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WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
Hi,
My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On 19/11/2013 21:49, Calvin wrote:
Hi, My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. Dirty photcell? The jet should be changed regularly to avoid this (i.e. every 1 or 2 years) Blocked filter in the oil supply. The filters also need to be changed regularly. Say ever 2 years. Burner lockouts which you cancel by pressing a button on the burner itself are generally caused by the flame going out. This is not a water side problem. Normally the boiler will stop when it gets to a specific temperature. If that thermostat does not work there is generally a 2nd thermostat which may have to be reset if it is tripped. Do you have installation and maintenance manuals for the boiler and the burner? You may be able to download them if you don't -- Michael Chare |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:49:36 -0800 (PST), Calvin wrote:
It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I don't know that particular boiler but oil burners are generally bog simple. I doubt very much that temperature control is directly related to the lockout. Lockouts occur when the control system in the burner thinks the flame has gone out and after trying to reingnite it for a few seconds thinks it hasn't succeeded. The flame detection uses a photocell and these can get sooted up, hence the use of the word "thinks" above. When was the burner last cleaned and serviced? Of course you have checked that there is oil in the tank, that all valves are properly open (don't forget the fire valve), that filters/valves aren't blocked and that you have oil not oil/water at the burner. Remember oil floats on water. So water sinks in oil, to collect at low points in the pipework. Has there been a frost? The water can freeze in the pipes blocking or at least obstructing it. Spent half a day getting the ice/slush out of our feed pipe a few winters back. not nice with a foot of snow on the ground. Then another half a day clearing all the gunge that had been dislodged out of the fire valve and filter ... Have now dewatered the tank and have a glass bowl filter to trap, and make visible, any water that does leave the tank before it enters the pipework. -- Cheers Dave. |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
Thanks Michael and Dave,
From some reading around and standing outside listening to it I've pretty much convinced myself that it's not a waterside or thermostat problem. I have to admit that it's some time (ahem!) since it was serviced so dirt/soot on the photocell would be quite a possibility. It was installed about 17 years ago (doesn't time fly!) and I'm sensing that fuel starvation due to the oil pump wearing out is quite a popular fault on these boilers after a much shorter time than that. That might fit with the runs-for-a-bit-then-stops nature of the problem. Having seen the dates on my old paperwork I think I owe it a service so I guess I'll get someone in to repair and service it at the same time - and brace myself for the inevitable list of other worn out bits to be taken into consideration! |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On 19/11/2013 23:53, Calvin wrote:
Thanks Michael and Dave, From some reading around and standing outside listening to it I've pretty much convinced myself that it's not a waterside or thermostat problem. I have to admit that it's some time (ahem!) since it was serviced so dirt/soot on the photocell would be quite a possibility. It was installed about 17 years ago (doesn't time fly!) and I'm sensing that fuel starvation due to the oil pump wearing out is quite a popular fault on these boilers after a much shorter time than that. That might fit with the runs-for-a-bit-then-stops nature of the problem. Having seen the dates on my old paperwork I think I owe it a service so I guess I'll get someone in to repair and service it at the same time - and brace myself for the inevitable list of other worn out bits to be taken into consideration! Alas, oil boilers do need regular servicing as you get a build up of dirt inside also the parts I have mentioned do need to be changed regularly - as I have found out! -- Michael Chare |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 15:53:35 -0800 (PST), Calvin wrote:
I have to admit that it's some time (ahem!) since it was serviced so dirt/soot on the photocell would be quite a possibility. It was installed about 17 years ago (doesn't time fly!) and I'm sensing that fuel starvation due to the oil pump wearing out is quite a popular fault on these boilers after a much shorter time than that. That might fit with the runs-for-a-bit-then-stops nature of the problem. Could be but I wouldn't like to say that. Our burner (Rielo I think, there is less than a handful of burner makers) is of a similar vintage and seems fine. As yours has not been serviced for "a while" it could just be a worn jet not atomising the oil well enough for a weak spark due to eroded electrodes not igniting it reliably and soot on the photocell not helping. -- Cheers Dave. |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:49:36 -0800 (PST), Calvin
wrote: Hi, My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. Be prepared for some heavy reading, Calvin! I was exactly where you are a year ago. I'm digging our the Usenet links right now. It was a veritable litany of problems that persisted off and on for six weeks until the boiler was fixed. By the way, you don't state what model of Wallstar yours is. Mine is a Wallstar 55 and approximately 10 years old. Watch this space! MM |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 08:44:18 +0000, MM wrote:
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:49:36 -0800 (PST), Calvin wrote: Hi, My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. Be prepared for some heavy reading, Calvin! I was exactly where you are a year ago. I'm digging our the Usenet links right now. It was a veritable litany of problems that persisted off and on for six weeks until the boiler was fixed. By the way, you don't state what model of Wallstar yours is. Mine is a Wallstar 55 and approximately 10 years old. Watch this space! MM Correction: My boiler is Wallstar 15/20. MM |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:49:36 -0800 (PST), Calvin
wrote: Hi, My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. Read the posts at the links below to uk.d-i-y. In short, the problem turned out to be the pump. But read 'em anyway, because it should give you great insight into the boiler's various key components, any of which, if failed, will cause a major problem. My boiler, once fixed with the new pump and fire valve, has been running now for a year (touch wood!) without any problem whatsoever. Curious behaviour of my Wallstar boiler https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/uk.d-i-y/wallstar$2055|sort:relevance/uk.d-i-y/afYgAiKfriE/Z2kMomaBMe0J My ongoing, intermittent Wallstar oil boiler problem AGAIN! https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/uk.d-i-y/wallstar$2055|sort:relevance/uk.d-i-y/1xhGMjcNRvE/tnbgdQZyMw0J Fxed at last! My Wallstar 15/20 oil boiler is now working properly https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/uk.d-i-y/wallstar$2055|sort:relevance/uk.d-i-y/dUtvuK75JhA/jjmZxMoWh7QJ MM |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote:
I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? -- Michael Chare |
Follow these links, Calvin!
