burner time out

[Arthurernie]

Hi all, I've a British oil burners type D42A with a Satronic TF802B controller fitted to an Ideal Standard boiler that is currently running for 35 seconds then cutting out for 7 seconds then relighting for another 35 seconds continuously. I have cleaned the light up detector, cleaned out the oil filter at the tank, stripped the fan/pump motor and oiled the bearings as it seems to get quite warm when running. The oil pump was fitted new 4 years ago.
The controller seems to give off lots of sparks from its relays during operation at times and I was thinking it may have seen better days as it is at least 20 years old that I know of.
Can anyone give me some clues as to what is happening to my boiler please
Arthur

 

[Agile]

Hi all, I've a British oil burners type D42A with a Satronic TF802B controller fitted to an Ideal Standard boiler that is currently running for 35 seconds then cutting out for 7 seconds then relighting for another 35 seconds continuously.
Arthur

Clearly its 35 second oil so what do you expect? !

 

[gremlin16]

Thats a cracker Agile pmsl

 

[Arthurernie]

Nice one Agile, I should have seen that coming. Luckily I have some million year coal on at the moment and it is keeping me warm while I wait for a proper answer to my problem.
Cheers
Arthur

 

[wilhelm]

I would say pump . unless youve fiddled with the air?

but get someone in.

mind you, could be nozzle
who knows the history??

 

[OilLecky]

Yes difficult to tell without some history. If you can't get a "man in", start with some sort of systematic checks.
Have you got sufficient oil flowing to the pump in the first place? A partly blocked filter can give fuel starvation which recovers after a pause to resupply some more oil. When was the last time a new nozzle was fitted?

 

[Arthurernie]

Hi all, just to let you know more.
New burner fitted18 months ago only because someone mentioned that they should be changed regularly:- it had done 13 years to my knowledge up to that time.
Installed a new tank and filter 3 years ago as the steel tank sprung a leek, so I got a plastic one with a new filter unit.
Just found out the magic eye is a switch not a signal generator so tested as such and it works OK, I thought it would give a voltage when a light was shone on it not just switch on and off.
The system heats radiators and a hot water tank assisted by the back boiler of a fire when it is on.
It lights up immediately on start up and burns with a good clean flame though I don't know what the emmisions are. I have played with the air regulator, mainly by listening to the sound of the flame, I just can't understand why it is such time specific as 35 seconds on and 7 off so I think a new controler is on the cards.
I see the TF802B is now obselete but there are updated replacements
Cheers
Arthur

 

[OilLecky]

Please clarify the "magic eye" seeming to work like a switch. Normally they are photo-resistors. i.e. the resistance changes with the amount of light shone on them. You can usually see a zig -zagged element in them. I take it that you have some form of multimeter? If so, select the "diode" range (it has a triangle on a line with another short line at 90 degrees to the triangle point.) or if not then select the resistance range. Cover the sensor then read off the resistance. Then shine a torch at the sensor and check that the resistance changes. It should be high resistance in the dark (greater than 500kohms) and low resistance in light (10 to 40 kOhms approx).

You do not need to renew burners regularly ...only when you can no longer get spares. By burner I mean the whole motor / fan / fuel pump assembly. Or was it the nozzle that you renewed?

 

[MANDATE]

Hi arthur! read your post with interest, cause I also have a D42 burner.
There are a few things you can do to help identify the problem,

I think it could be the contol box or maybe the pump solinoid, works ok while cool but breaks down when hot, then cools and works ok again. that could account for the 35 and 7 sec.

I'm sure you won't want to buy a control box if it turns out not to be the problem

First is to eliminate the control box and flame detector. I used a switched extension lead. Supplied separate power to (a) transformer/ electrodes, (b) motor/pump and (c) pump solinoid.
I then follow the normal sequence of events, (a) ON, then (b) ON then (c) ON, boiler lights and then (a) OFF.
When I did this I did have a new nozzle (£5) and pressure gauge (£12) fitted.

 

[Arthurernie]

Hi Mandate, Mine does not have a fuel solenoid, pretty basic eh.
"magic eye" yes I was told by a guy who fixes mobile heaters that it just goes on and off with light, I thought myself it must be more sophisticated than that but basically all it seems to do is switch on and off.I have checked mine the way you suggested and it appears fine (open circuit when in the dark and .5 on the 2k range of my multimeter ) 32 when on the diode scale
Yes it was just the nozzle I changed.
I am now going to try your switches idea
I'll be back
Arthur

 

[Tipper]

Are you sure you don't have a solenoid? They tend to be fitted to the oil pump and not separate unless your burner is from the dark ages!

If it's that old you will find upgrading to a new boiler would be beneficial both in terms of noise, smells and most importantly, economy, if you can afford it.

 

[Arthurernie]

I'm back, have just jumped the igniter and pump as suggested and it ran smoothly till I switched it of so it looks like the controller.
Elf and safety would have a fit if they were here

 

[MANDATE]

Well it looks like that worked a treat.
You'll be able to sleep easy tonight.

 

[OilLecky]

Well done "arfur". The test leads used in your trial were "temporary experimental laboratory test equipment", never mind "elf an safety". Welcome to the Dangerous Brothers "wire things straight in to see if they work then", team!!

 

[WDIK]

so now you have it narrowed down to either the photo cell or the control box?