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Oil furnace burner going on and off smoothly every other second or so after running for a while

Valhalla
Valhalla Member Posts: 1
My oil furnace burner started going on and off every other second or so after running for a while. I have not heard it doing this when it first comes on, but after it has been running for at least 10 or 15 minutes or towards the end of the cycle when the thermostat is about to shut it off, the burner shuts off for a second or less and then comes right back on again. It might do this a number of times until the thermostat hits the set temperature and shuts everything down at the end of the cycle.

When I was down there watching I noticed a spark some of the times it would come back on in the rectangular reset box. The actual red plastic button that normally is on top broke a few years ago so there is a hole where it was. The reset box works because I have reset it in the past when I had air in my lines and had to take the cover off the bod and hit the metal reset button which the red plastic button would have pushed when it was there.

I also used a piece of wood to tap on the reset box and some of the other components around the burner and blower etc. It did stop going off and on but it sometimes stops on it's own too. The furnace has come on many times when the burner does not go off and on.

When it is going off and on it is very smooth and never hesitates or pops or anything. My thoughts are the actual reset box itself has a problem with the relay or something. Or the flame sensor is going bad. If I had air in the lines I think the burner would go off and I would here the hiss sound and then it reigniting which it is not doing. Does that make sense? Please let me know what you think the problem might be.

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Sounds like the control is going bad. Is this the Honeywell R8184?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    HVACNUTrick in AlaskaSuperTech
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    Ask your service provider for an upgrade from your 45 second primary to a 15 second primary with interrupted ignition. 
    I wonder why it was never recommended by them. 
    SuperTech
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,455
    You said furnace. Is this a hot air furnace ore a steam or hot water boiler?

    Either way if not the burner control mentioned above it could be a high limit control that is out of wack
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    edited November 2021
    Valhalla said:


    ...The actual red plastic button that normally is on top broke a few years ago so there is a hole where it was. The reset box works because I have reset it in the past...

    That's enough for me to tell you to get an actual competent tech out there to start diagnosing.
    steve
    pecmsgSuperTech
  • rick in Alaska
    rick in Alaska Member Posts: 1,457
    I would guarantee it is an older 8184 control. A majority of the ones I worked on eventually had the "button" break off and you had to reach in the hole to reset it. Luckily they are almost all gone now.
    As far as it cycling like you said it does, the relay contacts inside are getting pitted and causing that. Change the control out to a new one and the problem will go away.
    Rick
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,139
    I would guarantee it is an older 8184 control. A majority of the ones I worked on eventually had the "button" break off and you had to reach in the hole to reset it. Luckily they are almost all gone now. As far as it cycling like you said it does, the relay contacts inside are getting pitted and causing that. Change the control out to a new one and the problem will go away. Rick
    Unfortunately I still see far too many R8184 controls, but I am trying to eliminate them. Replaced one yesterday with a Carlin ProX. 

    @Valhalla, you likely need a new burner control. I would strongly recommend calling a pro to do this. A good oil burner tech will not install the same outdated control. A new modern control will provide better safety but will require a tech to set it up correctly. 
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    I'd still do a check first as @EBEBRATT-Ed stated on the aquastat, and all the wire nuts, before replacing the control.
    steve