Oil fired boiler - HELP!

[coldstream]

hi

I'm running an old Perrymatic Jetstream MkII, ran out of oil.

Just had a new tank of delivered, I'm definitely getting oil and have bled the pump. I turned the power on at the wall and pressed the start up button on the front of the boiler:

pump starts, fan starts, system sparks and boiler fires up.

After a few minutes the flame goes out, but the fan is still running....and continues to run even when i turn the thing off on the wall and back on again.

Any ideas how I reset the boiler back to the the point at which I need to press the button? Or clues as to what's wrong?

Family freezing and desperately want to get the thing started!


Thanks in advance

 

[oilhead]

What burner do you have on your boiler? If it is a Riello, then it may be the photo cell at fault. Let me know which burner and see if I can help.

 

[MickyP10]

Ours took a few goes bleeding.

 

[coldstream]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm not entirely sure to be honest, I'm new to oil and don't really know what I'm looking at.

The box on the front says 'Mectron 3BM'. Is that any help?

Cheers

 

[coldstream]

Ours took a few goes bleeding.

So should the fan still be running after the flame goes out? I just open the bleeding nipple again, wait for a steady flow and close it? In theory should the thing try and spark up again itself?

If you have an old perrymatic, could you run me through your start up procedure please? I'm new to this stuff am am pretty much guessing my way through the procedure...


Cheers

 

[Burnerman]

I think at this early stage it would be a good idea to disconnect the flexible oil line to the pump if you can, and allow a good litre of kero to flow into a container. Then, reconnect the pipe, double check for open tank valves and have another try.
Your burner is a Riello 3BM, usually in its own red box.
John

 

[coldstream]

I think at this early stage it would be a good idea to disconnect the flexible oil line to the pump if you can, and allow a good litre of kero to flow into a container. Then, reconnect the pipe, double check for open tank valves and have another try.
Your burner is a Riello 3BM, usually in its own red box.
John

Thanks Jon I'll try that, got 3/4 pint stood on the side, but I'll leak some more!

Could you step me though the start-up process please? Make sure I'm not doing something utterly stupid?

baby steps here

Cheers

 

[Burnerman]

Power on to the boiler, all thermostats calling for heat (turn the boiler stat up until it clicks - top right and at the same time press the boiler limit stat in, in case its tripped for some reason), then press the lockout lamp on the burner control box if its lit up.
The burner fan should then start for a few seconds, followed by the oil being electrically switched on - and hopefully you're in business!
John

 

[coldstream]

Power on to the boiler, all thermostats calling for heat (turn the boiler stat up until it clicks - top right and at the same time press the boiler limit stat in, in case its tripped for some reason), then press the lockout lamp on the burner control box if its lit up.
The burner fan should then start for a few seconds, followed by the oil being electrically switched on - and hopefully you're in business!
John

Huston we have lift off!..well nearly.

I don't know my way around this ancient boiler, its nearly as old as I am. All I can see is the regular stat, the lockout lamp, and a bleeding nipple.

Drained off a couple of pints, followed instructions above (but what/where is the boiler limit stat?) No lockout light and the fan started, piezo fired and we had ignition. It ran for about 20 seconds then went out. Fan still running.

What next? Seriously appreciate this by the way.

 

[Murf520970]

pull out the photocell / sensor & give the end a clean . It may help to go onto riellos website & download a few pdfs on single stage riello burners to familiarise yourself with where the photosensor is . It will have alead on it a bit like a sparkplug lead . It just pulls out .If its sooted up it will not recodnise the boilers lit .

