Boiler constantly restarting

kenmc

Hi,
just got a heating fuel fill today, and turned the boiler on 20 mins after it was filled. Ever since then it's been starting up only for a few seconds, stopping for a few seconds and going on again. It's heating the rads, but the sound of it is annoying as hell. I don't know the brand of the boiler yet, cos it's been hammering rain all day and I don't fancy digging around in the shed - hopefully tomorrow I can have a bit of a look at it.
Was I supposed to leave the fuel to settle for a period of time before turning it on so that any dirt at the bottom of the tank would re-settle after getting stirred up?
Anyone any other ideas?
Thanks
K

JamesM

kenmc wrote: »

Hi,
just got a heating fuel fill today, and turned the boiler on 20 mins after it was filled. Ever since then it's been starting up only for a few seconds, stopping for a few seconds and going on again. It's heating the rads, but the sound of it is annoying as hell. I don't know the brand of the boiler yet, cos it's been hammering rain all day and I don't fancy digging around in the shed - hopefully tomorrow I can have a bit of a look at it.
Was I supposed to leave the fuel to settle for a period of time before turning it on so that any dirt at the bottom of the tank would re-settle after getting stirred up?
Anyone any other ideas?
Thanks
K

It is likely that some dirt was stirred up when the oil was been filled. A new nozzle might do the trick. Cleaning the photocell might help. Also, you should have the boiler serviced once a year.
Jim.

Glowing

Is it easy to change the nozzle yourself?

JamesM

Depends on the burner make. Take off the burner. Take off the head. Remove the nozzle . Replace with exactly same nozzle. eg. .60, 80*(degree symbol instead of star), S,H or W.
Hold the base below hte nozzle with an adjustable, or vice grips, use another adjustable, or spanner, to remove the nozzle. Make sure to tighten the new one. Do not mess up the gap in the electrodes.
Jim.

kenmc

I tried to take the burner off the front of the boiler, there's a tube about 3" diameter protruding into the boiler, but the burner only comes out so far before jamming, I'm afraid to force it - should this come out? Is the fuel nozzle inside this tube? I don't see any obvious other place inside the burner itself.

JamesM

What make is the burner. If it is a Riello and hasn't been serviced for a while, it is likely that the tube has been damaged by too much heat. The metal of the front part often gets burnt and swells up, and won't fit through the hole.
You may need a service engineer.
Jim.

kenmc

It's a grant GE burner. 110/140 is on the plate, don't know the exact model number.

JamesM

Grant is the boiler. Riello or some other name is a burner.
Jim.

kenmc

well the big green box says myson, and the little grey box in the front of it says grant, so I presumed that myson is the boiler and grant the burner, no?

JamesM

Both Grant and Myson are the names of boilers. I'm not sure what combination you have there. The Minor 1 burner sometimes had Grant on it.
Is it from about 1990 ?
Jim.

kenmc

I don't know to be honest, i suspect it was put in as a favour from salvaged parts about 5 years ago.

JamesM

It could be an unstable flame that won't stay established, or a dodgy control box. Since it happened after a fill, it is still probably dodgy combustion. If the burner won't come out, it may also be damaged. A photo might help !

kenmc

sorry, i was away for work, so i got a service engineer. problem sorted. blocked jet