Hotspur Oil Boiler

[krishod]

It is an old boiler - 50 years - but has been working well.
This week, it starts OK and runs for nearly 3 minutes then shuts down. The spark cuts out after 80 seconds.
It is burning now with a yellowish flame with a ring of yellow flame around the bottom until it cuts out.
I can't find anything wrong with the controls.
I had a Kero heating oil delivery (1000 litres with about 200 litres still in the tank) early Monday morning.
Anyone got any ideas please?
C

 

[Agile]

Has it been serviced regularly?

Oil boilers do need regular servicing to ensure the pump pressure is correct and the air filter is clean.

An orange flame can mean it is getting sooted up and that can be quite a job to clean out after the combustion issue has been fixed.

 

[Nige F]

Not a boiler expert but used to fit wallflame boilers back in the day . Could the photocell be playing up ? As Agile says , servicing is important.

 

[oilhead]

A yellow flame around the base suggests air supply problems .

 

[krishod]

Problem solved. I mentioned that I had 1000 litres delivered when the tank only had 200 litres in it. The delivery into a nearly empty tank stirred up sediment that almost blocked the tank exit filter.
So the boiler would run for about 4 mins using the oil in the constant level valve with the flow out to the burner higher than the flow in from the tank.
I cleaned the filter and the boiler now works OK. C