No flame.

tcabana94

Yesterday I found out when I got home from work I found out my furnace had locked out I ruled out no fuel just changed the air filter a week prior so I narrowed it down to a bad nozzle or electrode so I remove the gun and behold the problem the nozzle was coated in grim so I soaked the nozzle in diesel to clean off the sides as best as I could to reveal the size I needed the electrodes where worn at the tips and covered in suit and orange tint on the cylinder part I replaced the nozzle last night and as soon as I did the furnace fired up right away was running like a champ with the original electrodes it ran for a good 11 hrs till it went to run a cycle this moment maybe ran for 30 seconds and locked itself out. I ran to the furnace checked the line to see if I was out I was not then I proceeded to check the gun again the tip was clean still so I suspected the electrodes where to blame this time around so I ran to home Depot and bought a replacement pair and put them in and still not fire I could look in the view finder and see it's getting spark and I can hear the pump running. I checked the gap that I've crossed check with multiple sources online and I have it 1/8 inch gap electrode to electrode and from tip to tip of nozzle is 1/8 inch. My luck it's the first blizzard of the season. If anyone could maybe throw some suggestions or ideas to what I may be doing wrong would be greatly appreciated

EdTheHeaterMan

You may have a clogged nozzle. Do you know what clogged the previous nozzle? Did you clean the 1/8" l shaped pipe that the nozzle assembly uses to hold all the other parts like the nozzle adaptor and the electrode holder?

That pipe, if it has a lot of shmutz in it, will keep clogging the nozzle, did you look at the fuel pump strainer? How about the oil filter? And all the pipes and fittings that connect all that stuff from the tank to the nozzle can have shmutz in there. If the fuel in the tank is clean, I find that clean fuel oil is a great cleaner for the oil lines after you replace the filter and clean the pump strainer. I always run about a liter of fuel from the tank thru the filter then pump then high pressure connector into the liter bottle. that should be enough to insure clean fuel gets to the nozzle.

Proper nozzle handling is also important. Never touch the orifice or the strainer of the nozzle with fingers or anything for that matter. The factory where they are made is cleaner than a medical operating room. You might say that the nozzle inside the vial it comes in is sterile. Only handle the nozzle by the hex sides where the wrench goes.

Finally, and this is most important, You must adjust the flame by making sure the oil pressure is at the manufacturers specification for your appliance AND you adjust the air.oil mixture to a zero smoke on the Bacharach smoke scale and the excess air (measured with an oxygen sensing combustion analyzer) is at the minimum possible to attain that zero smoke reading. I'm guessing that you probably do not have a combustion analyzer, since the lowest cost options are over $1000.00 at the wholesale supply house. Since you can't do the necessary measurement, you might want to have a professional that owns such equipment do that nozzle replacement.

Just remember they are in that business to make a living, so the price of the nozzle installed is much higher than the price of a nozzle over the counter. Mostly because the over the counter sale does not come with the necessary combustion analyzer.

I hope this helps. Even if you only follow the first three paragraphs.

STEVEusaPA

Another example of changing parts without figuring out what was wrong. Could be a number of things. Could be your ignitor. Did you call your oil company for service?

tcabana94

I deliver for my oil company actually and we don't have a heating oil service department just on the propane side. I just replaced the nozzle last night could it be possible it got clogged again? Could it be possible the piping leading from the oil line to the nozzle socket could be gummed up? 

EdTheHeaterMan

Your Propane Service Department should have the necessary combustion testing equipment if they work on heating equipment. They may not if the Service man is only for fuel line installation repair and maintenance. You will need to take a course on how to use that equipment if you can borrow it.

tcabana94

We just have gauges we use to check lines for drop in pressure in propane that we and adjust the drop in pressure with a valve on the side 

EdTheHeaterMan

tcabana94 said:

We just have gauges we use to check lines for drop in pressure in propane that we and adjust the drop in pressure with a valve on the side 

If your boss's company delivers fuel oil, and someone with a fuel oil burner stops burning oil, then your boss will make less money on that customer. As a good business practice, your boss should know someone that can get those failed burners back up and running in pretty short order. My father's company offered service just for that reason. If a burner is not burning oil... we are not making any money there.

