Another boiler thread!

Prenderb

Gerkros cosyman 60/95, doesn't seem to be firing. When the controller's telling it to be on, there's a humming noise from the boiler, but not the usual "I'm heating water like I should be" noise. I've checked thermostats inside and on hot water cylinder, tried going from timed to constant on and no use. There's plenty fuel.

Is there a fix for this? Is a plumber the person to call!?

items

Prenderb wrote: »

Gerkros cosyman 60/95, doesn't seem to be firing. When the controller's telling it to be on, there's a humming noise from the boiler, but not the usual "I'm heating water like I should be" noise. I've checked thermostats inside and on hot water cylinder, tried going from timed to constant on and no use. There's plenty fuel.

Is there a fix for this? Is a plumber the person to call!?

Is it the same humming sound you get when boiler has no oil?

Welcome to the I've an oil boiler and it wont work when I need it the most threads.

AckwelFoley

its probably airlocked. or you are or let it run out of oil.

Prenderb

items wrote: »

Is it the same humming sound you get when boiler has no oil?

Welcome to the I've an oil boiler and it wont work when I need it the most threads.

Though I shouldn't have to defend myself, and maybe these threads are indeed tiresome, but I have a tank full of kero that I had filled when there was still about 200l in it......I wouldn't know what it sounds like without fuel as I've never let it run out. I hoped someone might be able to suggest an obvious easy fix that I don't know about to keep me going before i ring for a plumber tomorrow. Should I delete my post?

@snyper - it's not out of oil, but could it be airlocked if it's had a continous supply of fuel? There's some heat in the boiler, so it's doing something.

items

Prenderb wrote: »

Though I shouldn't have to defend myself, and maybe these threads are indeed tiresome, but I have a tank full of kero that I had filled when there was still about 200l in it......I wouldn't know what it sounds like without fuel as I've never let it run out. I hoped someone might be able to suggest an obvious easy fix that I don't know about to keep me going before i ring for a plumber tomorrow. Should I delete my post?

@snyper - it's not out of oil, but could it be airlocked if it's had a continous supply of fuel? There's some heat in the boiler, so it's doing something.

I've welcomed you as a joke, not one for adding the happy faces after quotes so might have taken it up wrong.

I ask about the sound, maybe you might have heard it, it would help determine if you have a burner problem.

Whats happening, is boiler just turning off by itself, do you have to reset it?

Prenderb

KK, I'm sorry, I'm just cold and i still haven't got that virus off my sister in law's computer!

It's just making a low sort of a noise, as though it's half-started - that doesn't really describe it. Halfway between the noise it usually makes when going properly and no noise.

I don't think it's turning itself off, to be honest, it seems more like it can't get fully going. I've tried the little reset button near the thermostat in the boiler unit and that doesn't work either.

items

Prenderb wrote: »

KK, I'm sorry, I'm just cold and i still haven't got that virus off my sister in law's computer!

It's just making a low sort of a noise, as though it's half-started - that doesn't really describe it. Halfway between the noise it usually makes when going properly and no noise.

I don't think it's turning itself off, to be honest, it seems more like it can't get fully going. I've tried the little reset button near the thermostat in the boiler unit and that doesn't work either.

No bother,

Have you tried turning stat way down to a low temp?, after you finished resetting turn stat down, stay with boiler to see how long it goes for, if it keeps going with stat at low temp, bring up temp gradually.

If its real cold where you are, well colder than normal it could just be boiler settings, nozzle in burner not spraying correctly, the oil spray has to be a certain fineness if you get me, the oil is a lot colder than burner has been set up for.

Hard to find the magic solution afraid to say.

stillbornalive

Sounds like the motor or capacitor maybe on the way out, How old is the burner? have you cleaned the photo cell/censer? what make is the burner unit? ie Riello / Bentone / Ecoflam

steamengine

Prenderb wrote: »

Gerkros cosyman 60/95, doesn't seem to be firing. When the controller's telling it to be on, there's a humming noise from the boiler, but not the usual "I'm heating water like I should be" noise. I've checked thermostats inside and on hot water cylinder, tried going from timed to constant on and no use. There's plenty fuel.

Is there a fix for this? Is a plumber the person to call!?

