Riello RDB burner won't fire

Dinkler

Hi all,

I ran out of oil pver the summer and didn't bother getting the tank filled again until a few days ago. I expected that there would be an air lock in the system. I then bled the burner and think I have the oil flowing sufficiently now - the oil streams out liberally when I have the screw on the unit unscrewed and the heating turned on at the control panel inside the house.

The problem is that the system seems to begin an effort fire but locks out after a few seconds. I've looked at similar posts on this forum and have reset the thermostat on the burner and have tried to clean the "photoresistance" although, to be honest, I'm not sure what this part of the system looks like and am just trying to identify it using a very basic diagram on the manual I have.

Does anyone have any advice as to what the problem could be? Can anyone help me to identify the photoresistance? Should I call in a "professional" at this stage?

Many thanks,

Stephen

Billy Bunting

Dinkler wrote: »

the oil streams out liberally when I have the screw on the unit unscrewed and the heating turned on at the control panel inside the house.

You say ""screw"", what screw, where did you bleed the pump ?

Dinkler

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Dinkler wrote: »

the oil streams out liberally when I have the screw on the unit unscrewed and the heating turned on at the control panel inside the house.

You say ""screw"", what screw, where did you bleed the pump ?

Perhaps "screw" isn't the right word. I've used an Allen key to loosen a sort of inverted stopper. I think someone official told me this was the thing to do. Could i have goosed the system by loosening something that didn't need loosening?

TJJP

Have a look at these pictures. You'll see the location of the photosensor and how it pops out. It can need a good and careful clean. Any soot or dirt on it and the redbird won't fire up. should be clear glass at the end once it's clean. Could be something else of course but this might help a bit.

Dinkler

TJJP wrote: »

Have a look at these pictures. You'll see the location of the photosensor and how it pops out. It can need a good and careful clean. Any soot or dirt on it and the redbird won't fire up. should be clear glass at the end once it's clean. Could be something else of course but this might help a bit.

TJJP, thanks very much. I don't think I've been cleaning the right thing at all. The photosensor is actually enclosed within the silver metal casing shown in your first picture? So you have to pull the photosensor out of the metal casing and it is located at the end of a long thin black protusion?

TJJP

Exactly right. The sensor is the glass window at the end of the plastic rod, I use a slightly moist bit of kitchen paper or such to wipe it off. all the black stuff has to go, so it can 'see'. Common enough issue with these yokes it seems.... Keep us posted as to how you get on.

DGOBS

remember, if the PE cell is covered with soot, then the boiler is not running clean or correctly and your wasting fuel, time for a proper full service!

Dinkler

TJJP wrote: »

Exactly right. The sensor is the glass window at the end of the plastic rod, I use a slightly moist bit of kitchen paper or such to wipe it off. all the black stuff has to go, so it can 'see'. Common enough issue with these yokes it seems.... Keep us posted as to how you get on.

Sorry for further questions, but how do i get at the photosensor? Is it a matter of simply tugging at the black block of plastic which seems to descend into the silver unit depicted in the first picture? Or does the black rod have to be unscrewed? Or does the silver unit need to be opened up to get at the photosensor?

DGOBS

Yes just pull it out. Maybe a bit stiff

TJJP

It just pulls straight out. Switch off the unit first, just to be safe, then wiggle the end of the black plastic rod a bit if necessary and pull it straight out. The sensor is enclosed in the end of it, just clean the end, no need to disassemble anything. Once it's clean slide it back in again.

jimf

you say the burner tries to fire but cuts out after a few seconds
how many seconds if it goes to lockout before the fifteen second
ignition period you possibly have a faulty control box or motor

Dinkler

Eventually called in an expert. Had bled the burner to get rid of the air locks and accessed the photosensor and cleaned it.

Turned out that the photosensor needed to be replaced and there is also a reference on the invoice - I was at work when the guy called out - that a nozzle was faulty. I was charged £40 for the work. I phoned the guy at 1pm on a Friday afternoon and he called out at 2.30pm and sorted it within 20 minutes.

For anyone in the Belfast area in a similar situation I will supply this man's contact details upon request. he is fully qualified etc and I found him to be very professional and amenable.

Thanks to everyone for their help. Unfoirtunately on this occasion I couldn't sort it myself but feel proud of myself that I could locate the photosensor as I'm not the best with these sort of things!

Billy Bunting

Dinkler wrote: »

Turned out that the photosensor needed to be replaced and there is also a reference on the invoice - I was at work when the guy called out - that a nozzle was faulty. I was charged £40 for the work. I phoned the guy at 1pm on a Friday afternoon and he called out at 2.30pm and sorted it within 20 minutes.

Thats an amazing price considering the parts would be around £20 trade price, the guys a Robin Hood, was that inclusive of vat.

Dinkler

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Dinkler wrote: »

Turned out that the photosensor needed to be replaced and there is also a reference on the invoice - I was at work when the guy called out - that a nozzle was faulty. I was charged £40 for the work. I phoned the guy at 1pm on a Friday afternoon and he called out at 2.30pm and sorted it within 20 minutes.

Thats an amazing price considering the parts would be around £20 trade price, the guys a Robin Hood, was that inclusive of vat.

Yes that included vat. He was a friend of a friend so i may have got a preferential rate

TJJP

Glad you got sorted, and reasonable too it seems. Sorry we couldn't fix it online though!

Dinkler

We gave it a good go TJJP. Thanks for your advice.

I was told a while back that I would have to get a new boiler. I was told that by the guy that serviced it. He mentioned that he could get me a second hand one for £500. I was thinking if I had to make that sort of outlay that I might consider switching to gas IF it was markedly cheaper. Does anyone have any views as to whether gas is significantly cheaper than oil? I have always been put off it by the fact that there seem to be only 2 suppliers in the north

coxy123

TJJP wrote: »

Glad you got sorted, and reasonable too it seems. Sorry we couldn't fix it online though!

TJJP - just wanted to thank you for great advice - had the issue you described this evening and after 'cleaning' photo cell got burner to re-fire - a result:)

JamesM

DGOBS wrote: »

remember, if the PE cell is covered with soot, then the boiler is not running clean or correctly and your wasting fuel, time for a proper full service!

Remember the above advice as well
Jim.

TireeTerror

I just moved into a new rental property. Bled the thing and it never fired up. SO searched on here and used the advice given. It worked a treat, started up straight away. However it was extremely badly covered in soot, really bad. When starting, loads of black soot went up into the air and landed on my head and the smoke coming out of the unit is thick and black! So I have turned it off incase I cause any damage and so as not to waste fuel.

Is the service an easy thing to do, or am I as well to contact the letting agency and get them to arrange someone to come and look at it?

Egass13

TireeTerror wrote: »

I just moved into a new rental property. Bled the thing and it never fired up. SO searched on here and used the advice given. It worked a treat, started up straight away. However it was extremely badly covered in soot, really bad. When starting, loads of black soot went up into the air and landed on my head and the smoke coming out of the unit is thick and black! So I have turned it off incase I cause any damage and so as not to waste fuel.

Is the service an easy thing to do, or am I as well to contact the letting agency and get them to arrange someone to come and look at it?

If it's sooting up , burner will have to be set up using a flue gas analyser , so best to get the letting agency to sort it out and make sure engineer gives you a printout of results and explains there meanings

DGOBS

The landlord is responsible for the service and maintenance of your heating appliance.