HRM Wallstar won't ignite

[Lancashirelad]

MANDATE where can I buy a gauge for a tenner?
I will check gap tomorrow, but yes its currently much wider than 3mm but always has been.

Burnerman its on kero. No smell before. Don't understand re blast tube position.

It gets worse: Whilst messing around with this problem this evening I have been cooking my xmas dinner. My fave part is always the chipolatas, bacon rolls and pigs in blankets. Went down from the upstairs office to the kitchen to find it full of smoke and my lovely chipolatas etc. burnt to cinder.

 

[oilhead]

You have not replied to Burnerman's suggestion of obstructing the air supply. Sounds like classic flame detachment, but without even lighting!!!
During prepurge, virtually completely cover the air intake and see if it lights.
300c flue temp is also indicative of too much air. It should ideally be about 200c after 15 mins.

 

[simb82]

am i invisible here?

as also said by oilhead, close the air damper somewhat...

 

[Lancashirelad]

Oilhead I'll get back to you on that. My Tuesdays are usually rather busy so I don't know if I'll have chance to mess with it tomorrow. Its difficult in the dark. What I do know is that air setting hasn't been altered in many years.

Here's another thought: A few years ago, radiators used to be nicely warm to touch after 10 mins from cold. Recently, its at least double that.

I can source a new Riello burner @ £225 inc. vat delivered, but money is very scarce at present.

 

[Lancashirelad]

what was the co2% in the flue gas?
sounds as if its burning to lean. 300 is too hot.
Take a note of the air damper setting, then close it slightly.
a little bit at a time, to see if that improves ignition.

or use your fga to check co2 is 12%...

No simb82 you aren't invisible and thank you for the suggestion. Just difficult trying to keep up with all the different input whilst also dealing with other day to day matters.

When I mentioned the flu gas temp of 300 I did add a question mark as working only from memory from his visit some weeks ago now. . There was no printout and I didn't write it down - I should have. It may have been 200. I can't remember.

fga: Flu Gas Analyser at a guess? No have!

 

[Boilerman2]

I agree with above comments ref Oil Pressure I was looking at an intermittant Lockout on a burner only a few weeks ago - boiler "sounded" fine but when a pressure gauge was put onto the pump it was found to be only 50psi!! (oil will not atomise properly at such low pressures) this was raised to the specified 130psi, the air had to be adjusted upwards using my Flue Gas Analysis, to achieve the specified 12%Co2 and guess what?? No More problems - I guess I am saying that without appropriate testing instruments, you are unlikely to get anywhere, anytime soon!

 

[Boilerman2]

Do NOT fit a Riello to your boiler, the Riello oil pump WILL BE UNABLE to lift the oil using your single pipe fuel supply, if you want a new burner I would take advice from the manufacturer HRM regarding blast tube length etc, they may be able to supply an appropriate burner

 

[Lancashirelad]

Thanks for the tip re the Riello burner. It was the price that had attracted my attention. That is certainly a concern as from what you say it would not work with the existing tank only a metre away and one day I may put a new plastic tank in the garden which would be much further away and much lower.

HRM spares dept. are quite helpful, I've had things from them before, but would shudder to think what they might want for a complete burner.

Anyway, good news, I have a nice warm house.
Who said remove the burner?

As no doubt some of you won't be surprised, there is certainly an element of embarrassment involved, but at least I'm owning up.
I never usually remove the jet tube (sorry, don't know technical term) from its carrier plate, but for some now unknown reason I had done so. After replacing it I had noticed that on refitting the jet tube to the blast tube it had become difficult to align, but the carrier plate did seat fully home.

Took the burner out and looked in the end of the blast tube and immediately saw the jet not sitting where it should be in the centre. It had got turned 90* in the carrier plate and also was not sitting quite square in the carrier plate. Probably been assembled in the dark. (well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it).
Put everything where it should be and reduced the electrode gap to about 3mm. No freestanding burn test required, I knew I'd fixed it (hopefully).

