Being a new DIYer with this oil burner/boiler, what spare parts

RobertL

should I keep in my toolbox, ready to go?
WBF-150 Peerless
Beckett AFG, both 25 years old, been "maintained" by a full service oil company for those 25 years.

I was thinking a transformer, Cad cell, oil pump etc...

Anyone?

Jamie Hall

The first tool you need if you are going to try to maintain an oil burner is a full combustion testing set, and the training to go with it.

It is impossible to set up an oil burner properly without doing a combustion test.

Now indeed, you could keep the other parts around -- cad cell, perhaps, transformer, electrodes, oil pump... control box... but they rarely fail, and the cad cell and the electrodes and the nozzle are all part of the annual service anyway -- which absolutely requires the combustion test equipment.

Bottom line: if you plan to become a DIY oil burner tech., that's fine -- but get and learn to use the combustion tester first.

STEVEusaPA

Just the phone number for your service provider.

MikeSpeed6030

STEVEusaPA said:

Just the phone number for your service provider.

I agree - particularly since you describe yourself as a "new" DIYer. What spare parts you ask about is a little silly, I think, unless you know how to troubleshoot your installation.

RobertL

Thank you

Can you give me some ideas of DYI combustion testing equipment I would use for my residence? I certainly do not need a Testo 320, LOL

Thank you

Jamie Hall said:

The first tool you need if you are going to try to maintain an oil burner is a full combustion testing set, and the training to go with it.

It is impossible to set up an oil burner properly without doing a combustion test.

Now indeed, you could keep the other parts around -- cad cell, perhaps, transformer, electrodes, oil pump... control box... but they rarely fail, and the cad cell and the electrodes and the nozzle are all part of the annual service anyway -- which absolutely requires the combustion test equipment.

Bottom line: if you plan to become a DIY oil burner tech., that's fine -- but get and learn to use the combustion tester first.

Jamie Hall

RobertL said:

Thank you

Can you give me some ideas of DYI combustion testing equipment I would use for my residence? I certainly do not need a Testo 320, LOL

Thank you

Jamie Hall said:

The first tool you need if you are going to try to maintain an oil burner is a full combustion testing set, and the training to go with it.

It is impossible to set up an oil burner properly without doing a combustion test.

Now indeed, you could keep the other parts around -- cad cell, perhaps, transformer, electrodes, oil pump... control box... but they rarely fail, and the cad cell and the electrodes and the nozzle are all part of the annual service anyway -- which absolutely requires the combustion test equipment.

Bottom line: if you plan to become a DIY oil burner tech., that's fine -- but get and learn to use the combustion tester first.

Oh yes you do. I was trying to be gentle. Oil burner service is not a DIY proposition, unless you happen to be an oil burner tech. for your day job.

Find a reliable service provider, and use them.

ChrisJ

Truth be told, knowing almost nothing about oil burners I was able to set mine up better than a contractor I paid a lot of money to do a service on the boiler.

It went from slamming the damper shut everytime it started up to nice smooth starts and was burning brighter. Yes, I did it by eye and simply installing the nozzle it called for, I guess he used what was on the truck. Some may say he switched it for a reason but the fact it worked far worse when he was done tells me no. He also didn't bother to clean the boiler, very well and didn't change the filter because it was a Gerber spin-on. I guess he didn't have one but that's ok I still paid full price.


Should they be set up by a professional using a proper combustion analyzer? ABSOLUTELY!

But don't assume you're going to get that. Especially from oil providers. If a guy comes to do it and doesn't have an analyzer get someone else. Once you find someone that has the proper equipment and does a good job don't loose him.

I recently looked into buying my own combustion analyzer and I can honestly say forget it. The upfront costs are well over $1000 and it needs to be calibrated yearly, and fact is they aren't easy to use. As has been said you'll need training on it and that's not cheap either.

Sadly, properly setting up an oil burner, or any burner, isn't DIYer compatible. You can go by eye like I did, and get it pretty good, but it'll never be the way it really should be and you will use more fuel without a doubt. Mine really burned clean too but I'm sure with a calibrated analyzer, and a guy who can use it, mine could've been tuned better.

RobertL

Jamie Hall said:

RobertL said:

Thank you

Can you give me some ideas of DYI combustion testing equipment I would use for my residence? I certainly do not need a Testo 320, LOL

Thank you

Jamie Hall said:

The first tool you need if you are going to try to maintain an oil burner is a full combustion testing set, and the training to go with it.