 

[Burnerman]

I'm wondering how far your tank is from the burner, and does the oil feed by gravity or is the tank lower? If the tank is lower than the burner, it could take a few attempts to bleed it thoroughly.....your symptoms are of fuel starvation.
Your first post said that the burner worked for a few minutes before locking out, and your last post said that it ran for about 20 sec.
So.....if a flame is present but doesn't establish for long, then the photocell is usually to blame - its in the control box itself. However, the Riello is different from other makes because it has a two stage solenoid coil on the oil pump- thats the part that switches the oil on to start burning. The first stage is called the starting cycle, the other stage of the coil actually holds the oil valve open and switches the ignition off - thats called the running cycle.
No matter....if everything was ok before the oil ran dry, it would be a wild coincidence for other faults to occur - unless the lockout button was continually being reset - control boxes don't like this!
So - your homework.....check the filter at the oil tank outlet, and the operation of each and every valve between the tank and the burner......could the tanker driver have closed a valve off?
If alls well there, I guess its time to call in the cavalry, unfortunately, and they'll go for a new solenoid coil, photocell and/or control box I guess.
John

 

[coldstream]

I'm wondering how far your tank is from the burner, and does the oil feed by gravity or is the tank lower? If the tank is lower than the burner, it could take a few attempts to bleed it thoroughly.....your symptoms are of fuel starvation.
Your first post said that the burner worked for a few minutes before locking out, and your last post said that it ran for about 20 sec.
So.....if a flame is present but doesn't establish for long, then the photocell is usually to blame - its in the control box itself. However, the Riello is different from other makes because it has a two stage solenoid coil on the oil pump- thats the part that switches the oil on to start burning. The first stage is called the starting cycle, the other stage of the coil actually holds the oil valve open and switches the ignition off - thats called the running cycle.
No matter....if everything was ok before the oil ran dry, it would be a wild coincidence for other faults to occur - unless the lockout button was continually being reset - control boxes don't like this!
So - your homework.....check the filter at the oil tank outlet, and the operation of each and every valve between the tank and the burner......could the tanker driver have closed a valve off?
If alls well there, I guess its time to call in the cavalry, unfortunately, and they'll go for a new solenoid coil, photocell and/or control box I guess.
John

John, appreciated.

No issue with the filter because I changed that last week (it was gammy as hell). Followed your advice and learnt a few things here tonight.

1] Ask the experts - I had no idea how this antique worked.
2] Pouring siphoned oil back into the tank in the dark isn't a brilliant idea.
3] Oil soaked rags burn well on my open fire.
4] An adjustable spanner and screwdriver are your friends.
5] if at first you don't succeed, keep fiddling.
6] This forum is worth a visit.
7] How to make friends with a 31 year old boiler.

Heating on, everybody happy!

Thanks a million folks, I'll be back!

 

[Burnerman]

Significant brownie points for you!
What was the solution, at the end of the day (or night )
John

 

[coldstream]

Significant brownie points for you!
What was the solution, at the end of the day (or night )
John

Bit of everything really (and/or I don't know).

I changed the tank filter, detached the flexible pipe and flushed through a few pints of oil as you advised, then bled the system about a million times. Can't be sure but don't think I was fully closing the bleeding nipple.

Its all working now but we're getting a local bloke round to give the boiler a proper service today. I've no idea how to check whether the fuel is burning properly, how to correctly set the paddle on the fan inlet, check/clean the jets etc..I'll be watching him like a hawk (and hopefully learning a bit more!).

Seriously appreciate the advice I got here, I cant tell you how nice it is to wake up to a warm house on a Saturday morning...

 

[Tipper]

He should use a combustion flue gas analysis meter to set the combustion using the air damper adjustment. He'll also change the nozzle, 'cos they wear and its sintered filter clogs up, and check the pump set pressure first. Ask him to give you the results, ie CO2, etc.

Unfortunately the flue gas analyser is an expensive bit of kit and not really feasible for a DIYer to own due to its annual calibration servicing needs and costs. Use just once a year is prohibitive on cost alone. Cheaper to get the man in then you know it's all set up correctly and should run economically for the next 12 months.

When I retired I kept my flue gas analyser intending to check my own boiler annually but within a very short time the test cells had died and it no longer worked. Very disappointing. I sold it on ebay 'needing recalibration' for nearly as much as I bought it for some years before!