help, Central Heating not working.

Lord Nikon

This is in the electrical section too, wasn't sure where to put it .

Okay, I filled up the tank yesterday with Kerosene, but the heating isn't coming on at all.

Is it airlocked?
If so, can I fix this myself?

I moved a flathead screw around, and a allen screw too, nothing from both. At the bottom of the system is a nut that I took out and nothing there.

No flow from anything?

Is it turning on though, when I hit the red button on the front, but just not firing up.

Any ideas much appreciated, cause I am very cold.

Avns1s

Is the valve on the tank open?

Is the "firevalve" in your boiler house open (note reverse thread usually!.)

The unscrew the bottom nut and keep pushing the lockout button until the oil runs out of the bottom bung without any air bubbles.

If still nothing after a few bouts of this, disconnect the oil pipe from the bottom of the pump and check for flow.


When the oil runs without air out of the bottom bung, tighten up and push the lockout button once more. Should run fine from there.

Hope this helps.

Lord Nikon

Okay, i'll try that, thanks

big b

Just to piggyback on this...

I'm having the very same problem, despite having a tigerloop fitted, which my plumber told me would do away with the need to prime the boiler again if oil ran out.

Anyway, my tigerloop is empty, when I try to prime the boiler you can see a tiny amount of oil bubbling at the bottom of the loop . I've tried removing the allen screw, the grub screw & the bottom nut (all seperately) & pressing the "start" button several times but can't get the oil to draw through.

Same thing happened last winter & I "somehow" managed to get it going, but for the life of me I can't remember what I did.

Any ideas please?

Avns1s

Have you tried the above?

big b

Avns1s wrote: »

Have you tried the above?

Hi

Yes, I checked the fire valve is open.

Since i have a tigerloop, should I unscrew the pipes feeding into that from the tank to ensure there is a flow? Assuming there is, any ideas how I can get the pump to draw the oil through the loop?

Thanks for your help

JamesM

Did you get a full tank of oil ? Is the level of oil in your tank well above the loop and the burner ? You do need some gravity flow to get things going. Make sure that the oil is flowing before the loop.
Jim.

big b

Hi Jim

Tank is 3/4 full, level is way above the loop & the burner.

Guess I'll have to disconnect the hose which feds from the tank to the loop, to see if there's flow there.

Having 2 left hands, I was hoping that wouldn't be necessary!
Is there much point in repeating the steps above - removing screws of various types- but trying for longer, in the hope that the air will eventually vent? Should I remove the bolt & try to suck the oil through with a straw?

Cold w/end coming up & my plumber is away!:mad:

Thanks

Avns1s

First thing to do is to ensure that the oil is flowing to the loop.

After that you may still have to bleed the burner as described above.

I know you think you have two left hands but it really is not that difficult and once you do it the first time you'll be able to do it again.

Try it and come back if you need more help.

big b

Thanks guys, I'll have a go at it this evening.

I'm guessing that if there's flow to the loop, but bleeding the burner still won't draw oil through, something is either clogged or broken?

Anyway, here's hoping I can report a "fixed" on Monday morning!
Thanks again

Lord Nikon

Do you have a Riello burner like me?

I eventually got the air out, and had Kero flowing out the bleed screw, and a trickle out the allen bold ficture too, but damned if the thing will ignite, or if it's getting there at all

big b

neuromancer wrote: »

Do you have a Riello burner like me?

I eventually got the air out, and had Kero flowing out the bleed screw, and a trickle out the allen bold ficture too, but damned if the thing will ignite, or if it's getting there at all

Hi

No, mines a Firebird Heatpack.
Bummer that you got a flow & it still won't light

Hope we both get sorted over the weekend, good luck!

Avns1s

neuromancer wrote: »

Do you have a Riello burner like me?

I eventually got the air out, and had Kero flowing out the bleed screw, and a trickle out the allen bold ficture too, but damned if the thing will ignite, or if it's getting there at all

Can you hear the electrodes arcing as part of the start up cycle? If it's been a while since the boiler was serviced then it's possible that some soot has fallen across the electrodes preventing a spark to ignite the flow of fuel.

It's also possible that the nozzle is blocked.

If there is clean(air free) fuel flowing from the bottom bung when you try and run through the start up cycle then it should have solved the airlock problem.

I do note that you talk about a trickle.... there should be a good flow as the burner is trying to cycle up.

Also not sure what is the allen bold thing you speak of. The bleed nut is the one on the bottom and is fitted by either a 5/8" or a 9/16" spanner. I can't remember which. You should undo thios completely and cycle the burner until it runs freely and without air.

JamesM

If it is a Riello G3, you will know if there is pressure by the fact that the air vent opens when you switch on the burner. A RDB does not have this feature.
The allen screw on the side of the pump is the one to try first - then if that does not work, you can try the bolt under the adjustment screw. I would not take this bolt out fully, because, once the oil comes through, a very strong jet of oil will hit whatever is facing it - like you :eek:. Have you changed the position of the adjustment screw ? It should be about 12 to 15 turns out from fully in - for kerosene. In all cases make sure that the fire valve is fully open - sometimes it only looks that way.
Jim.

