is a brand new tank. Cant figure out how the water got in?? And i always replace the filter and not reuse.

[hawkins111]

I don't want to leave the idea of the wrong fuel just yet. Since your tank is new and full, I would think you would be able to see or figure out where the water comes from, i.e. open lid, bad vent. With dyed fuel it is very hard to determine which fuel you have. If you have a #2 product and it is gelling you have big issues. Gelling looks like ice in the fuel. The wax is turning to crystals and it is surprising how much it looks like ice. One way to confirm this is to take a sample of "iced up" fuel inside in a clean jar. Leave it for a while and if it is #2 and gelling the crystals will go away in the warm room. If it is water you will see it collecting on the bottom of the jar. We see this every once in a while as our school district uses #2 for their boilers. They preheat all their fuel and get the benefits of higher BTU's. Once in a while someone will get a load of #2 and will find it out the hard way when it is 0 or 10 below. Take it from someone who has tried additives to lower the pour point of this fuel, it does not work, particularly when it is still very cold out. The only way to solve this is to remove the fuel and get the right grade. I hope for your sake you don't have the wrong stuff. Tom

[Gixxer 1k]

Ok so I had my daughter read the name and model number and code it is giving, it is not a "real" monitor it is a Toyotomi Laser 30 Programmable set back, the code is EE12, I called the fuel company who is also the dealer for these types of heaters and asked again if I was delivered the right fuel. They emphatically said yes, which I am sure they would anyway. They did come out last year for this problem and determined it was water, they drained off around 5 gals from the bottom spitgot before it goes into the filter assy then they replaced the filter while I was at work and it worked for most of the rest of the winter except for when it went into below zero temps and gave me the same code. They also put a new cap and vent on the outside tank which looked more water tight then the last. So now it really does not matter what the outside temp is except for when it is close to being caught up, when the unit only has to come on a short time to keep the current temp it is set at then it shuts itself off and works as it should, the problem comes when it is on for a long time trying to get to the pre set temp, I can only get about an hour or less before it gives the code and shuts down. So I am thinking of doing the same thing as before myself this time to gauge how much water is actually in there, if I am correct the water will lay on the bottom under the good fuel, if I opened the petcock and slowly drained it off it should work, the dealer said if I use a water displacer such as methanol or a combo of meth and iso it would be ok, but I am hearing more people say not to do it, just to get what i couldn't off the bottom...

[hawkins111]

The stove is overheating. Remove the screen from the back and clean it. If that does not work clean the fan blades themselves. Again, do not use additives. Tom