Plates inside boiler (gasoil) have melted?!

[Xandros]

I've just opened my Grant Euroflame (50/70 I think) boiler up to have a look see inside, because it's been cutting out a lot, and was shocked to find some of the interior plates have been devastated by extreme heat.

Well, two of them have. There are several plates in there but the two nearest the burner have suffered the worst, there wasn't much left of the bottom most plate, it has almost completely disintegrated... The one above it had started to melt and warped badly, the one above that was beginning to warp.

This is, obviously, due to absolutely extreme heat inside the boiler, what I'd like to know is if it was due to me having the air intake increased or because I've lowered it.

What I mean is, a couple of weeks ago, I put the burner air intake setting around the 7 mark, because of building I was doing in the loft around the flu, whenever the boiler was on heating the water (luckily not needed it for rads lately), the smoke (not a lot but enough to be a pain) and the odur was really off-putting for me while I was working. Of course turning it off wouldn't last long one of the resident resource hoggers would moan at me and demand it turned back on, or face pain of death.

So I increased the air intake temporarily so we still had heating but it just didn't smoke and stink as much as it normally did and gas me while I was working. This seemingly worked, but the boiler didn't 'alf roar. I knew I couldn't leave it like that for long but I did anyway, been like it ever since. Only just turned it down the other day back to its normal setting of around 5. However it started to cut out, which it never used to do. I kept pressing the reset button, it'd go for a while then eventually cut out again.

I figured having it on such a high setting may have cause some crap to get dislodged from the flu and build up inside it so I took it apart to have a look inside and found the above devastation.

So it's evident my dicking around with the air intake has complete buggered the boiler plates but luckily it doesn't seem to have melted anything else. I'm surprised actually the water jacket didn't explode or something.

The thing is, what I need to know really is, if having it at a high air intake setting was what melted the plates, or if it's because I've turned it down too low? My initial thought is having it so high caused the plates to melt, and when I set it down low the resulting debris and obstruction in the way of jet was causing it to cut out because it was no longer blasting air in as much as it was and unable to keep the flame going in amongst the buildup of debris.

 

[dcawkwell]

Firstly you shouldn't be "dicking" around with the settings of the boiler.
These are set to ensure high efficiency of the burner.
If you are having trouble with fumes then you need to fix the flue as it is obviously dangerous!! Not dick around with the settings of the boiler.

The damage to the plates does normally occur over time so it sounds
like combination of no maintenance on the boiler and you changing the settings.

Oil boilers like any boiler should not be fiddled with by the untrained.
They are a killer given half a chance.

Get and OFTEC trained engineer out check the oftec website for someone local to you and get the boiler serviced each year. Get them to check the integrity of the flue.

 

[Xandros]

Well the flu should be OK because I had it replaced last year. It was gassing me because I'd removed the section of the roof where it ran past so while I was there I was essentially head-height with the exhaust.

Will the boiler work ok without those two busted plates in it? As I understand the plates are only there to circulate the heat better.

Edit: In answer to my own question, yes apparently it does.

 

[Tibbot]

As I understand the plates are only there to circulate the heat better.

And to stop the flue from catching fire.

 

[xr4x4]

More air will run lean, thus hotter..

 

[Jezclayton]

If I understand this correctly you were working at roof level adjacent to the flue outlet whilst the boiler was running. In order to minimise the fumes you increased the combustion air without any means of checking levels of CO.

Your response to dcawkwell's post suggests you have not grasped just how dangerous your actions were and could quite forseeably have resulted in you being exposed to dangerous levels of CO.

I wouldn't worry too much about the baffles having melted as this is quite common. They will need replacing however and the combustion checking. This is best done by an OFTEC registered technician who has the necessary tools and skills to ensure this is done properly to ensure both safe and efficient operation.

In the meantime, I strongly suggest you turn the boiler off when working close to the flue outlet. It's much better to suffer some aggro from residents than risk your own health.

 

[leakydave]

You are the sort of person we read about in Trade Magazines that killed themselves through lack of negligence over a simple matter of combustion settings.

Stick to what you are good at.

 

[Xandros]

You never know, maybe you'll read about me in the future. I've always wanted to be in a magazine.

Anyway, joking aside I have grasped the dangers, I wouldn't have done it if I thought I might kill myself. Be assured I was not in any immediate danger. For all intents and purposes I was outside, so I had plenty of fresh air to fill my lungs, I merely couldn't stand the stink of the boiler. In the heat we had the other week it was nice to be able to do a bit of work with a beer in one hand without having to smell smoky farts every now and then wafting into the loft space everytime a draft blew it that way.

But anyway thanks for the info and the displays of concern.

 

[oilboffin]

I'm in full agreement with what's been said what's been done here is so dangerous and yes someone could have easily been killed as a result when oil techs set up a boiler the co2 and the co carbon monoxide are checked using a flue gas analyser this breathes in the fumes so people don't have to it's a good bet you will need a new baffle set and your boiler will need a good service and resetting once this is done don't touch it again if anyone was hurt by your actions you could have seen you in court.and believe me you don't want to be there cos you'd probably get time so fingers out leave it to those who know please