Oil boiler not receiving oil

[Colinc500]

Hello all,

We were recently were away for a couple of weeks and came back to find our oil boiler in lockout. Camray 55.

Checked oil and it had ran out while we were away. Had a new delivery of oil and left to settle for a while.

The boiler still went out into lockout, so I bled it which made no difference. I then checked the oil pipe outside the house where it enters our porch. I undid the brass nut slowly thinking it would start gushing through but it didn't. With the whole nut removed and pipe connector removed no oil comes out at all.

Is this likely to be an airlock in the pipe from the tank (above ground) or sludge taken in as a result of oil going very low?

What are the next steps to clear this and restore oil flow to the boiler?

Kind regards
Colin

 

[Andy4444]

Have you checked the oil filter at tank for blockages?

 

[Colinc500]

I have checked the filter and got rid of a little sludge but still have the same problem.

 

[Andy4444]

Have you loosened the nut (carefully) downstream of the filter to see if oil is flowing through the filter. If it's a gem combined filter there is a gauze strainer underneath which sometimes gets blocked .

If all clear I would then try to clear any blockage with a foot pump and appropriate fittings or compressed air.

I went to a job the other day where oil was not passing beyond the fire valve upstream union. When I removed fire valve and stuck a screwdriver in a 4 inch long piece of sludge pushed itself out of the oil line under tank head pressure.

 

[Colinc500]

It is a 3 in 1 gem, with sight gauge. When i pulled the pin for the gauge there was hissing and oil dribbled out the end. Is that normal?

I am going to take another look tomorrow when it is light again at the filter. I took the fire valve off upstream and no oil comes through.

If there is sludge in the pipe where can i get fittings for my foot pump to remove it?

Regards
Colin

 

[Andy4444]

There should be a nut under the gem which hopefully still has straight edges. Make sure the strainer is not clogged with sludge.

 

[oilhead]

Having pulled out the pin to read the gauge, you have now bled the filter. Repeat this at the burner and it should start

 

[Colinc500]

Still no oil coming through. I have disconnected the oil pipe upstream of the fire valve expecting flow but nothing

 

[Colinc500]

So far:

I have disconnected the filter at the tank, cleared and reconnected. I then slowly undid the nut after the tank filter and oil came spurting through, so i know it is getting to the pipe past the filter.

Next i undid the nut upstream of the fire valve and filter. I was expecting the oil to come spurting through but nothing. So I can only assume there is a blockage in the pipe between the tank filter and the fire valve.

I have tried using a foot pump with a plastic adapter, but doesn't seem to be dong anything. I had the pipe disconnected both at the tank and upstream of the fire valve, but nothing seems to be shifting.

any thoughts from anyone?

Regards
Colin

 

[slapper]

Reset the Fire valve

 

[Colinc500]

How do I do that?

 

[Colinc500]

Should the oil be under enough pressure from the tank to flow through the pipe?

If so this isn't happening because I disconnected the line before the fire valve.

 

[slapper]

Well then the problem is at your tank and filter

 

[Colinc500]

I have took the filter off at the tank and reattached. then disconnected the pipe leaving the filer and oil flows freely through the filter.

How do I clear the oil pipeline of sludge?

 

[slapper]

No easy way, if its buried then an air compressor, if its surfaced and not too far a run, then you could disconnect both ends, remove section and clear out, if you've got oil past the filter then a section of pipe is defo blocked.

Is the tank steel or plastic