"MM" wrote in message ... On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 13:49:36 -0800 (PST), Calvin wrote: how many children do you have when are you moving to germany |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:27:08 +0000, Michael Chare
mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote: On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote: I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? groups.google.com MM |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On 21/11/2013 07:23, MM wrote:
On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:27:08 +0000, Michael Chare mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote: On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote: I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? groups.google.com MM Thanks, for some reason it does not work properly with Mozilla Firefox. -- Michael Chare |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On Thu, 21 Nov 2013 10:58:08 +0000, Michael Chare wrote:
On 21/11/2013 07:23, MM wrote: On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:27:08 +0000, Michael Chare mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote: On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote: I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? groups.google.com MM Thanks, for some reason it does not work properly with Mozilla Firefox. Works fine on Firefox for me. -- Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post *lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On 21/11/2013 12:15, Bob Eager wrote:
On Thu, 21 Nov 2013 10:58:08 +0000, Michael Chare wrote: On 21/11/2013 07:23, MM wrote: On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:27:08 +0000, Michael Chare mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote: On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote: I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? groups.google.com MM Thanks, for some reason it does not work properly with Mozilla Firefox. Works fine on Firefox for me. Thanks. It works on my laptop but not on my desktop. No obvious software difference! -- Michael Chare |
Follow these links, Calvin!
On 21/11/2013 17:41, Michael Chare wrote:
On 21/11/2013 12:15, Bob Eager wrote: On Thu, 21 Nov 2013 10:58:08 +0000, Michael Chare wrote: On 21/11/2013 07:23, MM wrote: On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:27:08 +0000, Michael Chare mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote: On 20/11/2013 09:00, MM wrote: I have struggled to get google group searches to work. What web page did you go to for the google groups search? groups.google.com MM Thanks, for some reason it does not work properly with Mozilla Firefox. Works fine on Firefox for me. Thanks. It works on my laptop but not on my desktop. No obvious software difference! Resetting Firefox solved the problem. Thank you google. -- Michael Chare |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
On Tuesday, 19 November 2013 21:49:36 UTC, Calvin wrote:
Hi, My WallStar oil boiler (through-the-wall but otherwise conventional, non-condensing, not "system") has developed a fault which I feel is probably easy to fix if someone can help me understand how it's meant to work... It locks out at some point but then is quite happy to start again if I press the lockout button (inside the outer cover on the burner itself). I've been "playing" and I get the feeling that it behaves itself better if the temperature control is set lower, although at the moment that's just my impression. I wondered if the flow rate might be compromised somehow (maybe pump going faulty) but I can't hear any kettling. Any ideas or pointers anyone? Please. Well it's all sorted now, thanks to my boiler man. He diagnosed a dodgy solenoid which was failing open circuit when it got hot, it sounded like a guess based on lots of experience and sure enough fitting a new one has fixed it. The diagnosis was made on Friday but it wasn't until today that he was free to fix it and over the weekend I found that if the boiler temp was set to really low (like about 45 degrees) it just about kept going without locking out. That's probably not too good for a non-condensing boiler in the long term but I figured that it would be OK for a few days. Thanks for your thoughts everyone. |
WallStar oil boiler diagnosis
Am looking for a insurances company to give me a cover plan do you know any body so I can insure it
Thanks dave |
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