Oil burner transformer

Macnerd010

Hi. I have a ducane old hot air forced furnace. Is there anything special about  this transformer. Is is supposed to look like this or does it supposed to have spring on it like in other picture. 

STEVEusaPA

A better picture would help.
Are you having a problem?

Macnerd010

Yes. My furnace runs great. Once in a while it will trip when trying to start. I hit the reset button and it fires up like nothing happen trying to figure out what is causing it to trip.

Macnerd010

Runs fine for a week.

STEVEusaPA

Then it doesn’t run great. You’ll need a qualified, competent tech out there to diagnose and fix the problem, as you don’t have the tools, skill, training, knowledge and parts to fix it yourself.

Steamhead

STEVEusaPA said:

Then it doesn’t run great. You’ll need a qualified, competent tech out there to diagnose and fix the problem, as you don’t have the tools, skill, training, knowledge and parts to fix it yourself.

This. @Macnerd010 , where are you located?

Big Ed_4

Looks from here there is back pressure . Have the heat exchanger checked out . My guess the heat exchanger is burnt though . Shut it off until you have it checked out for your safety ...

EdTheHeaterMan

WARNING Read the WARNING below.

Those "fittings" attached to the transformer are not the original equipment manufacturer design. That does not mean they won't work. Some transformers are designed with terminals other than springs as shown here.

If the burner operates without a puff or rumble or delay when you hit the reset button, then the problem is less likely to be ignition related or fuel related. More likely to be a flame sensor issue.

An Ignition issue would leave extra unburned fuel loaded in the chamber. That extra fuel would burn when the next successful ignition occurs (just when you reset the primary control). The extra fuel would cause a rumble or shutter and a little extra smoke. You did not describe anything like that in your comment "I hit the reset button and it fires up like nothing happen"d.

So the flame sensor is not proving there is a flame, and the burner stops. This can happen if the eye is dirty or defective. This can happen if the eye is seeing a flame and when the blower operates the flame is affected by the change in air pressure thru a defective/cracked heat exchanger. Look for signs of carbon/soot on your air filter, and at the registers where the hot air enters the rooms in your home.

WARNING. Turn off the heater and get a professional inspection of the heat exchanger. An opening in the heat exchanger can be fatal because Carbon Monoxide (CO) forms with incomplete combustion. A crack in the heat exchanger will allow the CO to enter your home's living space. CO is a poisonous, odorless, colorous, gas that can kill you if gone undetected over a short time in large enough quantities.

Macnerd010

I got the heat exchanger checked While i has someone service it. They said it’s in great shape. It takes a week to trip out and when I hit the reset button it starts up with no problem

EdTheHeaterMan

The flame sensor eye may be failing. If you want to clean it or replace it, that is as far as I would suggest a DIY to go.

The air/fuel adjustments may be making the flame color/brightness near the edge of the flame sensor tolerance. When the wind picks up and the air/fuel mixture changes as a result of increased chimney draft, the flame becomes a different color/brightness and falls out of the range of the flame sensor tolerance.

If the flame sensor eye is not the issue then the control that the eye connects to maybe at the end of its life cycle resulting in the same scenario.

These are only two of many reasons you may be experiencing the issue. None of which a DIY should get involved with unless you have several years of experience with oil burner operation and the correct tools and equipment to test the combustion after each adjustment.

So, Get yourself a Cadcell Eye and replace it. if that does not solve the problem then call a Pro.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Westwood-Products-E81-Cad-Cell-Eye

EdTheHeaterMan

Follow up:
If you find a lot of black soot buildup on the lens of the eye, then you need to have a Pro look at it. That much black soot on a cad cell eye is an indication of another more serious problem.