HRM Wallstar lockout

[400ixl]

Hi all,

Have an HRM Wallstar oil boiler which has started playing up. Think its a 12/14 or 12/15 boiler.

It locked out the other day and the oil line to the boiler was full of air. Bled that and it started to increase again so following some of the threads on here I have replaced the non return valve and clear pipe and whilst there replaced the photocell and the solenoid coil. All well and good, it seemed (Saturday to Monday)

Been away for a few days and got back to it being locked out. There was some air in the line but not empty.

If I reset the lockout it will turn on the fan and if I remove the photocell I can see a flame (or at least an orange light). It will run for the 15 seconds and then rather than firing up fully it will lockout. I have bled the air out again as well and gone back to the original solenoid and photocell in case either of those were faulty.

Looking to get an engineer out, but anything I should be checking to get it running again?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks all.

 

[400ixl]

If it helps, inside and outside pictures where hot water is being called for but locked out.

 

[Exedon]

Is kero being drawn up by pump?
Certain oil line is clear? Filters do block all valves open including fire valve?
To be blunt wallboard are a pain with there insistence on single oil line .
As all we deal with are long out of warranty we convert them to tiger loop .
Oddly enough despite wallstars dire warnings they operate perfectly happily!

 

[400ixl]

Thanks Exedon for the response.

To update, I have got it fired up now. Will have to see if it is still leaking air.

What I had to do was to release an air lock in the pump (I assume). So rather than the top bleed valve at the front which removes the air from the line, I had to knock off the one on the side (left hand side in the picture) and it took a second or two whilst running to have a flow of oil coming from there.

After doing that it fired straight up and has been coming on and off as it should since then.

Not sure if that helps answer any questions (other than yes it is drawing kero.

Will order a new filter and replace that as they are cheap.

Will be getting an engineer in to look at it and do the annual service early, but not looking like anyone available for at least a week.

Again hanks for responding, appreciated.

 

[Exedon]

Typical wallstar to be honest I know it's one of there selling points but the single feed non return valve set up is crap!
Tiger loop fitted .then no more air lock problem

 

[400ixl]

Thanks, will see if it continues to draw air and speak to the engineer when I can get one to come about a tiger loop.

 

[400ixl]

One question, there is the wheel on the NRV which I assume is the fire valve. Should that be screwed all the way out, all the way in or some other position?

 

[Exedon]

It's a fusible head fire valve when fully open thread will be showing through the valve head .
If you have work done on boiler I would strongly recommend replacing with a proper remote fire valve .

 

[400ixl]

Well this is the system that keeps on giving.

Followed the kind advice here and converted it to a 2 pipe system with a tiger loop and laying the NRV horizontally. This on the whole worked but was still getting the occasional lock out (maybe once every 10 days or so).

We then had the cold weather and it started to get more frequent, every few days and then last week several times a day. Didn't appear to be an air issue. Yesterday it appeared to have stopped pumping altogether.

It starts the blower which is spinning the pump (evidenced by removing the pump and see it spin and the pump can be spun easily manually), then the solenoid cuts in (tested with a screwdriver which it holds fine & tested with 2 different solenoids). No oil appears to be getting pumped anywhere so it locks out.

Removed the solenoid valve and fitted it to the solenoid (pump is off the burner at this stage so no risk of oil going everywhere) and the valve does not move and it can't be moved manually.

Have I got a faulty pump solenoid valve? Should I be able to see it move? Any further tests I can do?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[oilhead]

If there is no movement in the solenoid stem, then that is faulty.

 

[400ixl]

Thanks, hopefully a simple fix then.

Should you be able to see it moving or be able to push it by hand?

May just get a whole pump (can get one tomorrow vs just a valve which will take a few days), then swap the valve for now and arrange for someone to come and set up the new pump (swapping it just before they come).