Grant/Riello 530se Oil boiler wont fire, no lockout?

[thompo]

Hello

Have a problem with my boiler, Its a Grant 50/90 with what i believe is a Reillo 530Se burner.

It was working fine on saturday, went back to the house yesterday and it sounded like it was going fine but had used no oil (running from drums at present). Had a look and all the pipes were cold.

Hit the reset and it started the motor, but made no attempt to fire, it will run for hours like this with the motor going, making no attempt to fire and wont lockout.

Removed the fuel supply pipe to nozzle but nothing coming out.
Stripped and cleaned the pump, no difference so suspecting the solenoid valve isnt opening.

Is there a way to test if it is the solenoid valve or the main controller?
Does the solenoid have to open before the electrodes are fired and it decides there is no flame and locks out?

Is there any repairs for the controller to save buying a new one (£80)? No real expensive components inside and all through hole so easy to swap

Cheers Neil

 

[simb82]

You need a new burner motor, if you can use a multimeter safely, check for 50v from white wire on motor when its running..

 

[thompo]

Good stuff, Ill have check at it later this evening.

If i do get 50V would it point to the control board?

Thanks

 

[oilhead]

First, take the photocell off the control box . If it fires, then locks out, replace the photocell with a new one. Similar symptoms occur if there is a coil failure. Very few instances of motor breakdown occur

 

[thompo]

Thanks for the reply,

By coil do you mean the oil valve/solenoid or the spark?

My logic says its either the solenoid or the controller but i suppose if the 50v isnt there neither will work properly.

I forgot to add, removed the photocell and it didnt change the operation. Sensor was clean but contacts looked a bit crappy, cleaned with wire wool still the same.

Just found this too which should prove helpful for anyone with similar issues.
http://www.trianco.co.uk/narchive/Riello-Burner-Fault-Finding.pdf

Is there any figures for the photocell to test?


Cheers

 

[oilhead]

Did you try the burner without the photocell fitted? If not, dothat before you buy a new motor. The coil I referred to is the solenoid coil on the oil pump. Not sure which readings you should get, as I normally try a new one from van stock. It's as quick as taking meter readings. The control box looks for a circuit through the coil during prepurge, and also monitors the photocell. After these two, check the white wire output, if none of these, then the control box is duff, but usually you can see signs of failure with scorching on the case.

 

[oilboffin]

Good old oil head first thing to check photocell just disconnect and start if it fires then goes into lockout in4 seconds it's a photocell that's the cheapest fix

 

[thompo]

Cheers guys,

Had a look at it again last night.

Photocell on or off made no difference to sequence
Tested it on the meter, very high resistance with no light, low reistance with light.

Checked the white wire and getting 53v so assuming motor is good.

Removed the coil and checked the resistances
Br-Bk - Open
Br-Bl- Open
Bl-Bk- 1.6 Ohm

Is the coil goosed?

seen a scorch mark on the outside of the control box but everything inside looks ok, ie not overheated/burnt.

Thanks for the help

Neil

 

[oilhead]

If you only have one circuit on the solenoid coil, then I would say it is failed. These coils have a winding to open the valve, and one to hold it when opened. Your readings suggest only one circuit.

 

[thompo]

Thanks for the help everyone, just put in a new coil and it's purring away again :

Quite a bit of white smoke or steam on startup but it cleared after 30secs or so.

 

[thompo]

Meh!

Seems it's away again. Was going fine would this signal the controll box is at fault?

It's in a boiler house and currently torrential rain and 60mph wind (the last 2 hrs we have had 2 power cuts a couple of trees down near by and some roads flooded!) , probably be waiting till tomorrow to check the coil again lol.

#edit
Rain let up for a bit. Coil tested ok so went back through the sequence to the start.
Reset it and it just ran the motor as before.
Removed photo cell, reset and it purged, fired then locked out
Gave the sensor a wipe (didnt look dirty) replaced it and reset.

All working again....for now..... will see what happens when it cycles.

 

[oilhead]

If it starts without the photocell fitted but purges with it, then change it. It is not dirty, but giving a false flame signal. Very common fault on this burner.

 

[halfway]

Wrong thread.