Boiler Lockout Relay

One suggestion would be to pick up the phone and discuss the idea with the boiler manufacturer directly, because the chances of the manufacturer responding to a post such as this are pretty small.

Thanks, but the Boiler MFG - if still in business after 40 years - will not be concerned about how we do our safety systems, at least at this level of detail.

I was hoping someone had used an electronic safety relay that could be permanently and securely set for a particular time span, but allow an override if the proper authority gave the go ahead, and they had the password. This is the request of our Insurer.

I have been told that such a device exists, having a small LCD screen for password entry, but so far cannot find one.

Keypad input device

... and a one-shot timer relay? Or controlling an input for a PLC?

In lieu of a keypad input, the access control tokens that are likely in place today (the ID badge that opens the doors) can probably be used.

So it's not worth a few phone calls to find out for sure? How abstruse.

You don't specify the fuel but if it is gas or oil with even a 40 year old control box a timer in the reset button circuit would give you the extended lock-out time and a key operated switch around the timer contacts would give you the technicians short cut. Sealed fixed duration timers can be bought on the internet so only a key holder could reduce the lockout time. Simple. Of course this only applies directly to the fuels mentioned but the idea could be applied to the existing relay logic of a solid fueled boiler.

Have fun

Try GlobalSpec, Flame Detectors manual reset.

I believe ASME and NFPA provide exact guidance for fuel train essentials, especially to restart after a boiler trip.
A PLC may me used but it has to conform to their criteria, as in redundant back-up PLC and manual reset flame monitoring gear (Honeywell Peepers), and keyed resets for each burner.
Even with a moderately sized multi-burner boiler your talking big $$$. An 8 burner system would be close to $500k including fuel train if fired on gas or oil, double that for coal or solid waste fuel. And this is just to monitor and control the main boiler, the ancillary systems like boiler make up water control, blowdown, superheater, etc. would add more cost.
An electronic timer as you describe would never pass muster to meet present boiler codes, mainly because it requires power to operate. A boiler trip, which should trigger an ESD, shuts down power to all controls to their failsafe conditions, except the PLC which will stop running the program and idle until all conditions for a restart are met.

You are exactly right on the cost and passing muster. We have a Capital project for about $7Million to bring everything up to code, redundant systems and valve trains - but the time it takes to allocate the funds, get it engineered properly, get everything procurred, etc puts the project installation to a spring outage in 2015.

In the meantime, our insurer wants us to take a few steps to make them feel better about our existing system. Having a password protected electronic relay replacing an electro-mechanical type one was one of their requests.

Are you under FM or IRI programs? Are you using gas or oil fired units? Are there flame safeties on this units now? What is making the insurance company nervous, the lack of flame safeties or other issues? Need more info in order to help point you in the right direction.

Thanks to all for your suggestions, I believe I have found a suitable time on the Omega site.