Oil Boiler Service - what should it include?

[oilman]

And they all have a vested interest.

Try and separate the mantras from what happens in the world outside. What, for example, does this "service" actually consist of? When I hear "is there a problem, the last guy was only here 20 minutes" and, "no ones ever checked the filter before", and "what's all the banging for?" it tells me that somebody has been charging for an ineffectual visit. They might have returned each year to tinker, drink tea and present invoice, but they have done little when they were there.

You also mentioned that an oil boiler can get sooted up if not serviced every year, while this is true in some cases, oil boilers can get sooted up even if they are serviced every year. Servicing will not guarantee a soot free boiler in the event of a fault.

 

[wilhelm]

for example, does this "service" actually consist of? When I hear "is there a problem, the last guy was only here 20 minutes" and, "no ones ever checked the filter before", and "what's all the banging for?" it tells me that somebody has been charging for an ineffectual visit. They might have returned each year to tinker, drink tea and present invoice, but they have done little when they were there.

may the spirit of these live on.

 

[grib]

[/quote]I'll have to get back to you, just have to have a chat with my grandmother, she has forgotten what to do with eggs.[/quote]

Make sure you tell her to boil them, scramble them, fry them or even poach them... if she try's to suck them nothing will come out and if she makes a couple of holes first so the contents are accesible it'll taste disgusting !!!

As if I'd try and teach you anything.. especially as I tend to agree with everything you post...one of the engineers who thinks for himself and doesn't blindly follow rules.. rules which are usually brought about to generate work or create a profit stream and not to benefit the customer.

Just thought that as you mentioned oil engineers hands are too dirty you may have not discovered "gloves" and be missing out on the odd biccy here and there

Thanks for the PVC tip .... I do have a large collection of PVC items but wouldn't I get funny looks if I wore them to work ???

 

[Tipper]

And they all have a vested interest.

oil boilers can get sooted up even if they are serviced every year. Servicing will not guarantee a soot free boiler in the event of a fault.

Oilman I'm confused....first you say don't change nozzles..... then you say don't service every year........then you say they soot up anyway!

So surely an 'inspection' visit annually is not only a good idea but essential. I would suggest a service at the same time would give benefits for the year ahead in most cases.

I remember one 'service' when I was asked what I was doing 'vacuuming out the boiler' because nobody's ever done that before and 'nobody's ever changed a nozzle before'. Turns out the usual service 'engineer' was a dubiously gifted agricultural mechanic more used to bashing bent farm implements about with a very large hammer!

 

[oilman]

Oilman I'm confused....first you say don't change nozzles..... then you say don't service every year........then you say they soot up anyway!

You are paraphrasing and causing self confusion.

1) Nozzles do not need changing every year.

For how long can an oil nozzle be used?
An oil nozzle can be used for as long as a reasonable carbon dioxide
percentage (CO2%) and a passably low soot count can be maintained.
How long the period can be is hard to estimate since wear on the nozzle
depends very much on how many hours the plant is run and how clean the
oil is which passes through the nozzle.

2) I think the above says when nozzles need to be changed.

3) Given that boilers soot up despite having been serviced annually, then an annual service will not necessarily stop them sooting up. I went to one boiler that had nothing done to it for 12 years. The oil pump had failed, it just need a new pump, hoovering out and setting up.

So surely an 'inspection' visit annually is not only a good idea but essential.

If there is no combustion problem, and the heat exchanger is squeaky clean, then the visit was not essential.

I would suggest a service at the same time would give benefits for the year ahead in most cases.

What would be the benefits? Most of the boilers I service are not in need of annual attention. I determine this over 3 annual visits.

remember one 'service' when I was asked what I was doing 'vacuuming out the boiler' because nobody's ever done that before and 'nobody's ever changed a nozzle before'. Turns out the usual service 'engineer' was a dubiously gifted agricultural mechanic more used to bashing bent farm implements about with a very large hammer!

Some of those guys are clever. Don't underestimate people. One day you may have a customer who might not seem all that bright, and they just happen to be a combustion expert. Not common I agree, but that is the case with one of my customers.

Perhaps you changed the nozzle out with the Danfoss nozzle manual recommendation.

 

[oilman]

Thanks for the PVC tip .... I do have a large collection of PVC items but wouldn't I get funny looks if I wore them to work ???

These might be useful for leg protection against oil spills.

 

[Agile]

If there is no combustion problem, and the heat exchanger is squeaky clean, then the visit was not essential.

Excuse me stating the obvious!

If you dont do an annual inspection then how do you know if the HE is clean ( OR NOT ) ?

Tony

 

[Tipper]

Precisely!!!!! Well said.

I think Oilman is slowly but surely cutting off his nose to spite his face and of course his income!

I used to value his comments but now I'm not so sure.........

Oh and I'm retired now so don't give a hoot anyway. And I was a boiler expert too on 600MW oil fired boilers, yes 660000kW, before getting down and dirty on domestic boilers!

 

[oilman]

Excuse me stating the obvious!

If you don't do an annual inspection then how do you know if the HE is clean ( OR NOT ) ?

Tony

Well if only you would read all of my post, you would see I said I determine this over 3 annual visits. I have enough records to justify this, if that is what customers want. Some want an annual service come what may. Some have to be very careful just to make ends meet, so an unnecessary service is something they can do without. I can give them confidence this is not just being neglectful, and that it will not cause serious problems.

One customer who could afford it annually, monitors the oil consumption, and has done for many years, before I started looking after it. He was able to see that it was only in the third year that there was any noticeable increase in oil consumption. Consequently he has just had triennial services with no problem.

 

[muggles]

One customer who could afford it annually, monitors the oil consumption, and has done for many years, before I started looking after it. He was able to see that it was only in the third year that there was any noticeable increase in oil consumption. Consequently he has just had triennial services with no problem.

Surely if oil consumption rises noticeably in the third year it would be better to have it serviced once every TWO years, therefore getting the service in BEFORE the oil consumption rises. Once again you have disproved yourself. Keep digging that hole...

 

[oilman]

Surely if oil consumption rises noticeably in the third year it would be better to have it serviced once every TWO years, therefore getting the service in BEFORE the oil consumption rises. Once again you have disproved yourself. Keep digging that hole...

You are another one who won't read things in context. I might suggest he has the servicing done every 2 years, but that is not the customers choice, he prefers 3. Now the price of oil is higher, he might choose 2, but he has demonstrated 3 years is not life threatening, and with oil and servicing prices at the time, it was economical.

I'll keep digging, you keep following the dictats (and presumably changing nozzles every year).

 

[baxpoti]

I used to value his comments but now I'm not so sure.........

Me too

 

[oilman]

I used to value his comments but now I'm not so sure.........

Me too

It's quite right that you should be unsure of anything you read on the internet, and always maintain a healthy skepticism.

Remember this discussion arose from:

Whilst its sometimes not so important if a gas boiler service is missed, its far more important with an oil boiler as it can get quite sooted up and the efficiency can fall off if its not seviced at least every year.

"...........it can get quite sooted up and the efficiency can fall off if its not serviced at least every year." ??

Feel free to believe him if that is your wish. I'll do my own thinking.

 

[Agile]

I said the efficiency CAN fall off

and

the boiler CAN get sooted up

I did not say that either of these eventualities would occur in every boiler or even in many boilers.

All I did was to state that it was possible!

And to imply that an annual service is likely to reduce the possibility.

Tony