But, first let us Digress...

When Toyo and Monitor Split-up 15 years ago, many of the same Toyo 20's & 30's that were being used then are still in service today and loved around the Country even now. On the other hand, the Monitor 40's that MPI (Monitor Products Inc.) designed after the split-up were ALL a disaster and EVERY HEATER had to be Re-engineered and Re-built. These eventually became the 41's and 21's and along with the later M22's were unbeatable and are still in use today - many of them without a Major-rebuild in all this time.

PS: Remember that the Monitor Water Heaters were so bad that they were dumped (literally) and the customer who paid up to $2500.00 for the Water-heater installation was left helpless and hopeless.

 

Now to the 422 / 441's...

Then someone at MPI had a mental relapse, dropped the 22's & 41's (which were still working wonderfully!) and Designed the 441's & 422's - why in Heaven's name they did that when they had 2 heaters that dominated the Vented Heating Market is beyond anyone's guess as these 'less than wonderful?' new 441's were bad out of the box in our shop (it started out as bad bearings and went from bad to worse in 2-6 years) (the 422's took a couple of years to start showing self-destruction according to customer reports and our in-shop repairs). Even though we set-up and tested every 422/442 heater before we installed them (no one else in the Country did that!), unlike the 22/41's it did not take long before we were getting angry calls about the new 422/441's NOT working.

At first, it was just a couple of adjustments; then as they were older serious breakdowns became the norm - all the while the 22/41's were still purring along after 10-14years with just a cleaning and adjustment every 2-3 years. At the same time the 422/441's were actually breaking down needing a complete Re-build in the first 1-4 years.

As we disassembled more and more of the 422/441's, we were astonished at the broken 'O'-rings; loose gaskets; loose or burned-out screws; bad gaskets causing an overage in air-flow and over-heating; crumpled flame-rings; broken rubber elbows; jammed solenoids; stuck air-adjustors; more bad bearings (I don't think we ever replaced a bearing in a 22/41 as I look back.) - Non-working 422/441's were becoming an epidemic. Then when my web-site came out in 2001...we were deluged with calls regarding broken 422/441's from all over the Country and horrible service from their local Monitor Dealer (we even found brand new 2400 burner cloths lifting off the bottom of the pot causing the flame-ring to warp producing a terrible flame and lower efficiency). Monitor owners told me of the many times (up to 7 times) the local Monitor Dealer had been to the home to 'fix' the 422/441 heaters and left with the Monitor still NOT working; many dealers were NOT selling Monitors any more and would NOT repair the ones they had sold (Dealers learned quickly they COULDN'T fix the 422/441s is what really happened and bailed out!); and how Customers all across the Country were left abandoned with a DEAD bucket of Monitor bolts.

After hearing all those Tragic stories, I got the bright idea that with a Photographic/Film degree, working on Monitors since 1989, heating from my teens, a background in Electronics, Mechanics and Electrical Engineering for 40 years, it would be a snap to put together a Video that any Monitor owner could use to rebuild their 422/441 without a problem - Remember I started on this project in 2002.

As time moved on and countless of 422/441's came in for repair, it soon became very apparent why they were breaking down in increasing numbers whereas the 22/41's were still purring along year after year.

During the 422/441 Re-building process we spec'd out EVERY Factory part and found that for our specs all the NEW parts had to be machined, ground, shimmed; burned-out Factory screws replaced with special 410 S.S screws; high-grade lifetime 'O'-rings used; special 400° silicone lubricant; 8/32-10/32-12/24 x 6" taps; Dremel Tools; special sanders; special screwdrivers and wrenches, 6" long metric hex wrenches, S.S brushes, syringes, closed-cell foam, Hi-grade European bearings, 1st quality window mica; elongated 422 Feed-tubes; 4 types of Commercial adhesives; variable motor resistors (YES even the air intake motor speeds were off); sleeve bearing lubrication packing material (just try and find ONE Monitor servicer in the Country that carries this!); Higher-grade gaskets. And along with this partial list of parts needed to re-build a 422/441...one MUST buy a $150-$300 air meter as well as all the other parts and many special tools.