There seems to be a lot of oil heating problems at present due to the intense freezing weather. Assuming that it is a frost problem, and your c/h was working normally prior to the freeze, I would suggest the following before calling a service engineer. Rig up a fan heater near the boiler to increase the surrounding temperature. Cold affects oil viscosity, and can affect electronics/pcb boards, solenoids etc.

items

steamengine wrote: »

There seems to be a lot of oil heating problems at present due to the intense freezing weather. Assuming that it is a frost problem, and your c/h was working normally prior to the freeze, I would suggest the following before calling a service engineer. Rig up a fan heater near the boiler to increase the surrounding temperature. Cold affects oil viscosity, and can affect electronics/pcb boards, solenoids etc.

Good idea.

Seems to be the case alright, boilers just not set up to deal with such low temps. They can and do run in colder climates just they are set up different, boiler location is different, frost stats have different tolerances, oil pressure different, fuel stored different.

I posted up something a while ago mentioning how all systems here are designed to cope with lowest temp of just -1 or -2. We are now hitting cases of -7 even more so if possibly go easy on your regular boiler service man, latest problems are down to installation but mainly weather.

TJJP

I know little about this, but I've seen photocells sooting up in recent days and been reading the entire web as a result!

The photocell reads the flame (as light) and if the cell gets sooted up the boiler will continually try and fire up in an error lock-out state. Clean the cell (if you have one) and that may solve your problem.

Prenderb

Hi guys, thanks for all the replies. The boiler just started there for about 20 seconds and went off, before that I'd started to hear a very quiet, regular, sort of a pulsing noise (in the house) when the heating was on (I know because that noise went away when I switched it to off). Does this mean anything?

items

Prenderb wrote: »

Hi guys, thanks for all the replies. The boiler just started there for about 20 seconds and went off, before that I'd started to hear a very quiet, regular, sort of a pulsing noise (in the house) when the heating was on (I know because that noise went away when I switched it to off). Does this mean anything?

It might be knocking its self off due to no circulation, something could be happening with pump causing water to circulate in funny way.

I just replaced a circulation pump today, boiler ran then went out on high limit, after I ran it again circulation pump pushed water that hard heating system started pitching, pump gave enough force to push water right out heating vent @ attic. Soon after pump burnt out. Replaced pump and all was well. Mention this as home owner did notice a different sound from heating system than norm.

Could be a few things, by sounds of it your boiler is firing but shutting down due to no circulation. Can you locate pump? If you can, feel pipe work before and after pump, if its hot before and up to pump, then cold after might be circulation, lack of.

Best can do for now.

Prenderb

Pump it was, indeed. Had some help this morning, needed to replace the pump - somehow the system had run out of water, which is A Bad Thing. We're back up and running now, which is A Good Thing. We've fitted a pressure gauge in the hot press so that I can prevent it happening again and refill if pressure drops. A little puzzled, but happy.

It's quite irritating that houses don't come with an Operations and Maintenance manual. Should ask for one next time!

Thanks again for your help and replies, and apologies for my cold and tired snappy response earlier in the post, I'm not usually like that.

items

Prenderb wrote: »

Pump it was, indeed. Had some help this morning, needed to replace the pump - somehow the system had run out of water, which is A Bad Thing. We're back up and running now, which is A Good Thing. We've fitted a pressure gauge in the hot press so that I can prevent it happening again and refill if pressure drops. A little puzzled, but happy.

It's quite irritating that houses don't come with an Operations and Maintenance manual. Should ask for one next time!

Thanks again for your help and replies, and apologies for my cold and tired snappy response earlier in the post, I'm not usually like that.

Great glad your all sorted, sounded like pump from your description of problem.

As part of building regulation, after a plumbing and heating system is installed, its up to the installer to give clear details of how system works and how to maintain system over the years.

You should know what valve is where and what valve does what, handy to have pipes marked to, flow and returns, hots and colds @ boiler / hot press.

Good idea on pressure gauge, not sure how your system became starved of water, unless your system is mains fed, it should be connected to a filling tank, with valve open, that way any time water is required, system will fill by itself.

steamjetjoe

Im having a problem with my Gerkros cosyman.

http://i26.tinypic.com/2ugz0c0.jpg
http://i25.tinypic.com/fei5uq.jpg

Sounds similar to the OP post. I noticed one morning last week that the burner never came on. When i try to switch it on I can hear a faint noise from the attic but the burner itself does not kick in. Is there a reset button on the burner i could try, Any thoughts