Lord Nikon

Whats the Fire Valve?

i have the RBD model, heatpac 90.

Micky Dolenz

look at the burner and you will see a fexible hose, at follow the hose away from burner and you should see a bronze valve, this is the fire valve. Screw it so the handle travels down the thread core to the valve body. this is open.

Lord Nikon

Mine has no handle. But I'm sure it is open, it hasn't been touched since i moved in to the house.

JamesM

There are other types, but if it is the most common type http://www.heating-parts.co.uk/product.asp?prd=291107 , then it is closed when the handle has been removed. Unless, it has been jammed open, or there is grit or dirt in it, keeping it open.
Also not having a handle on it can void your house insurance, if there was a fire.
Open the connection on the burner side of the valve to make sure that the oil is getting through.
Jim.

Lord Nikon

The oil is gettingthrough full flow, no probs there. It was airlocked, but I blew the air out, and flows steadily. It's just not firing up....

JamesM

You said that you moved the flathead screw. It should be about 12 to 15 half turns out from fully in. Also if your burner has not been working too well the photocell could be dirty. On the RDB it is the black plastic thing that is pushed into the back of the burner with a wire coming out of it. Pull it out and clean the glass front. If it is not working after that, you could need an expert.
Jim.

Lord Nikon

The photocell is on the burner?

JamesM

neuromancer wrote: »

The photocell is on the burner?

Yea, it is pushed into the burner facing you. Just pull it out gently and clean the glass tip. See the photo.
Jim.
http://www.heating-parts.co.uk/media/stock/000001C9.JPG

Lord Nikon

Cheers Jim, will try that when i get home.

Lord Nikon

Okay Jim, I took that out last night, and cleaned it, but it was spotless. Damn, i'm so cold

Avns1s

neuromancer wrote: »

Okay Jim, I took that out last night, and cleaned it, but it was spotless. Damn, i'm so cold

Sorry to say this mate but at this stage you really need to call in someone that knows what they're doing. Otherwise, I think you'll be saving the planet by not burning any oil!!.

big b

Feel for neuromancer, but..............RESULT FOR ME!!!

Had to come into work for a while on Saturday, and left Mrs B sitting in the garden pushing the lockout button every 30 seconds, with the nut removed. She gave up after an hour, not a peep.

Talking to a mate on the way home, he lent me a suction pump from his garage. 20 seconds of pumping & oil started to fill the tigerloop:D

Couldn't get it to fill right up, I suppose because there was flow through the pump, but it was covering the outlet pipes & I had heat!

Thanks to Avns1s & Jim for all the advice, much appreciated.:)

Lord Nikon

I may give Firebird a ring tomorrow, cause I'm off for the rest of the week. They were supposed to call me back, but ho-hum, they didn't.

Meh, if I do get it sorted in the meantime, I'll post up results. Good for you 'big b', bet you just love walking about the house in just shorts now

Micky Dolenz

When you say it's not firing. Is it trying to fire? can you hear the electrodes sparking and does it cut out after a few attempts?

Lord Nikon

Yeah, that's what it sounds like.

Micky Dolenz

It can only be one of two things (I stand to be corrected!) either a blocked nossle (replace nossle) provided you are getting oil at the pump and it sprays (at bleed nut) when it tries to fire or it's a faulty photocell. Nossle approx €6 photocell RDB €22 max.

Lord Nikon

Gonna ring Firebird tomorrow, cause it's all under warrenty, and maybe I'm missing something.

No blockages, oil flows from bleed no probs.

Micky Dolenz

Firebird tech dept is next to useless lately. If it's under warrenty your laughing.

Lord Nikon

If I was warm I would be hysterical.

big b

neuromancer wrote: »

Good for you 'big b', bet you just love walking about the house in just shorts now

Hmm......must remember to shut the curtains!


Hope you get sorted soon

JamesM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

It can only be one of two things (I stand to be corrected!) either a blocked nossle (replace nossle) provided you are getting oil at the pump and it sprays (at bleed nut) when it tries to fire or it's a faulty photocell. Nossle approx €6 photocell RDB €22 max.

Yea, if there is pressure at the bleed nut under the pressure adjustment screw (which should be about 15 half turns out from fully in), then the pump seems to be working. Try changing the nozzle for the same size and angle.

When you switch on, you should hear the motor whirring, then after 10 secs or so, there is a click and a light buzzing sound comes in for about 5 secs, and the burner should fire during this time. I have heard of some RDB photocells giving trouble - I don't think that it happens a lot. You could carefully lift out the burner as it tries to start and see if oil is spraying from the jet but not igniting. You didn't move the electrides cleaning the nozzle or anything like that ?
Jim.