It is impossible to set up an oil burner properly without doing a combustion test.

Now indeed, you could keep the other parts around -- cad cell, perhaps, transformer, electrodes, oil pump... control box... but they rarely fail, and the cad cell and the electrodes and the nozzle are all part of the annual service anyway -- which absolutely requires the combustion test equipment.

Bottom line: if you plan to become a DIY oil burner tech., that's fine -- but get and learn to use the combustion tester first.

Oh yes you do. I was trying to be gentle. Oil burner service is not a DIY proposition, unless you happen to be an oil burner tech. for your day job.

Find a reliable service provider, and use them.

RobertL

I had it with them, two oil dealers in over twenty two years. The last one doesn't use a combustion analyzer and installed a larger nozzle this past fall during the cleaning that created a roar from my burner. Before he left, he asked my why my burner wasn't cleaned last year, it was full of soot. I told him it was done by his company. He had nothing to say. Then he tells me he did not change the nozzle to a higher GPH.
I pulled it out after he left, and he did put in a larger size. Maybe that's all he had on his truck. The "cleaning" was pathetic.
I think many of them do not do decent enough job, if at all. They can't or won't spend the needed time or have the proper skills to complete a proper tune up. And what about the service van, that leaked 3 drops of oil on my 2 year old driveway.
As a recently retired mechanical engineer, I look forward in learning and applying that knowledge learned to maintain my oil burner.
Trying to find a reliable service provider? Seem that too many of them cut corners. No thank you. I should have taken this route 15 years ago.
I anticipate going to my neighbors homes, with my new knowledge and equipment, to show and explain, how half **** their oil service company has serviced their burners throughout their years

Like the old saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

I just ordered:
Testco 320
Yellow Jacket 78020 Complete Fuel Oil Gauge Kit
Bacharach 0021-7006 Smoke Test Kit
Fieldpiece Dual-Port Manometer - SDMN5
Dwyer® Portable Static Pr Tip
to start.

Regarding the price of these items, I consider them an investment, as the low oil prices turn back up in the future. Learning to use these items will be exciting, perhaps a new founded hobby...

I am looking forward to UPS for next week deliveries including 3 books and reviewing multiple Youtube videos over the weekend.

Rob

ChrisJ

RobertL said:

I had it with them, two oil dealers in over twenty two years. The current one doesn't use a combustion analyzer and installed a larger nozzle this past fall during the cleaning that created a roar from my burner. Before he left, he asked my why my burner wasn't cleaned last year, it was full of soot. I told him it was done by his company. He had nothing to say. Then he tells me he did not change the nozzle to a higher GPH.
I pulled it out after he left, and he did put in a larger size. Maybe that's all he had on his truck. The "cleaning" was pathetic.
I think many of them do not do decent enough job, if at all. They can't or won't spend the needed time or have the proper skills to complete a proper tune up. And what about the service van, that leaked 3 drops of oil on my 2 year old driveway.
As a recently retired mechanical engineer, I look forward in learning and applying the knowledge learned to maintain my oil burner.

Like the old saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

I just ordered:
Testco 320
Yellow Jacket 78020 Complete Fuel Oil Gauge Kit
Bacharach 0021-7006 Smoke Test Kit
Fieldpiece Dual-Port Manometer - SDMN5
Dwyer® Portable Static Pr Tip
to start.

I am looking forward to UPS for next week deliveries

Rob

Nice.
So basically you dealt with a similar experience as me. After blowing $1500 on refrigeration tools my wife kind of put a damper on my hobbies for a while. Luckily I switched to natural gas so I don't have to deal with it anymore other than the initial setup and keeping things clean etc.


Please post some pictures when you get the stuff and set the burner up.

billtwocase

It is sad that there are poor service personnel out there giving oil heat a bad name. Where are you located? There are guys here that would jump at the chance to restore your faith in oil heat. If you were on Cape, I would give it a go

RobertL

Located in Suffolk County, Long Island. I will not provide the name of the company. I ended my relationship with them yesterday.
Regards

Ironman

It is indeed regrettable that you've received such poor service from the companies that you've dealt with. And I can understand you're wanting to DYI it. But when you talk of going around to your neighbors and doing theirs, you're opening up yourself to a huge liability. If you don't have the proper licensing AND the necessary contractor liability coverage, then any loss or damages that may occur will be your responsibility!

