kerosene boiler

kevincork

Hi,

I never had a boiler before and I really don't understand how does this work.

I have the boiler (firebird-S I think) in the utility room, two thermostats (one in the ground floor hall, one in the 1st-floor hall)


On the boiler, I have a timer and a power level, then in the hall a thermostat,
what's the point of the power level if there is an independent thermostat?

I set the boiler power to min and the thermostat to 20C, does that make any sense?

Also, there is a heater in all rooms obviously, (all turned on to max) will this change the level of electricity and kerosene consumption if each heater is at full power or would they be limited anyway by the boiler power level or even the thermostat?

Last thing, this is a Kerosene boiler, so why the boiler consume 175Watts? If the heating is generated through the kerosene, why paying electricity on top is that even make sense moneywise?

By the way, I figured out than even off, the boiler is using 35W in standby, so from now, I turned off the boiler fuse when not using it, is that ok?

Cheers.

Bruthal

The boiler has a thermostat so it has some sort of temperature control if no temperature control is installed in the house on the radiator circuits, and depending on whether the house thermostats ultimately control the boiler operation.

The boiler uses 175 watts simply because it will have a pump. And pumps are electrical powered, as is the firing mechanism, and fuel control setup etc.

Thermostat upstairs if setup properly will open an close a valve to regulate the flow to the rads upstairs. Same for downstairs stat.

As for boiler using 35 watts when off, how did you measure that, and how long after boiler went into standby did you measure it?

brightspark

kevincork wrote: »

Hi,

I never had a boiler before and I really don't understand how does this work.


Last thing, this is a Kerosene boiler, so why the boiler consume 175Watts? If the heating is generated through the kerosene, why paying electricity on top is that even make sense moneywise?

By the way, I figured out than even off, the boiler is using 35W in standby, so from now, I turned off the boiler fuse when not using it, is that ok?

Cheers.

At a guess the 35W in standby mode is your circulating pump (pumps vary but domestic ones usually are 45W or less), no point in only having the hot water at the boiler, it needs to be pumped through all your radiators in order to heat your house.

The boiler itself requires the oil and air to be pumped into the combustion chamber, this is done with another motor driving the oil pump and fan.

John T Carroll

brightspark wrote: »

At a guess the 35W in standby mode is your circulating pump (pumps vary but domestic ones usually are 45W or less), no point in only having the hot water at the boiler, it needs to be pumped through all your radiators in order to heat your house.

The boiler itself requires the oil and air to be pumped into the combustion chamber, this is done with another motor driving the oil pump and fan.

My Firebird 70/90 (kerosene) Boiler .... Circ Pump only: 45 watts. Firing: 160 watts. (Fan+oil pump+circ pump)

kevincork

That's great, thank you all for you answers,
So I will let the boiler power to low and just change the temperature from the thermostat.

and it's better to leave the fuse always on then isn't it? I measured this 35w with smappee (not sure how accurate it is) and after a long idle period

Wearb

kevincork wrote: »

That's great, thank you all for you answers,
So I will let the boiler power to low and just change the temperature from the thermostat.

and it's better to leave the fuse always on then isn't it? I measured this 35w with smappee (not sure how accurate it is) and after a long idle period

Unless you have been advised by a competent plumber that turning your boiler down to its minimum is ok, I would advise leaving it at its mid point.

Turning it down too low during winter (cold weather) months can shorten the life of the boiler.

Wearb

I meant to add that the 35w usage should not be there for too long after all thermostats have been satisfied (reached required temperature).
This point was alluded to by a previous poster.

John T Carroll

Wearb wrote: »

I meant to add that the 35w usage should not be there for too long after all thermostats have been satisfied (reached required temperature).

The circ pump might be running continuously due to incorrect wiring or faulty frost stat if fitted, it would be interesting to see if the 35W usage disappears if all the room stats are turned down fully.