Last year, we thought we had conquered the Re-building process so that every home-owner could do their own Rebuilding and never call the local village idiot Monitor servicer - but a curious thing happened:

Because were so busy shipping Toyo and Rinnai heaters (Remember: we will NEVER sell a Monitor Heater again or repair 442/441's!) we had to slow down our Video shooting & editing - when it gets to be November, people want their heaters shipped. And remember we had put $20,000 into Video equipment and a Studio as well as having had 3 years of filming ready go. But the real shock was that as we got in the older 422/441's for repair, we found problems that we never had in the 22/41's and the newer 422/441's and it was at this juncture that we started taking a new look at the viability of ANYONE satisfactorily Re-building the 422/441's.

The major problem with ALL the 422/441's that came in for repair was that the entire solenoid/air-damper assembly was always jammed or locked open or locked closed and the 'O'-ring broken - this being the main cause for either burning out the pot or Sooting it up so as to be unusable. By the time we found all the intake manifold defects, there were up to 21 separate processes needed to correct this all-important assembly. Now the problem IS is that there is NO homeowner and maybe 10 other Monitor Servicers in the Country (I have personally spoken to many of them) that could accomplish this VERY exacting machining process (remember all the special tools and Meter that must purchased as well) - meaning that EVERY Solenoid/Damper assembly would have to be sent to me for machining at another cost of $50 + shipping (it takes me 2 hours and then overnight to rebuild this solenoid/air assembly so I do NOT make money on this!).

Now here comes the fun part: After 1 to 1-1/2 days and all my magic, special parts and special tools...at least 50% of the flames of the 422/441's would NOT burn as they should - meaning NOT like the wonderful 22/41's ALWAYS do after a Standard Re-build. So again apart comes the 422/441's to find that one part from the Factory that needed more work - and there is NO WAY anyone can foresee all the problems until Re-assembly and testing on the 422/441's to see what other parts are not working correctly.

Another thing to remember is the $150-$300 meter for air adjustment along with the fuel-injection pump fine-tuning so that they both are in perfect harmony (almost impossible for any homeowner to do without years of experience) - something that we have found is ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE with the 422/441's and there is the end of the road.

We have come to believe that when Monitor went from a mechanical/electronic board to a strictly electronic board that somewhere along the way some circuit-board 'genius' missed his calling as between the Air-Meter and Fuel-adjustment on the 22/41's we can make them perfect!!! BUT on the 422/441's only 50% of the timing would work correctly ~ for only short time - We believe the rest never will work right at all.

We believe totally from our years of work on the 422/441's and hundreds of customer complaints about Monitor Dealers around the rest of the Country (especially with the customers saying that Monitor dealers are closing down everywhere), that no matter how much money we/they put in these Monitor 422/441s Heaters, that there is NO FIXING the 422/441's from our experience and overwhelming customer complaints. We believe that there is enough mis-communication between the board and other mechanical parts to render the 422/441's IMPOSSIBLE to work correctly or be rebuilt like the 22/41's. And the fact that these Heaters start breaking down in as little as 1year proves that something is seriously wrong when the 22s and 41s are still purring like contented kittens - And the Toyo Heaters!

Remember we have replaced thousands of Monitor pots and flame rings and ONLY 2 Toyo pots and maybe a dozen or so flame rings in 15 years!!! And we worked over 1500/hrs. on the Monitor 422/441 Vidoes - all at a total loss.

 

What's the upshot of all this: There is no way I am going to sell you hundreds of dollars worth of parts; ask you to buy special tools and the $150-$300 meter (which by the way takes years of training to use) along with the fuel injector adjustment knowledge and know not only will you probably come out with a less than satisfactory job and have a heater that still will last only another 5mins to 4 years or so before it needs another rebuild...I would have to be like the guy who stripped the TWA employees of all their retirement; or Worldcom; or Global-Crossing, or the Family man who had Monica under his desk as American boys and girls were dying in some mud-hole in a foreign land and being brought Home in plastic bags - that is just NOT the way I do business.

Some out there will hate me, but I hope most will understand. Better yet...Hate Monitor for producing the 422/441's (Most of the Toyo Models are STILL running fine after 15-20 years!); the Distributors and Dealers who sold them; and the idiot servicers who make 1-3-7 House-calls, collect the money and STILL have a Monitor Heater that does NOT work as it should. I would have made 1-million dollars by selling the 422/441 video and parts to just 1% of Monitor 422/441 owners - but that is NOT my make-up. I would rather some hate me (Remember to hate Monitor first) than have a heater that does not work.

