Oil Boiler without Fire Valve

friendface

Recently ran out of oil and after refilling we've had no luck getting the burning to restart. It's an old-style burner. Think it's Danoss or Damoss (sp?). Anyway, after attempting a bleed, we still couldn't get the burner started. We then checked the supply line at various locations and have traced it back to the fire-valve on the Non-return valve (bit like this one). It seems to have tripped. It's a spring-loaded valve and when it's in-place, we are getting no flow through the valve.

My question is whether it's possible to do anything with this valve to get it going again and is it safe to use the burner tonight without a fire valve fitted for the night. Our house is freezing (around 3/4 degs at present) and we've had no heating for 4 days, also no DIY shops open in the area right now.

Thanks in advance and Happy Christmas to All

Sparkpea

first thing if you think its a firevalve then turn the oil off and take the fire valve out, turn the oil on and check if it runs out of the pipe.

no heating for 4 days.. I dont think its the firevalve I think its the oil filter frozen. turn the oil off, unscrew the oil filter and give it a good clean out, reconnect and turn oil back on.

how much oil did you get? was it like 300L+ or was it just a couple of drums? if its the drums its probably unlikely to be enough.

Avns1s

I am sure the politically correct mob will be looking for certain parts of my anatomy for suggesting that you connect it without the firevalve for tonight and get yourself going.

Clearly it has a purpose and that purpose is rather obvious but at the same time, it hasn't gone on fire in a long number of years going by the description of your model of burner.

I would though, replace it as soon as possible. It's a small job and I would respectfully suggest that you might be able to get one tomorrow.


One other afterthought, are you sure you're opening it fully. Make sure the thread is exposed, it's open then. It's the reverse of a normal stop valve from memory.

If it has gone faulty, and has "tripped" as you say, you might be able to pull up the centre threaded part and hold it up using somehting like a vice grips, it might be less likely to get forgotten to be changed for a new one.

friendface

It's not the filter anyway, we've removed that and checked that there is flow through it. I've removed the Non-return fire valve and there was flow as far as that from the tank. We checked by opening and closing the tank shut-off valve. The only blockage is at the fire valve as far as we can see.

Appreciate any advice you can give. We got around 250 litres today by the way

ntpm

friendface wrote: »

It's not the filter anyway, we've removed that and checked that there is flow through it. I've removed the Non-return fire valve and there was flow as far as that from the tank. We checked by opening and closing the tank shut-off valve. The only blockage is at the fire valve as far as we can see.

Appreciate any advice you can give. We got around 250 litres today by the way

Just a note:
the fire valve is open when screwed clockwise. (it winds downwards and exposes the threads on the spindle). It lifts the spindle and lets oil through.

Once you have done this you will need to manually bleed the air out of the oil pump/ burner.

Micky Dolenz

yeeps, very unlikely to be fire valve.

Oil filters and oil lines are freezing all over the country, run a kettle or two of hot water over the oil filter and line to unblock.

Oil doesn't freeze but water (condensate) and impurities will.

On a side note, if you have went at the fire valve, make sure it is on. It has a reverse thread so screw the handle clock wise to open.

friendface

Tis working now (minus the fire valve). Fingers crossed that we don't hear any explosions.

Sparkpea

yeah clock wise to open, if u take it out make sure u can blow through it and make sure the arrow is pointing in the direction the oil is flowing. check your flexible hose is not frozen also

friendface

Ok, boiler running.

Problem 2: Looks like our c/h pipes are now frozen. I guess there is nothing we can do but wait for a thaw?

Sparkpea

hot water over the pipes you can see

friendface

Sparkpea wrote: »

hot water over the pipes you can see

:eek: aaah, just found a burst section of pipe in boiler house. :mad:

fastbowler

would you not get an Oftec boiler service technician out to give the whole system a good service???

Sparkpea

fastbowler wrote: »

would you not get an Oftec boiler service technician out to give the whole system a good service???

in a recession people don't want to pay for things like this...