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Westwood electrodes

Robert_H
Robert_H Member Posts: 210
edited September 11 in Oil Heating

II ordered electrodes for a Carlin 5 inch easy one burner from my local Granite group. They showed up this morning and I'm kind of surprised that they are not ready for installation. Everything I read, any classes I take, everybody says make sure the tips are sharp. But these tips are blunt and they're supposed to be replacements for a Carlin and Carlin tips have a pronounced taper to them. So how do you guys handle this in the field do you sharpen them with a file do you sharpen them on a grinder before you go in the field?

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Comments

  • Robert_H
    Robert_H Member Posts: 210
    edited September 11

    I'm sure should buy Carlin electrodes. But this is what was available and Westwood is a Beckett company and Beckett is a Burner company, you would think….

  • HydronicMike
    HydronicMike Member Posts: 124

    With todays igniters they are fine. More important they are clean and properly set.

    Robert_H
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,526

    Seriously doubt it will make any difference.

    Robert_H
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 11,032

    We are talking between 10,000 and 14,000 volts. I don't thing the sharp point or dull point is going to matter with that much spark voltage. I remember having a small fishing tackle size box filled with over 20 different electrode assemblies for all the different oil burners we would encounter in the 1960s and 70s. A tech would pick something close and often had to use wire snips to trim the electrode to size for some of those oddball burner assemblies. It never occurred to me that the end of the wire was pointy or blunt. The spark jumps across the wires just fine. I just used a small pocket ruler with 1/32" markings in order to measure the three critical measurements. Above, Ahead, and Gap based on the nozzle spray angle.

    I would not get a knot in my knickers over a new electrode with a shiny blunt end.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    Robert_H
  • Robert_H
    Robert_H Member Posts: 210

    OK, I will stop listening to those other voices :)

    You all have a great weekend!

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,526

    Some of the Carlin Burners had those Jacobs Ladders electrodes. At the gap you would set the electrodes at the normal 1/8". As the burner fan blew combustion air across the electrodes and blew the spark out towards the combustion chamber the gap got wider which as I understand it the wider the gap (within reason) the hotter the spark.

    Robert_H

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