Haunted oil burner

alwaysummer

We have a customer with a AFG in a 68 willy.Hitting reset like clockwork every 12 -14 days. no evidence of delay  or excessive oil in chamber on start up. More than one tech has worked on it and have found the same result Nothing wrong.  electrodes replaced, ohms  on cad cell good, trans good and even replaced just out of frustration. burner has been pulled and set head amps on motor are good.  Pump psi set @ 100 psi and holding on shut down.  oil line above ground no visible leaks or  damage.  ???????

Positive Solution

Haunted

Sometimes the motor can have a dead spot and it will cause the burner to go into safety at erratic times. Also check the oil lines. Are they overhead? If they are overhead, their could be a slight air leak that could cause the burner to lose its prime.



If that is not the problem, could be a defective relay. What type of relay is on this burner?

Leo

Check

If it isn't a PSC motor do an ohms check.  Another thing is there a General filter?  They can clog go into a vacuum and lock out.  Once it is realized hit the reset and it fires till the next time.  Change the filter if it has been a while if not do a vacuum test.



Leo

sasman

burner

pull burner motor and check end play

Rob10667

Delay Valve

Does this burner have a pump mounted solenoid?  I've had more than one instance where these operators have a bad connection and won't open every now and then. 

Steamhead

Maybe

a temporary high-draft condition is pulling the flame off the head, causing it to lock out? 

Paul_11

Take a step back

First off, can I assume you still have this problem.

Whenever I run into problems like this one and by that I mean routine shutdowns for no obvious reason, the problem usually ends up not being on the burner.

We need to take a step back up and look around.

What I find is that good oil mechanics usually get the burner right. It is other things they miss sometimes. In your case, if you have had many good oil techs work on this burner, it may not be the burner.

How did this problem start? Was anything done to the heating system or other work done in the building?

Anything significant that could be related?

I usually find the solutions to the most difficult oil problems in either the draft, fresh air supply, or oil lines and tank issues.

I think steamhead is heading in one good direction. Draft is very important. Fresh air is as well.

How tall is the building?

How many barometric dampers are installed?

Do you have a clean chimney and good draft?

How large is  the burner/boiler in GPH or BTUs?

Is the fresh air adequate?

Have you located the end of the fresh air supply if it is ducted? I once had a neighbor who put a towel over the fresh air vent because it was noisey at night.

Is it one pipe or two pipe oil?

Have you replaced the oil lines?

Do you have a valve and antisiphon device right at the tank?

Do you hold a good vacuum when you close the valve at the tank and run the oil pump?

Have you pulled the oil pipe that sticks down into the oil tank and is it OK?

Have you checked the oil tank for water or other debris?

When was the oil tank cleaned last?

If we were to look at the burner I would want to know:

Did you replace the transformer/ignition box?

Did you replace the motor?

Did you replace the oil pump?

Please respond off line as well if you don't mind?

Paul

Paul_11

Take a step back

First off, can I assume you still have this problem.

Whenever I run into problems like this one and by that I mean routine shutdowns for no obvious reason, the problem usually ends up not being on the burner.

We need to take a step back up and look around.

What I find is that good oil mechanics usually get the burner right. It is other things they miss sometimes. In your case, if you have had many good oil techs work on this burner, it may not be the burner.

How did this problem start? Was anything done to the heating system or other work done in the building?

Anything significant that could be related?

I usually find the solutions to the most difficult oil problems in either the draft, fresh air supply, or oil lines and tank issues.

I think steamhead is heading in one good direction. Draft is very important. Fresh air is as well.

How tall is the building?

How many barometric dampers are installed?

Do you have a clean chimney and good draft?

How large is  the burner/boiler in GPH or BTUs?

Is the fresh air adequate?

Have you located the end of the fresh air supply if it is ducted? I once had a neighbor who put a towel over the fresh air vent because it was noisey at night.

Is it one pipe or two pipe oil?

Have you replaced the oil lines?

Do you have a valve and antisiphon device right at the tank?

Do you hold a good vacuum when you close the valve at the tank and run the oil pump?

Have you pulled the oil pipe that sticks down into the oil tank and is it OK?

Have you checked the oil tank for water or other debris?

When was the oil tank cleaned last?

If we were to look at the burner I would want to know:

Did you replace the transformer/ignition box?

Did you replace the motor?

Did you replace the oil pump?

Please respond off line as well if you don't mind?

Paul