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Cycling Riello BF5 on a Buderus boiler

jenny2022
jenny2022 Member Posts: 2
I have new house so many details not known. Furnace not used for some time 2015? Installed 2007-ish. I have: cleaned boiler inside, replaced filter from outside tank. Burner repeatedly cycles on/off. Presume ran just fine at some time. Outside, exhaust runs clean (when firing) then smokes. Service not available for 6 weeks. Any thoughts?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,161
    Something is likely well and truly misadjusted in the burner. Unhappily this really isn't something that a homeowner should try to troubleshoot on their own...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    IronmanSuperTech
  • MikeAmann
    MikeAmann Member Posts: 996
    edited November 2022
    Bad time of year for this to happen, but smoke is BAD.
    Do not continue to run it this way.

    Where are you located?
    Did you try the "find a contractor" link at the top of the page?
    Ironman
  • jenny2022
    jenny2022 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the comments. I live in downeast Maine and all the contractors nearby are flat out. But I will try the link and see what it says.
  • heathead
    heathead Member Posts: 234
    Find a contractor link is still the best option. A 2nd best is who do you buy your oil from, they should know someone or better yet have their own service department.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    The settings and maintenance on that Riello are different than the more common Beckett burner. Make sure you get someone who’s qualified to work on it.
     It probably needs maintenance and a combustion analysis.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,689
    is this a boiler? hot water / steam ?
    or a furnace? hot air?
    if a boiler, is it steam?
    is the smoke a white plume ?
    known to beat dead horses
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    neilc said:
    is this a boiler? hot water / steam ? or a furnace? hot air? if a boiler, is it steam? is the smoke a white plume ?
    It’s hot water. Buderus doesn’t make steam boilers.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    STEVEusaPA
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,689
    edited November 2022
    have not had all my coffee yet,
    no reading comprehension
    known to beat dead horses
    IronmanEdTheHeaterMan
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    heathead said:

    Find a contractor link is still the best option. A 2nd best is who do you buy your oil from, they should know someone or better yet have their own service department.

    My father and his brothers were in the oil business. If a customer's oil burner did not work... they sold less oil! The oil company will find a way to get the burner running!
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
  • MikeAmann
    MikeAmann Member Posts: 996

    My father and his brothers were in the oil business. If a customer's oil burner did not work... they sold less oil! The oil company will find a way to get the burner running!

    And adjusted to use LOTS of oil. ;)

  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,761
    White or black smoke ?
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    MikeAmann said:


    ...And adjusted to use LOTS of oil. ;)

    And exactly how would one do that?

    steve
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    Big Ed_4 said:

    White or black smoke ?

    Black smoke = no Pope
    White smoke = New Pope

    But what does this have to do with the Riello Burner?
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713

    MikeAmann said:


    ...And adjusted to use LOTS of oil. ;)

    And exactly how would one do that?

    I'm sure there were some that do this practice, The F.P. Young Co. was not one of those. When I was in training, we were taught how to make the oil burner operate as clean and efficient as possible. Customers were paying big bucks to convert to natural gas back then. If that happened, no one would ever sell that customer a drop of oil ever again.

    At less than 1/2 the cost of a new gas boiler, The company could "Modernize" your old heater with a new combustion chamber, barometric draft control, modern Honeywell round thermostat, accurate limit and safety controls, and a high efficiency Flame Retention oil burner. Your oil usage could drop from 10% to 50% or more.

    The customers with new modern oil burners were still burning oil. Less oil is better than No oil. Customers were happy with the results and stayed customers for 10+ more years.

    Based on @MikeAmann statement, I think if he were operating an oil company, I might purchase my oil elsewhere.
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
    STEVEusaPAMikeAmann
  • MikeAmann
    MikeAmann Member Posts: 996
    BINGO. Thanks Ed.