Oil fired heating cold start problem

[Kaymo]

Hi,
I have just moved into a new house in the country and have had my first experience or baptism of ‘fire’ with oil fired central heating. The boiler failed to start this week, the first night it restarted with a reset but the next day no amount of resetting would get it going. I managed to repair it and its now running fine once warmed up, but has trouble on its initial cold start with a good bit of spluttering and some black smoke on the first attempt but then goes fine after about the 2nd or 3rd reset and I was hoping someone with more experience on these things could give me some pointers.

While working on it I replaced the filter, atomiser nozzle and the fuel cutoff solenoid because the solenoid was falling to bits and the filter and nozzle were so cheap I thought I might as well but I think it was actually the pump that was preventing it from starting as it was only after turning the +/- screw on the centre shaft of the pump that I got enough pressure to get atomization from the nozzle. Since then it seems to be running well once started, with a blueish flame and the smoke doesn’t seem sooty at all – which would seem roughly ok to my untrained eye?

I’ve learned a lot from the posts I have found in this forum and reading general stuff on the internet over the last few days but I cant find anything at all on my make of burner – probably because its ancient and I cant really find anything about setting up the injector, the setup of which I have disturbed when replacing the nozzle. There is also a round metal object on the end of the injector, about 5 times the diameter not sure what it is called and where it should be placed in relation to the nozzle.

Appreciate any help that anyone can give.

Boiler - Firebird 120 popular
Burner - British Oil Burners 'Selectors'
Fuel – Kerosine

 

[Burnerman]

Choice of 3 burners on these, do I remember? Riello, Ecoflam or Bentone Sterling maybe?
Either way, I don't think its a good idea to set the pump pressure by eye, but much better by a gauge screwed into the oil pump.
I think the other device that you refer to is the blast tube, that swirls the air around the nozzle as its burning. Some of these only fit one way, others don't...its always wise to mark them before removing them.
John

 

[Kaymo]

Thanks for the info Burnerman. Its actually none of the burners you mentioned, its a 'Selector' made by 'British Oil Burners which is making me wonder just how old the burner is - the guy I bought the house from moved in back in 1973 and I am sure I remember him saying that the Central Heating was installed before he moved in!

The burner cut out again at the weekend and wouldnt restart so I checked and there was almost no pressure on the output of the pump. I stripped down the pump and found an internal gauze which was choked up with dirt- since cleaning and refitting the pressure is much higher and the burner is starting first time every time so far.

The blast tupe is definately on the right way - I am just not sure of the position on the shaft in relation to the nozzle. I agree that the best way to measure the pressure would be a gauge, I can probably get a hold of one of these but since I cant get any info on the burner I wouldnt know what to set it to.

 

[Burnerman]

Sorry mate I can't find any info on the Selectos burner, but if you want me to guess, I'd say 115 psi pump pressure.
John

 

[Kaymo]

Thanks for the info, i'll get a hold of a gauge and try to set to around this. In the long run I think the burner may need replaced but I'll see how it goes over the next few weeks.

Thanks

 

[oilhead]

It looks as though your boiler has had a replacement burner at some stage in the past. Selectos made by British Oil Burners, as opposed to British Oil and Gas Burners is well old, probably older than the boiler.
You don't say which size nozzle you have put in, but 120.000 Firebirds usually take a .85 gall at 10 bar, but if yours is different, and its not smoking, then I would leave well alone until you can do, or get done properly, a full commissioning job. The D42, which is probably what you have is not the easiest to set up, as it has a variable head, and was such a wide ranging burner it can be very fiddly getting the right secondary air setting. If boiler is sound, then consider replacing with a Riello RDB which should be available at approx £275 + VAT., but will still need commissioning.

 

[Boilerman2]

The Selectos D.42 was one of the best British oil burners ever made, it could fire any boiler from 45,000Btu upto about 300,000 Btu, it was a "Service Engineers" Burner, as yes it could be tricky to set up, but it certaily enabled you to justify your wages!!

 

[Kaymo]

Thanks Boilerman2,
Good to know that it has a good reputation, do you think that it would be worth keeping this running then, is there much to be gained by getting a new burner? It seems to be running fine now since I stripped and cleaned the pump. Any advice on the colour of the flame in a correctly set up unit - the current flame is steady and light blue.

Any advice on whether I would be able to get a manual for the burner.

 

[MANDATE]

This might be of interest to you.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=314555#314555
or do a search for D42 on the plumbing section.

 

[oilhead]

Your flame is not blue, it will be yellow/orange. It is only the viewing window that is blue. If the flame was blue, the photocell would not pick up the light. A grossly overaired flame can result in 'blue flame' combustion and causes flame failure lockouts; the blue is very slight and just forward of the nozzle and barely noticeable to the naked eye.