Firebird Popular 90 not heating up

doogb

Hi,

I've a Firebird Popular 90 that is not heating up. The boiler was serviced at the start of the year. Oil was purchased a few weeks ago and it is getting to the boiler.

When I took off the cover off the boiler the red lockout light was on. After resetting it the boiler would come on, I could hear a clinking noise and see a flame, this was repeated 4 or 5 times before the red lockout light came back on.

The photocell attached to the control board is clean. I removed the photocell and replaced the control board, the boiler came on and went straight to lockout. I replaced the photocell, now I only hear 1 click without a flame before the boiler goes into lockout.

Does it sound like the photocell is faulty ?

Can these be purchased in a plumbers merchants and how much do they cost ?

Wearb

I would first check out the fuel delivery end of things. A pressure gauge on the pump would be a great starting place. Have you enough of a head of oil? Did it run out? Perhaps blocked filters.

jimf

has the boiler been running since you got oil

how have you determined you have oil at burner

doogb

Hi,

Thanks for the quick replies. We never ran out of oil, just got more added to the tank. I opened the bleed nut, plenty of oil comes out.

shane0007

Most likely a faulty photocell, especially when you removed & replaced it & got a slightly different sequence to lock out.
Inexpensive part under €20 depending on burner model.

shane0007

Although saying that, it could be the control box. I had one recently that had a faulty photocell. Replaced the photocell but still locked out. Replaced the control box with old photocell & lock out. Replaced control box with new photocell, worked!

jimf

shane0007 wrote: »

Although saying that, it could be the control box. I had one recently that had a faulty photocell. Replaced the photocell but still locked out. Replaced the control box with old photocell & lock out. Replaced control box with new photocell, worked!

do you think its possible if the c box goes faulty its takes out some p cells as well shane had 1 just like that earlier this year

shane0007

Could do but when I looked closely at the contact strip between the two, there was slight corrosion on both. I think that was the cause.

Billy Bunting

Corroded connectors on G3 very common.

Part of my service procedure on G3 is removal of cell, clean strips on both cell and board, slightly spring out connectors on cell.

Not that i'm convinced the op's issue is cell, i would be looking first at pressures as Wearb suggested.

doogb

Fuel pump had to be replaced.

Thanks for your help.