Redfyre centramatic problem

[tony_p]

Hi all,
my daughter has moved into my late fathers house. It has a redfyre centramatic vapourising pot boiler with a circular pot - circa 1966.
It was working earlier in the year and hadn't been used since but wouldn't fire up this week. Daughters just had a baby so need to get the heat on.
The ignitor heats, oil flows and fan operates.
I've cleaned everything and the pot was pretty gunged up. When I cleaned it out, in the bottom was a wick. So I'm wondering what the wick does and if this might be the problem.
There is a self tapping screw on the side to which is fixed a small piece of metal which I assume the wick attached to.
Can't find anyone local who has a clue. It seems a pretty simple system but its not my trade so am head scratching and thought someone may help

 

[oilhead]

The wick should sit under the ignitor and gives off vapour to cause ignition. First clean the ignitor, and whilst it is out of the pot, flick up the stop on the oil control and run through the start up sequence to check the ignitor is working. If it is, replace the ignitor and turn the oil back on and let it run through the sequence again. make sure the wick does not touch the ignitor, or that the fuel does not touch the ignitor.

 

[tony_p]

Hi Oilhead.
Thanks for the information - I'll follow this through.
Would the wick have been secured to the self tapping screw and lie under and across the ignitor or does it just sit in the bottom of the pot?
It looks pretty much past its sell by - are wicks available and how would I know what wick to get (I do have the old one).
Many thanks.
I notice you are in Shropshire - I am Wrexham. Do you do or can you recommend someone who would be able to service the boiler

 

[Terrywookfit]

The ignitor should have a metal wick ( Tongue ) attached to the element . This heats and ignites the oil.

 

[oilhead]

The wick should be held in place beneath the ignitor. The braided strap on the ignitor should be clear of carbon. If it touches the fuel or the wick it does not get hot.
You will be able to get wick from anyone who does Aga spares, or anyone who services Aga's. If stuck, PM me with an address and I'll send you some, but if you bash and flex yours to break up the carbon, it will still work. Check if it absorbs oil. These beasts are very old and inefficient, and spares are no longer available. Weak points are the fan and the flue stat, and of course the DAS control box. It is frustrating if you get no ignition and have to wait for the cycle to finish, about 6 minutes IIRC.
The OFTEC site may well put you in touch with an local engineer; anyone with a vapourising ticket should be able to help, especially one of senior years.

 

[tony_p]

Hi Terrywookfit, thanks for helping. The ignitor does have a braided strap on it but also in the bottom of the pot (I'm guessing broken off) was a wick. Not sure where/how this fits.

Oilhead, I can't see where oil stop is. There is a solenoid valve before a reservoir and a similar solenoid valve after the reservoir just before where the pipe goes into the pot. I'll get some photos. I think the boiler is a centramatic 50.

I think the senior years is a definite - I believe the old apprenticeship programmes were much more thorough!

When working it does heat the house in about 20 mins and the neighbour has had 4 boilers to date - this is still the original. Ultimately, I agree, it will need changing and will look to see what is about. At present they don't have the cash.

Thanks for your help - it is much appreciated

 

[oilhead]

The oil trip is a little tab lever on the end of the oil control valve (your reservoir). Lifting this up will stop the flow of fuel enabling you to follow the process without flooding the pot.
The senior years has nothing to do with training, just experience of an old appliance that is not much in evidence these days.
When cleaning these out, be very careful as the heat exchanger is encased with a fibrous sheath that is all that contains the products of combustion. It looks just like insulation but is an integral part of the flue passage.

 

[tony_p]

Great.
Okay, I've seen the little tab lever.
For cleaning all I have done is remove the pot and cleaned it out because it was all gunged up - that's when I saw the wick on the bottom.
There is a swing door which I opened which revealed a small steel plate - it was very sooty but I haven't done anything there.
I'm rooting around the house for a manual which might make "life" easier.
Yes, agree with knowledge of equipment. I had a guy in a couple of years back late spring. Said he'd never seen one before. Charged me £80 and left but when I switched the boiler on a few months later it went straight to lockout!

 

[Terrywookfit]

The braided strap on the ignitor should be clear of carbon. If it touches the fuel or the wick it does not get hot.

The glowplug is red hot before the solenoid opens. The first drops of oil are vaporised and ignited by it!!

How could a low voltage element ignite the oil if there was no contact.

 

[Terrywookfit]

Great.
Okay, I've seen the little tab lever.
For cleaning all I have done is remove the pot and cleaned it out because it was all gunged up - that's when I saw the wick on the bottom.
There is a swing door which I opened which revealed a small steel plate - it was very sooty but I haven't done anything there.
I'm rooting around the house for a manual which might make "life" easier.
Yes, agree with knowledge of equipment. I had a guy in a couple of years back late spring. Said he'd never seen one before. Charged me £80 and left but when I switched the boiler on a few months later it went straight to lockout!

Have you cleaned the oil inlet to the burner? You may find it completely blocked with carbon.

I have no recollection of a wick in any of the Pressurised Pot burners.

 

[tony_p]

Hi Terrywookfit.
When I disconnected the oil inlet from the solenoid valve quite a bit of oil came out of the pot so I think its clear. I think the oil was from repeated attempts by my daughter to start the boiler.
I'm going over soon and will have a look and take some photos which may help to identify the unit and whether it is in fact a wick.
Thanks

 

[Terrywookfit]

Does the oil actually ignite ??

Collect an oil sample from the solenoid outlet in a glass jar to verify it is oil and not water.

 

[tony_p]

Hi Terrywookfit,
yes it was oil. I did fit a water trap in the line about 6 months ago so hopefully that stops water getting in the system.
Been over and took some photos showing various components. It was definitely a wick lying in the bottom - it is/was about 4 inches long. I'm wondering whether this was fixed to the pot by a self tapping screw and small metal plate - just to the right of where the ignitor fits you can just make out the whole where the screw and plate were - and lay in the "recess" under the ignitor?

 

[Terrywookfit]

It shouldn't need a wick in the bottom.
The wick is on the glow coil.

I would burn the oil in the pot ( Out doors ) before reassembling.

Ignition Sequence.
Timing determined by control box
Float valve inlet solenoid opens
Glowcoil energised
Burner solenoid opens, oil ignites (Hopefully).
Fan energised.
Teddington flue stat senses heat and stops control box motor...…….

 

[oilhead]

The wick lies on the bottom of the pot underneath the braided wire on the glowcoil. If the braided wire on the glowcoil is in contact with the wick or fuel, it will not light as it does not get to glow.
Terry, the wick is just a small piece similar to that in a Rayburn Nouvelle boiler burner. The oil comes in and wets the wick, which gives off a vapour that is easily lit by the glowcoil. A trick often used was to substitute a small pile of sand which also gave off a vapour.