Put it all back together & bingo away she went. Lots of grey unburnt fuel smoke for a few minutes which cleared completely.
I've had a play with the air adjustment; screwed it right down until she black smoked to prove the adjustment was working. I've now set it on about 8 (10.5) before.

It now starts quieter than it has for a long time, 1st time, every time .... up to now and runs very nicely. We shall see what morning brings.

HOWEVER non of which tells us why it started acting the goat in the first place.

Thank you guys for your various helpful suggestions and input, it is much appreciated. ...... and yes I know it should now be set up with the proper equipment.

 

[snb]

you can get a brand new burner from HWOS.co.uk for this boiler.

http://www.hwos.co.uk/trade-store/#!/EOGB-X400-COMPLETE-BURNER-14-36kw/p/8886042/category=5516156

you just have to tell them the length of the current blast tube.


With the age of your burner this is often the cheapest solution as most bits are getting tired now and unless you know which ones to change can cost a fair bit.

 

[Burnerman]

Thanks for the update, LL......pleased you are up and running again!
The off centre nozzle gives an oil spray that the spark doesn't get blown in to, and sometimes the photocell doesn't see the flame either......no matter.
Regarding the original problem, I've only had one similar event, and that was due to a flue pipe that was so positioned it was full of damp, heavy air which caused the cold start to be grumpy. Once the flue was warm, all was faultless.
Naturally I've no idea what your system has, but it's always worth cleaning the baffles and flue pipe well.
Happy warm new year!
John

 

[Lancashirelad]

Thanks guys. Snb I can't access that site without declaring I'm an engineer - though I don't suppose they're going to come & knock on the door and ask to see my credentials lol.

I don't disagree with you re the burner idea and age of the current one. I should have taken that route a few years ago instead of spending time and money on this one. (and before my investments collapsed).

Burnerman I can tell you I am more pleased than you that it is running again but thank you. She has started every morning. Yesterday was well frosty but today is much milder 12* in fact as I type at 5.30pm. Just glad it didn't dip to -10 over the days I had no working boiler.

Flu is short, straight & perfectly clean.

I keep getting firms phoning up offering me a free wood pellet boiler installation. I can't accommodate one because I have no room for the hopper, otherwise I would definitely look into it. What's your thoughts on these? Anybody got one?

Once again thank you very much for your time and input everybody. Happy New Year to you & yours.

 

[Tibbot]

At just over 4p per kW, oil is much cheaper than pellets at 6 to 7p per kW. Wood pellet and wood chip boilers in their current development stage are no use for individual domestic properties. For communal or commercial projects, they are an option worth considering.

 

[Lancashirelad]

Interesting Tibbot thanks.

By the way for anyone who hasn't checked lately kero is down to around 38p. Haven't seen that price since Feb. 2010.

When my elderly parents were living in the house 17 years ago the kero consumption was regularly between 4000 and 4400lts a year. I immediately halved that to 2000 and am now down to below 1500. However I'm often away Feb - March time though I do leave it on about 2.5 hours both morning and evening with stat down to 60.

 

[Burnerman]

At just over 4p per kW, oil is much cheaper than pellets at 6 to 7p per kW. Wood pellet and wood chip boilers in their current development stage are no use for individual domestic properties. For communal or commercial projects, they are an option worth considering.

People are going nuts over these boilers up here, presumably due to the huge grants available....not for me, I'm yet to see the size of the storage facilities needed.
What happens if the pellets get damp or dirty, maybe? Do they block up the feed mechanism?
Wait until the pellet suppliers see the goose that laid the golden egg and bung the prices up
John

 

[Tibbot]

The pellets in bulk dry storage are even known to give off carbon monoxide. There may be special considerations for store rooms on top of just damp proofing. Then there's the volatiles/particles given off when burning.

As a manufactured product, distributed by road and often imported, the green credentials are suspect. Especially with less than half the calorific value per load than coal or oil.

The best use of wood fuel in a domestic house is as logs for a dry stove.