Oil boiler won't fire - elderly people cold

[Roger465]

Sorry to panic but have very old parents here in N Ireland whose year-old Firebird boiler won't fire. Tank half full; pump all lit up; boiler seems to kind of "cycle", ie it seems to keep trying to fire, fails, then tries again.

My knowledge extends as far as pressing the big reset button, but that didn't help. Is there anything else I can try, as we can't get hold of the guy who fitted it?

Thanks

 

[muggles]

Call Firebird out under warranty

 

[oilboffin]

Photo cell boiler not set up properly

 

[Roger465]

Thanks guys - just got in, no computer etc at parents' house.

Managed to get the guy out who installed it - he was supposed to be away. He sorted it out and it's fine now - think it was a soot problem or something

 

[Burnerman]

The photocell blinded by some soot, maybe......shouldn't be common if the boiler was set up right, but a yearly service is recommended as per Bob's advice
John

 

[oilboffin]

Yup a lot of boilers put in and not set up right usually not enough air.Bob

 

[Roger465]

Thanks again guys

 

[Roger465]

Just in case anybody’s still interested… the plumber who fitted this new boiler a bit over a year ago is one of those guys who’s been around forever, done all my parents’ work at what I consider to be questionable expense, and of course they trust him completely.

I don’t. So what happened here was that he came round, said their boiler was close to its first annual service anyway, and proceeded to take it to bits. Now bear in mind I know nothing about heating systems here, so just reporting what I saw… far as I can remember, he took a big cover off, and removed a series of big steel plates (baffles?), all of which were covered in soot.

He said the soot was what was preventing the boiler from firing, and cleaned it all off. He fired the burner up a couple of times (while it was detached), giving a big jet of yellow flame.

Now I may not know about boilers, but I know a fair bit about car and motorbike engines, and also remember my Bunsen burner days at school, and to my naïve way of thinking, you only get yellow flames and soot when something’s running too rich (too much fuel, or not enough air). I kind of muttered something to this effect, and he said yes, that’s right, it must have drifted off its ideal setting over the year it’s been in service.

I suspect he didn’t bother his arse setting it up right when he installed it, but this may just reflect the fact that I simply don’t trust the guy. So two questions, if you’ll indulge me please:

1. Would you normally expect the burner flame to be yellow? Not blue…?

2. How likely is it that it was set up correctly, and “drifted” to a too-rich state?

One of the reasons I ask is that he also fitted a new boiler for me (same model) a year ago, so it’s due a service – if he’s dodgy, I need to find somebody else!

Thanks

 

[durhamplumber]

Not expert on that boiler but very very unusual to find any soot on any boiler.Old back boilers not serviced for donkies years equal soot,otherwise v odd

 

[Mottie]

Now I may not know about boilers, but I know a fair bit about car and motorbike engines, and also remember my Bunsen burner days at school, and to my naïve way of thinking, you only get yellow flames and soot when something’s running too rich (too much fuel, or not enough air).

Oh, you had one of those Gunsons Colortune plugs in your kit as well, did you? I remember them fondly when I used to set up the SU on my Austin 1100.

 

[Burnerman]

Don't expect to see a blue flame - a nice bright yellow to almost white is more accurate!
If the baffles are sooted up then the burner isn't set up well - I'm surprised there isn't a pong or indeed smoke outside. What you should see are some yellow sulphur deposits on the baffle edges.
Once set up with an oil pressure gauge and a flue gas analyser, any drift will be minimal.
John

 

[Burnerman]

Oh, you had one of those Gunsons Colortune plugs in your kit as well, did you? I remember them fondly when I used to set up the SU on my Austin 1100.

I had a colortune too - the colour always looked the bloody same
John

 

[Roger465]

Oh, you had one of those Gunsons Colortune plugs in your kit as well, did you? I remember them fondly when I used to set up the SU on my Austin 1100.

Triumph Bonneville in my case, but yep

 

[Roger465]

Don't expect to see a blue flame - a nice bright yellow to almost white is more accurate!
If the baffles are sooted up then the burner isn't set up well - I'm surprised there isn't a pong or indeed smoke outside. What you should see are some yellow sulphur deposits on the baffle edges.
Once set up with an oil pressure gauge and a flue gas analyser, any drift will be minimal.
John

OK, thanks for the flame colour info! There might well have been pong or smoke - my parents' house, so no idea. I just get the panicky phone calls about it being cold... I'm convinced he forgot/didn't bother his arse to set it up...

I had a colortune too - the colour always looked the bloody same
John

Yeah, kind of orange, from what I remember - and if you didn't do it when pitch dark, you didn't see ANYTHING.

 

[oilboffin]

Most burners are yellow flame as burner man said if you post the make and model of boiler we could tell you what nozzle you need and oil psi and rough air setting to give to your chappie plus the co2 you need.Bob