Vaporiser Servicing & Tool Kit

[CWPlumbing]

My first post so be gentle with me - I see there are several post about AGA's & Rayburn, as this is what I primarily do here's a basic guide.
Published in two parts as it goes on a bit (apparently)


Vaporiser Service Kit & Method


Basic Kit:
Oil proof work mat (blue ones from HWOS are good & washable)
Oil Proof Gloves - don’t get soot / oil / fire cement etc. on your hands
Smoke matches
Lighter
Torch & work lamps
FGA
Report Pad
Small Spirit Level 6” (make sure it’s accurate)
Old Junior Hacksaw blades
Various sizes of drill bits welded on to allen keys (makes them easy to rotate)
Scissors for cutting wicks
Decent hoover (Henry etc.)
Usual spanners, screwdrivers, allen keys, pliers etc.
Imperial spanners & allen keys for some Esses’
Set of small brushes (the HWOS kit is good)
Paper towels (Blue Roll as it shows up leaks better than kitchen towel)
Old shallow baking tray + small tray for catching oil
Fuel can to put contaminated oil in + write CONTAMINATED FUEL on it and explain to customer that your not nicking it, it’s contaminated with dirt and will clog up their system if you put it back in the tank - you will dispose pf it properly (great for starting bonfires)
Cherry bomb (to combat the oil smell)
Roll of Wick
PTFE
Oil jointing compound
Small wire brush
Fire cement
Selection of glass ropes in different sizes
Glass rope adhesive

Continued

 

[CWPlumbing]

AGA / Rayburn Service continued

My first post so be gentle with me - I see there are several post about AGA's & Rayburn, as this is what I primarily do here's a basic guide.
Published in two parts as it goes on a bit (apparently)

Continuation.....

Service (based on AGA/Rayburn standard vaporiser type - other makes will vary)
This is based on a standard service - where there are no reported problems, just it’s 6 monthly clean out, check & new wicks)


Contact the customer the day before and make sure the cooker is shut down


(Clean everything as you remove it, brushes & vacuum cleaner are essential)
Makes sure oil supply is off - electricity is unplugged - oven is cold
Remove hotplate(s) (tip, small pencil mark at the back so you can realign them when putting back)
Remove baffles
Remove any plates / covers on top of the catalyser shells
Remove crucible cover - see if there is any oil in the burner - clean the underside of the lid with wire brush
Remove fire door
Undo elbow on the oil line - use paper towels to catch any oil
Withdraw burner with the shells in place
Remove shells
Turn burner over and undo union to remove the carbon leg (oil feed pipe)
Use drill bits to clear the union and base of the crucible & carbon leg (by hand only - never use a power drill)
Turn burner over and scrape, chisel, drill (hand drill only) all the carbon from the crucible
Polish up with wire brush - make sure sealing edge of the top of the crucible is smooth and flat so the lid is a good fit


Use an old junior hacksaw blade to clean out the oil pathways in the burner
Vacuum up all mess as you go as it gets everywhere
Make new wicks - cut out for ALL oil pathways
Brush & vacuum out inside the cooker flue ways (including oven chambers - if theres signs of soot in the ovens investigate where it is getting in an seal with fire cement
Replace any missing or damaged fire cement
Replace any missing or damaged rope seals
Check the whole cooker is level (you’d be surprised)
Put the burner base back in the cooker a check it’s level (adjust if needed - it MUST be spot on level in all directions for a clean burn)
Take it back out again
Re-fit the carbon leg
Fit the new wicks
Replace the shells (Tip - I align the welded seams in a particular order so that I know if anyone else has been in there messing about between services)
Put the burner complete with shells back in the cooker and re-connect the oil feed
Check that it’s all level - VERY IMPORTANT


Oil Control Unit (clean everything as you go)


If electric type - make sure power is isolated (or not - it's only 12v)
Remove electric unit (take the lid off first)
Remove cover plate
Remove top of the control box
Remove the metering valve stem (be careful - lift spring and pull up)
Check the slot on the stem is clear
Replace the stem (lift the spring carefully)
Check the bottom of the float chamber is not full of gunk
On the top part check the operation of the flow limiters - DO NOT ADJUST THE SCREWS
Make sure the pin that sticks up through the top moves freely - clean and lubricate if needed
Put something under the unit to catch the oil - open the filter housing and withdraw the filter, clean it and put it back
Theres not normally a need to go any deeper in the control box or float mechanism - just press the lever down and make sure the float releases and oil flows in, then lift it back up again as you don’t want oil in the burner yet
Re-assemble (be very careful with the screws - magnetic screwdriver really helps here)
Re-fit the electric unit, but don’t put the lid on
Switch on the power and adjust the thermostat to call for ‘high fire’
The heater should warm up and move the lever allowing the pin to lift (I use a torch to cast the shadow of the lever and pin against the side of the cooker to see what’s going on as it ’s often impossible to see it directly)
Turn the thermostat off and it should cool down and lower the lever - pressing the pin to ‘low fire’ - adjust the position of the electric unit if needed to align the lever with the pin
Put the lid back on the electric unit (lock the manual override lever over makes this easier)


Smoke test the flue to make sure there is a good draw
Check the condition of the flue


Press the oil flow lever to let oil through - check for leaks on everything as you can’t fix them once it’s lit
Watch the crucible fill up - it should come through and flow across the burner evenly if it all level
Put the crucible lid on
Replace baffles
Replace hot plates (align pencil marks)
Have a cup of tea / tidy up
Check for leaks on everything AGAIN as you still can’t fix them once it’s lit


Light it with a lighter - don’t use matches as the head can drop off and cause an uneven burn and subsequent sooting up
Replace the fire door
Shut the burner chamber door
CO Leakage test
Check theres’ a CO alarm in the room & test it - sell them one if there isn’t
Write out service report


Get you money and go to the pub


NEVER ATTEMPT TO RE-LIGHT A HOT or WARM BURNER - IT WILL EXPLODE (and make a monumental mess and you wont get to the pub)


Coming soon (if anyones interested) - Flow rate adjustment, Fault finding, Changing a thermostat without taking the top off & How to get soot out of the customers white carpet ;-)

 

[Knappers]

Hi,
Interested in the soot removal, think I'll leave the rest to you tho - I'm no sparky (clean freak) but it sounds a bit dirty even for me!

How long to complete one of those?

Think I need a procedure:
-realise terminal screwdriver wont get into awkward nipple on gas valve
-curse self for not replacing lost stubby and cruddy boilers poor design
-rummage through hex bits
etc

 

[Simon Ashdown]

i would avoid touching the control unit .just check the electric top operation and the pin moves freely.

 

[CWPlumbing]

i would avoid touching the control unit .just check the electric top operation and the pin moves freely.

I always check the slit on the metering stem is clean & the clean the filter. it only take the tiniest bit of muck to block the fuel flow and as it drawing from the surface of the oil and the control box isn't sealed dust/ fluff / dog hair etc. does get in there. 1 minute extra can save a costly call back.

 

[Simon Ashdown]

tip 1 . after switching the oil on wait 5 mins then heat the base with a blowtorch- it lights much quicker and will be on high fire mode in no time.


tip 2. replace thermostat using the shorter post 2000 type. no need to lift the top!


tip 3. Dont clean the metering stem on a cold aga unless you intend to check the high fire cc/min after as previous engineers may have increased the high fire screw before, due to poor flame and then cleaning the stem will then over fire and soot the aga up.