Oil Boiler Goes Bang!

[leakydave]

[code:1]

Untitled

• leakydave
• 5 Sep 2011
• 1

A customer rang me on Saturday evening: his Thermecon System 100/150 oil boiler had gone BANG, blown the casing off and the combustion chamber cover plate had been blown upwards/outwards and now has a nice curve to it. [see photo]

The boiler continued to fire and fill his utility room with combustion fumes.

I rang the manufacturer today, and was advised that it was probably caused by ' a period of low voltage'.

My customer is concerned because he reckons his house could have burnt down if he happened to be out.

What would you advise: new boiler [old one 10 yrs old] or replace the chamber cover and keep the fire brigade on stand by?[/code:1]

 

[Youllneverguess]

New boiler.

 

[DeltaT2]

Low voltage is complete ball.x!! Fuel in the combustion chamber after it shuts off. Then it re-fired & BANG!! Seen it before on post purge type burners with jammed silinodes. Don't you just love boiler manufactures lying sh.ts!!

 

[xr4x4]

Crikey.....that's taking 'delayed ignition' to the extreme...!

 

[oilhead]

My customer is concerned because he reckons his house could have burnt down if he happened to be out.

What would you advise: new boiler [old one 10 yrs old] or replace the chamber cover and keep the fire brigade on stand by?[/code][/quote]

First, assess what other damage has been done, to baffles etc. Then replace the solenoid valve, or fuel pump depending on the pump.
If the installation has a fire valve correctly positioned and operating, that should stop his house burning down.

 

[ChrisOxford]

Seen it before on post purge type burners with jammed silinodes.

Can this scenario happen with current models too? Might help the OP decide whether to replace or repair.

 

[DeltaT2]

I'd advise a new HE boiler, for starters I'd not trust the burner on the old boiler!

 

[Youllneverguess]

A fire valve won't put out a fire or call the fire brigade. It will only stop more oil feeding in.

Replace the boiler.

 

[Boilerman2]

As parts are still availible I'd fix the existing boiler I suspect the delayed ignition could be due to arcing of the ignition electrode block on the Ecoflam Minor Burner especially if they are the monoblock Brown colured variety, replace the electrode block check the solenoid valve is holding shut - but i would gamble that the ignition electrode was the root cause of your minor explosion!

 

[leakydave]

The fumes were shooting out of the top of the boiler... the fire valve is positioned above the burner.

 

[Gasop]

Have damaged components and burner replaced and set up by competant oil boiler
operative.

This is a very rare occorence for an oil boiler ( never heard of this before)

No need for new boiler (10 years is no age for oil boiler)

Much, much cheaper than new boiler

 

[DeltaT2]

Have damaged components and burner replaced.................

Good luck with that!!! Gawd knows what all has been damaged inside the combustion chamber and how well you can seal all items that have been twisted & damaged!! And how long the water jacket will hold up??
Just replace the boiler & your customer will sleep at night.

 

[ChrisOxford]

That's a good point. Even if you can repair it, there will always be that nagging doubt in the back of the customer's mind.

 

[dcawkwell]

New boiler this one is scrap.

Low voltage indeed.

 

[ChrisOxford]

And if that is the true reason, periods of low mains voltage ("brownouts") are so common that this kind of thing must happen all the time! Surely cause for a safety recall?