I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone, it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... - but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Graham

Graham Dean wrote:
I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone, it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... - but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Graham

I wonder if the wind is causing a failure - it's been pretty windy here
recently.

Also is there a chance you have gunge or water or something in the
tank? Does this happen?

"Graham Dean" wrote in message
...
I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day
the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the
motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when
they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone,
it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... -
but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central
heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any
advice
/ pointer where to start looking?



Which model of burner is fitted to the boiler?

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:44:18 +0000 (UTC), "Graham Dean"
wrote:

I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone, it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... - but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Could be a number of things. If I remember correctly, the last time
this happened to me, it turned out the nozzle had got bunged up but
I'd hope that would have been one of the first things your engineer
would have checked.

Oddly enough, before I found my current boiler company (who know what
they're doing) I had a visit from a freelance engineer who also
thought the pump was faulty and replaced it with no improvement.
Coincidence ? (You're not in South Dorset, are you ?)

Cheers,

John

"Graham Dean" wrote in message
...
I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone, it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... - but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Faults I have experienced with other brands of boiler include:

a) Paper filter on oil tank outlet becoming clogged because it had not been
changed.

b) Air ingress through flexible hoses ( on two pipe supply)

c) Soot build up on photo cell because jet had not been changed.

--

Michael Chare

"John Anderton" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:44:18 +0000 (UTC), "Graham Dean"
wrote:

I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day
the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the
motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when
they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone,
it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... -
but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central
heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any
advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Could be a number of things. If I remember correctly, the last time
this happened to me, it turned out the nozzle had got bunged up but
I'd hope that would have been one of the first things your engineer
would have checked.

Oddly enough, before I found my current boiler company (who know what
they're doing) I had a visit from a freelance engineer who also
thought the pump was faulty and replaced it with no improvement.
Coincidence ? (You're not in South Dorset, are you ?)

One of the commonest causes of these long/variable period lockouts is a
failing solenoid coil of the oil pump. Is yours a Danfoss oil pump by any
chance?

"John" wrote in message
...

"John Anderton" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:44:18 +0000 (UTC), "Graham Dean"
wrote:

I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day
the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the
motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when
they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's gone,
it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... -
but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central
heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any
advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Could be a number of things. If I remember correctly, the last time
this happened to me, it turned out the nozzle had got bunged up but
I'd hope that would have been one of the first things your engineer
would have checked.

Oddly enough, before I found my current boiler company (who know what
they're doing) I had a visit from a freelance engineer who also
thought the pump was faulty and replaced it with no improvement.
Coincidence ? (You're not in South Dorset, are you ?)

One of the commonest causes of these long/variable period lockouts is a
failing solenoid coil of the oil pump. Is yours a Danfoss oil pump by any
chance?

One way of trying to find the problem would be to acquire an oil pressure guage.
These only cost about £15 and will show whether the pressure inside the pump is
dropping when the flame goes out. Also usefull if you ever change the pump.

--

Michael Chare

"John" wrote in message
...

"John Anderton" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:44:18 +0000 (UTC), "Graham Dean"
wrote:

I have an intermittent fault on an oil-fired boiler - 2 to 4 times a day
the
boiler will 'lockout' - a safety feature should the flame fail or
ignition
fail to give satisfactory start. A visiting engineer has replaced the
motor
as he thought the bearings were noisey and perhaps were 'sticking' when
they
got hot - this has not solved the problem... He's now stuck as he
couldn't
get the fault to replicate whilst he was here - obviously, now he's
gone,
it
happens - though as I say, on an intermittent basis.

There's a reset button inside - which works everytime to restart it... -
but
clearly this is not good as I like the idea of automatic central
heating...

Anybody with experience of this type of boiler here who can give any
advice
/ pointer where to start looking?

Could be a number of things. If I remember correctly, the last time
this happened to me, it turned out the nozzle had got bunged up but
I'd hope that would have been one of the first things your engineer
would have checked.

