Eurocal / Ecoflam 70/90 oil boiler intermittent lock out

[st10gas]

HI Folks

Been to the above boiler, customer complained of intermittent lockout sometimes it would reset sometimes not. Replaced the danfoss solenoid, fired it up. Ran for 30 (ish) seconds, stopped firing (fan still running) couple of seconds later, fires up again etc. Oil is there, filters clean. This morning a knock on my door as he walks past my house, boiler keeps locking out. Any ideas please as I hate these kind of faults.

Thanks in advance

 

[oilhead]

Flame sensing problem, causing boiler to re-ignite and try again, then locking out. First shot should be nozzle. How long since it was changed? Is it clean? Next, the photocell. Is it clean? Does it meter out as it should? Also, have you checked oil pressure whilst it is running? Does it stay constant? Control box is also a possibility after eliminating all of the aforementioned.
I'm assuming the boiler is clean and the baffles are not sooted up, and that if it is balanced flue, that there is no contamination to the combustion air from flue gases.

 

[st10gas]

Hi Oilhead, newish nozzle 6 months ago, pump pressure good, photocell clean, so control box? I shall have another go Tempted to try the old nozzle as it is still by the burner. Thanks

 

[oilhead]

Check the operation of photocell with a meter first, clean ones still don't always work.

 

[dcawkwell]

Solenoid coil and or solenoid valve.
Most likely the coil failing but I just replace both.

Regular fault.

 

[Boilerman2]

Having read all of the responses, I an leaning towards a problem with the flue (assuming it is balanced) POC's in air intake causing the flame to go ultra-violet, which is invisable to the PE Cell therefore burner recyle/Lockout - try running it with the snorkel tube pulled off, you should notice an immediate diffrence!

 

[srhawksy]

I have an intermittent lock out with one of these at the moment, after I reset it it'll run all day while I'm there. Go away for a few days and it locks out. The control box make a clicking noise and shuts burner down then either fires back up or locks out, one reset two three times the clicking eventually becomes less frequent and it runs? New control box?

Then how do I know which version it is? Rang eurocal with part no. and they came back with, which version. Product code brings up two different bloody boxes

 

[oilhead]

Look at simple things before replacing parts. Oil supply/filters? Electrodes, nozzle.When was it last serviced? Is the combustion head last cleaned? Are the flueways clear?

 

[Andy4444]

Delete

 

[Burnerman]

For reasons that we cannot determine from here, the clicking of the control box is largely due to the burner flame either extinguishing and then relighting, or darting about......the clicking is of the internal relays and it doesn't mean the control box is automatically at fault.
John

 

[beano1939]

I think Boilerman 2 is correct. I have experienced frequent lockouts with a Balanced flue boiler over several years in a rental property.

I have changed everything several times following Expert advice. The problem sometimes seems to be resolved for a few weeks, then another 'phone call !

Last year when refitting the Kitchen, I took the opportunity to remove the boiler and clean and inspect the air intake and flue. Soon afterwards lockouts started again. So, last July following advice on this site, I detached the air hose from the fan motor and left it close by so the air supply is supplemented directly from the room. Since then [ 7 months ] there have been no problems.

It has been a long, expensive and inefficient way to find out that the boiler does not like trying to consume it's own exhaust gas.