Grant Oil Combi Boiler - poor reliability

[crockett]

Its not rubbish simond. I service nearly 100 oil fired boilers boilers where I work, the ones that had, in the past, regularly failed pumps were the ones that have a tank sited lower than the burner, with no deaeration device fitted. Once the system was corrected the burners ran, and are running fine, with no pump issues. Maybe I'm just lucky ?

 

[Crusader]

Slight update perhaps Butler fuels are wrong....the UK Petroleum Industry Assoc say:-

From 1st January 2008, the use of kerosene, gas oil and other petroleum derived liquid fuels with a sulphur content exceeding 0.1% (other than jet fuel) will be prohibited within the EU. The current limit is 0.2%.

 

[chr15]

Slight update perhaps Butler fuels are wrong

You were told....were you not?

 

[simond]

Its not rubbish simond. I service nearly 100 oil fired boilers boilers where I work, the ones that had, in the past, regularly failed pumps were the ones that have a tank sited lower than the burner, with no deaeration device fitted. Once the system was corrected the burners ran, and are running fine, with no pump issues. Maybe I'm just lucky ?

Possibly you are lucky.

I do not necessarily believe the problem is due to the oil sulphur content, that has been suggested by others.

But the fact remains that both Grant and Worcester have publicly acknowledged that some of their more recent Reillos have a pump fault and we (as a small/medium sized OFTEC outfit) have seen a significant proportion of our installed base fail in the last 12 months due to seized oil pumps and/or broken drive dogs.

We do know how to position boilers and tanks etc so whilst I agree oil starvation can cause the problem, this isn't the reason for the majority of failures. If it was, Grant and Worcester would be dishing the blame out to those responsible. If the boilers you maintain (and it is a small number compared to us) don't fail then they probably arent from the same age/batch or, as you say, you are lucky.

 

[crockett]

Different boilers, with varying burners, but the majority do have riello pumps. I will take it that I'm fortunate Lucky me !!!

 

[oilman]

Slight update perhaps Butler fuels are wrong....the UK Petroleum Industry Assoc say:-

From 1st January 2008, the use of kerosene, gas oil and other petroleum derived liquid fuels with a sulphur content exceeding 0.1% (other than jet fuel) will be prohibited within the EU. The current limit is 0.2%.

The problem would probably not have arisen if the sulphur content was 0.1% (or 1000 ppm). It seems the oil refiners decided to go the whole hog, and reduce the sulphur to less than 100ppm.

other than jet fuel

Any big money spinner can get away with anything they want. This is just so the MEPs can flit about to their hearts content.