So what's the answer?...Cut your losses NOW and buy a Toyo as the Toyo 55/72's are still working after 15 years and you can expect the 56/73's and all the other models to last at least that long or longer with regular maintenance. There will be Service/Repair Videos on Toyo's next Fall as Toyo's are a dream to service and as NONE of the Monitor problems pertain to Toyos. A screwdriver and a couple of wrenches plus 2 hours of work every 2 years and your Toyo should last 15-20 years with my Toyo Video.

I spoke with MANY Alaskan heater owners who used to swear by their Monitors; and now just swear at them, toss them out into the snow and buy a Toyo.

Customers are telling me that Monitor Dealers are dropping like flies around the Country and will not even try to repair what they sold the customer - or if they do...they are not successful with the 'repairs' and just take the money and walk away. Toyo on the other hand is coming out with fantastic new products and I foresee Them putting Monitor where they belong in the very near future!

 

Here's what you can expect from a Monitor Repair:

Posted by Jim on May 27, 2005 at 22:09:00: I have a Monitor Heater. For the past couple of years I've had problems with it: the "burner status" light flashes when it calls for heat and it won't ignite. I've had the Agway service man here several times and still have the same problem and has cost me several hundreds of dollars. I'M ready to throw it out in the street and run over it. Sometime it works fine, other times the light just flashes...anyone else have this problem and know the cure?

 

Here's Christina's Story:

Posted by Christina on May 25, 2005: I have a Monitor 441 and it does not work. Last fall the local Monitor Dealer came and worked on it 7 times and it still did not work. I had to use my electric heat this winter and it was expensive. It looks like the only answer is to get a Toyo.

 

Here's Roger's sad tale:

7/7/04 - Hi Al: 5 Monitors for Rebuilding! You already have a 441 and a 422 for Rebuild for me; now I have 3 more 422's - will this ever end? See you this Fall with the rest of the Monitor DEAD Heaters - Roger (I will do these for Roger, but I plan on losing money on the balance of my pending 422/441 repairs - and wonder how soon they will break down again - but I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER take in a 422/441 Monitor Heater!).

 

Danielle K Nightingale Dated June 15, 2005 at 21:34:05 Subject: Piece of crap 2400:

Since I have had this heater installed 6 months ago there have been nothing but problems. The current one is another E-13 message. I know E-13 has something to do with the ignition, but I don't know what I can do to make the stupid thing work. I have made sure the tank is full, and that we have a good fuel flow to the heater. There is no water in the filter casing. I unplugged and re-plugged it 5 minutes later, and pressed the little lever on the bottom right side, but to no avail. Once turned on the heater is silent for a minute followed by a ticking sound, and the BURN light goes on. I can't see any flame in the little window. After several minutes of this the BURN light goes out and we are back to quite running. In about one more minute it flashes E-13. Someone PLEASE help, I swear if I have to call the company that installed it one more time I am going to scream!!!!!

 

5/9/05 - Carl just called from here in Maine

Carl has used his Monitor 441 for 3 years and it is already breaking down. He sounded like a really nice guy but I told him there is NO WAY I am spending 1-2 days just to get $750.00 and have the Monitor 441 break down next year or the year after and me be responsible. Carl is coming down for a Toyo - 'nuf said!

Giving up $1,000,000 is NOT easy - but it is the Right thing for me to do.

 

We have ceased to Rebuild the Monitor 422/441's in any way or at any time as losing hundreds of hours and thousands or dollars last winter took a toll we will NEVER repeat. They are NOT rebuildable like the 22/41's. We will not even sell you Monitor 422/441 parts - more lost money to me! We have NEVER found the 422/441's last like the Toyos or early Monitors!!!

 

We will still repair and rebuild the 21,22,41's and put all our Video time into Filming the Toyo's late this Winter and Spring as the Toyo is a dream to work on with Proper Instructions compared to the Monitor's interminable problems - and Toyo's stay fixed!!! with few parts, no meter to buy, no damper/solenoid or board problem, and only a 6 hour Toyo video, compared to 14 hours Monitor video and more breakdowns later. But more importantly...with proper service the your Toyo will work beautifully for 15-20 years.

I welcome your calls pro or con. Al's Heating