Replacing Electrodes on Beckett AFG Oil Burner

uspchum

Greetings!

While performing the yearly maintenance on my oil furnace, I've come to notice that the electrodes are looking a bit rough. Being a DIY guy, I have a feeling I should replace them. I did find this set as a replacement (consulted the manual/part number) at my local Home Depot but the insulators are not long like the ones currently installed. However, this part appears to also have the longer insulator.

Do I need the kit with the longer insulator?

Lastly, I also have this filter installed on my tank but for some reason, this exact match is a bit hard to find. Do I have an option for an alternative that is more readily available?

HydronicMike

There’s no **** way you should buy that filter at that price, unless it’s for a box of 50.
It’s a standard spin on. Sid Harvey has them for maybe 10 bucks (still working off last years case)

When you’re there, bring your old electrodes and match them up to new ones.
Most important is that they are properly set, proper x dimension, and you do a full combustion analysis (including draft and smoke). Amongst some other things.

HVACNUT

Sid's isn't open to the public. And I commend them for it.

uspchum

@HydronicMike I think it's for a box but thank you for the suggestion as where to find it. I will also do as you suggested with the electrodes. Thank you.

uspchum

@HVACNUT Just saw your comment. That's a bummer. Online appears to be my only option?

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/202126/replacing-electrodes-on-beckett-afg-oil-burner

Can you post a photo of your suspect electrodes? I was wondering how you are going to adjust the burner for proper combustion. Do you own a smoke tester and a combustion analyzer? Of course of you might save 100 or more on doing all the maintenance steps yourself, but will the fuel usage increase resulting form improper adjustment be worth it? A guess it might be a wash.

Do you know how to test all the safety features in order to make sure the system is safe to operate? My 28 point tune up of an oil burner included testing 5 different safety items and if one of the items did not pass the test, then the burner was not safe to operate. But you can save on that part too by ignoring those items and just hope that those safety features are working as they are supposed to.

uspchum

@EdTheHeaterMan See attached.

I don't own any of those tools but I read the manual a few times and the steps listed doesn't sound very difficult to follow. I understand the risks but my goal is to hire a tech every other year for an overall assessment. I came to this conclusion after realizing that the time he was spending during the yearly maintenance was becoming less and less. Hardly any parts were being changed etc. The icing on the cake was one year where a tech misconfigured something and the furnace started to short cycle. I had to call another company for them to fix it since the original kept coming back and not finding the issue.

And on the plus side, I have learned so much about how it works. I assume it's never a bad thing in case of an emergency. 😉

HVACNUT

Looking at the assembly, maybe have a tech check it this year.

HydronicMike

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1865629#Comment_1865629

They say they aren’t but the three in my area will. So will RE MICHEL. But at least RE charges more to H/O than account holders.
I still recommend a competent professional for anything combustion related.

EdTheHeaterMan

Looking at that assembly, I don't see anything wrong with the electrodes that require replacement. A wire brush and some degreaser should make them operable. Do you have a small ruler that has measurements in the 1/32" increments? you will want ot set the gap and the hight above the nozzle centerline with one of these:

That is all I used when learning how to set electrodes in the 1970s. You could use a nickel as a feeler gauge to set the gap. A dime for the measurement ahead (foreword) of the nozzle, but you still need something to measure the hight above the nozzle centerline.