I think you might want to make friends with that service guy or service company that your boss might recommend.

tcabana94

Thanks anyways I'll figure it out somehow 

tcabana94

Another note when I disconnect fuel like from nozzle holder little go no fuel comes out the end when I remove it from the furnace could it possibly be a clogged part what's the best method of cleaning it out? 

tcabana94

Also checked filter on pump still very clean 

EdTheHeaterMan

The test I do for oil flow, if my pressure gauge is in the truck (and I'm to lazy to go get it) I will disconnect the high pressure line between the nozzle assembly and the pump. I will place the disconnected side (that is still connected to the pump) into the 2 liter bottle and operate the pump. This should show you a fast flow of oil with no air pockets. If you get no fuel or a weak fuel flow, then the fuel pump needs to be primed or there is a blockage in the fuel line preventing fuel flow.

If you closed a valve on the tank to do service on the filter, pump or nozzle... did you open the valve back up? I have been known to forget that and spend 10 minutes trying to prime a pump, unsuccessfully.

tcabana94

I have a strong flow from the bleeder but when I disconnect the fuel line from the assembly very little of anything leaks out of the nozzle assembly which makes me wonder if there is a blockage in the pipe leading up to the nozzle what's recommended to spray to see if there's gunk build bup inside the pipe 

EdTheHeaterMan

Perhaps I was not clear

You should get the same flow from the high pressure line A, as you get from the bleed port B.

You need 2 containers to do this test
One container goes on the unconnected end of the high pressure tube. A

The other container should be placed where the bleed port is located. B
operate the fuel pump and verify the bleed port flow is steady
Close the bleed port
The high pressure port should get the same full flow as soon as the bleed port is closed (and the solenoid valve is open if applicable)

If the High pressure post does not get full flow as the bleed port there is a problem that must be corrected. perhaps the solenoid is defective or the fuel pump pressure regulator is defective and the entire fuel pump needs to be replaced.

Your explanation of "when I disconnect the fuel line from the assembly very little of anything leaks out of the nozzle assembly". does not indicate if the fuel pump is operating or not. If you disconnect the nozzle line when the pump is not operating, then you will only get whatever oil is left in the nozzle assembly to drip out. After you disconnect the high pressure tube from the nozzle assembly, put the disconnected end in the 2 liter bottle and operate the pump. Let me know what comes out then.

tcabana94

Checked flow coming out of pump it's got strong flow I was adjusting the electrodes last night and got it to where I can see the light from the flame but I've noticed when I've checked the tip of the new nozzle I got soot build up could my new nozzle be clogged by my possible mishandling of touching the filter with bare hands 

pecmsg

tcabana94 said:

Checked flow coming out of pump it's got strong flow I was adjusting the electrodes last night and got it to where I can see the light from the flame but I've noticed when I've checked the tip of the new nozzle I got soot build up could my new nozzle be clogged by my possible mishandling of touching the filter with bare hands 

Strong flow?

you need test instruments and the knowledge to use them. 

Get someone to set that gun up properly and perform a combustion analysis. 

EdTheHeaterMan

tcabana94 said:

Checked flow coming out of pump it's got strong flow I was adjusting the electrodes last night and got it to where I can see the light from the flame but I've noticed when I've checked the tip of the new nozzle I got soot build up could my new nozzle be clogged by my possible mishandling of touching the filter with bare hands 

Yes. And you should purchase a combustion analyzer with your next nozzle. There are youtube videos on how to use the combustion analyzers so you get it right. While you are at it, you need a pressure gauge to verify the oil pressure from the pump. That is where I would start. this is a great gauge kit for oil burner work https://www.supplyhouse.com/Beckett-52100U-Gauge-Kit-Unitpak

This is the combustion kit I used to usehttps://www.supplyhouse.com/UEi-Test-Instruments-C161KIT-C161KIT-Flue-Gas-Combustion-Analyzer-w-Printer-Case?_br_psugg_q=combustion+analyzers but it does not come with a Smoke tester so maybe this one might be good as a starter https://www.supplyhouse.com/UEi-Test-Instruments-SPT1-Smoke-Pump-Test-Kit and i believe it fits in the red case for the analyzer. finally you will need to test the chimney draft. This one is inexpensive and accurate enough for oil burner work. https://www.qcsupply.com/dwyer-460-air-meter-draft-gage.html And it also fits in the red case

I hope you find this information helpful.

If you decide not to get the proper tools to set up you burner with the new nozzle, then maybe you might spring for a service call from a local professional. What ever is less expensive is what I would go for.

LOL is available below for the folks who know me