Oddly enough, before I found my current boiler company (who know what
they're doing) I had a visit from a freelance engineer who also
thought the pump was faulty and replaced it with no improvement.
Coincidence ? (You're not in South Dorset, are you ?)

One of the commonest causes of these long/variable period lockouts is a
failing solenoid coil of the oil pump. Is yours a Danfoss oil pump by any
chance?



Apologies to all - I've been away...

Still have same problem tho - Yes, it is! it's a Danfoss BFP 11L3....
Some more info - now this may be a *complete* red herring, but.... The
problem doesn't seem to occur when
I have the front cover of the boiler off.....so far (and does happen when I
put cover back on most of the times)...

Anything in this - it's probably me looking for some type of pattern!

Graham

One way of trying to find the problem would be to acquire an oil pressure guage.
These only cost about £15 and will show whether the pressure inside the pump is
dropping when the flame goes out. Also usefull if you ever change the pump.

--


Michael Chare[/quote]


Sorry to hear about your boiler problems but I'd like to ask the last poster where can one get an oil pressure guage for an oil pump for £15???

"Fatboise" wrote in message
...


Sorry to hear about your boiler problems but I'd like to ask the last
poster where can one get an oil pressure guage for an oil pump for £15???


http://www.heating-parts.co.uk/Produ...p.asp?PrGrp=61

You might want to buy the manifold as well which would add to the price!

Put it this way. They are quite useful and don't cost much - unlike combustion
analysers which deteriorate even if you don't use them.

--

Michael Chare

replying to Graham Dean, ian nye wrote:
hi,did you sort this problem as I have the same thing happening , lockout
anything from 2 - 4 times , but fires up ok on reset , again seems to work ok
with the front cover off

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...er-222178-.htm

On Wednesday, 15 November 2017 16:14:04 UTC, ian nye wrote:
replying to Graham Dean, ian nye wrote:
hi,did you sort this problem as I have the same thing happening , lockout
anything from 2 - 4 times , but fires up ok on reset , again seems to work ok
with the front cover off

Graham probably hasn't been seen since 2005.
I guess HOH users haven't figured out how to start a new thread.


NT

On 15/11/2017 16:14, ian nye wrote:
replying to Graham Dean, ian nye wrote:
hi,did you sort this problem as I have the same thing happening , lockout
anything from 2 - 4 times , but fires up ok on reset , again seems to
work ok with the front cover off

That tends to suggest that the flame sensor has sooted up and is only
happy when it can see light from the room. The other one I have known
cause trouble is a very slow leak overnight so that the initial lighting
causes a dirty sooty flame. Check the photosensor and clean it.

Reset and no more excess oil to burn the second or third attempt works.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

replying to Martin Brown, ian nye wrote:
Hi Martin, the boiler seems to intermittingly run it's cycle then lock out
before the restart I.e. this morning came on at 6am worked fine , reached
temperature at 6.35 so stopped , cut back in fine a bit later , all worked
normally until 7.30 when it locked out before restart , waited a short while
pressed reset and it fired up , this was with the steel housing and front
cover off , problem didn't start until a few days after I changed the flexible
oil pipe that leads to the pump which was leaking , had it serviced and the
engineer couldn't get it to lock out , but as always with these things started
playing up during the evening and ever since (2 days ago) , works but a bit of
a pain having to reset 2 to 3 times a night and once in the mornings , just
wondered if it could be many other things . thanks

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...er-222178-.htm

Having less trouble with the burner cover off might indicate the oil pump solenoid is getting hot and has an intermittent temperature dependant open circuit problem. The air circulation around it is limited when the covers are on and the problem exacerbated.
Try a replacement solenoid coil.
Other possible causes
Oil pipe is kinked
Oil pump is stiffening up and rotating the shaft by hand can reveal this.
Oil filter is clogged, either the one at the supply pipe from the tank or less likely the one in the pump.
Firestop valve is not fully open and is partially starving the oil supply
Lots more potential causes but let's not have all the fun at once.