Think about it: you service your neighbor's oil burner and then they lose heat and pipes break causing extensive water damage. You are liable. Or, worse yet, the burner puts CO into the house and poisons the family. Guess who is responsible?

There's an old adage that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. That's what your gonna get from watching YouTube videos on how to do it: a little knowledge. And guess what that will make you: a dangerous thing!

I know that's blunt. It's intended to be. What you do to you own house, and what you expose your family to, is between you and them. But when you expose people in your community because you desire to play the hero, that's wrong.

billtwocase

I personally don't want to know the name of who you were dealing with, but will suggest maybe Robert O'Brien on here? This may be his area?

RobertL

Ironman said:

It is indeed regrettable that you've received such poor service from the companies that you've dealt with. And I can understand you're wanting to DYI it. But when you talk of going around to your neighbors and doing theirs, you're opening up yourself to a huge liability. If you don't have the proper licensing AND the necessary contractor liability coverage, then any loss or damages that may occur will be your responsibility!

Think about it: you service your neighbor's oil burner and then they lose heat and pipes break causing extensive water damage. You are liable. Or, worse yet, the burner puts CO into the house and poisons the family. Guess who is responsible?

There's an old adage that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. That's what your gonna get from watching YouTube videos on how to do it: a little knowledge. And guess what that will make you: a dangerous thing!

I know that's blunt. It's intended to be. What you do to you own house, and what you expose your family to, is between you and them. But when you expose people in your community because you desire to play the hero, that's wrong.

No no no, not fixing their oil burners, please.
Just get their unit in proper operating temperature, putting on a Tesco 320, printing out the results, showing where the numbers should be.

It will be up to them to take that matter up with their oil companies..I just provided what the meter spits out.

Regards

RobertL

billtwocase said:

I personally don't want to know the name of who you were dealing with, but will suggest maybe Robert O'Brien on here? This may be his area?

Thank you. But I already committing myself of learning and doing it correctly. I have all the time in the world....God permitting

Regards

enalkarion

I followed a "maintenance guy" on a boiler call. I found the electrodes facing in opposite directions. it was late and I should have checked the combustion chamber but I slipped up. I set the electrodes and hit the reset button and a piece of the flue blew apart and hit me in the face. the boiler was soaked in fuel from him just hitting the reset button. oil is no joke. that's why there's schools and training specifically for it. not to be too dramatic but you could kill yourself or someone else from fire, or CO. without the RIGHT tools and PROPER training you qualify as dangerous. maybe your a smart guy and if you get a good combustion analyzer, smoke pump, oil gauge and find someone to get some good info from, you could get by. but the internet alone is not enough to be safe.

SWEI

If you're serious about this, consider taking a class.

ChrisJ

enalkarion said:

I followed a "maintenance guy" on a boiler call. I found the electrodes facing in opposite directions. it was late and I should have checked the combustion chamber but I slipped up. I set the electrodes and hit the reset button and a piece of the flue blew apart and hit me in the face. the boiler was soaked in fuel from him just hitting the reset button. oil is no joke. that's why there's schools and training specifically for it. not to be too dramatic but you could kill yourself or someone else from fire, or CO. without the RIGHT tools and PROPER training you qualify as dangerous. maybe your a smart guy and if you get a good combustion analyzer, smoke pump, oil gauge and find someone to get some good info from, you could get by. but the internet alone is not enough to be safe.

The part I find interesting about this is we're sitting here reading a warning of how oil can be dangerous, and what precautions to take to be safe, on the internet.

Fred

Getting advice, and in many cases "Opinion" is a lot different than getting good technical training in all of the nuances of any technology. Some of those technologies being far more dangerous than others. Not saying it can't be done but I do think there is some added risk to "Learning" this particular aspect of a gas/oil burner operation and making adjustments, using just the internet. JMHO.

RobertL

After the terrible job they performed on my system, including lying to me about the nozzle size, I'm glad his lack of knowledge or ignorance didn't create a hazardous condition in my basement for the family.

enalkarion said:

I followed a "maintenance guy" on a boiler call. I found the electrodes facing in opposite directions. it was late and I should have checked the combustion chamber b.