A burner assembly having a blower housing, a blower to supply air to the burner assembly, a blast tube having a longitudinal axis, a fuel source to supply fuel to the burner assembly, a center tube that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and conveys air and fuel to a center tube burner end opening, a plurality of premix tubes, each of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and conveys air and fuel to a premix tube burner end opening, a diffuser that is disposed in the center tube near the center tube burner end opening, a nozzle that is disposed in the center tube substantially perpendicular to the diffuser. The center tube air and fuel mixture is fuel rich and the premix tubes air and fuel mixture is fuel lean. A method for burning the center tube air and fuel mixture and the premix tubes mixtures.

A burner assembly having a blower housing, a blower to supply air to the burner assembly, a blast tube having a longitudinal axis, a fuel source to supply fuel to the burner assembly, a center tube that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and conveys air and fuel to a center tube burner end opening, a plurality of premix tubes, each of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and conveys air and fuel to a premix tube burner end opening, a diffuser that is disposed in the center tube near the center tube burner end opening, a nozzle that is disposed in the center tube substantially perpendicular to the diffuser. The center tube air and fuel mixture is fuel rich and the premix tubes air and fuel mixture is fuel lean. A method for burning the center tube air and fuel mixture and the premix tubes mixtures.