Oil Boiler not firing up

[Kellie Riccardo]

Hi,
My oil boiler stopped working, and will not fire back up.
It appears the header tank may have run dry (I have to switch the water to it on and off, as otherwise it overfills and overflows),
Header tank now full, system drained a little to eliminate air, and seems okay.

When I turn it on, it doesn't fire, if I force the zone valve across very quickly it attempts to fire then shuts off (3 seconds max).

The system is a shoddy 40 year old one, with terrible plumbing and wiring. Two motorised zone vale, neither actually automated so have to be permanently fixed into the open position. Hot water and CH both have to be on, its all or nothing - currently nothing!

any ideas? I'm freezing! ta

 

[SimonG]

What do you mean it attempts to fire. Does the fan on the burner run.

First thing to check if it's been low on water is high limit.

But sounds more of a control's issue.

Time to phone your oil engineer.

 

[Riley]

I’d agree with Si, sounds like controls to me

 

[Kellie Riccardo]

The 'control box' is a Honeywell 42005748-001, and its the most messed up wiring you could wish to see! Is it this box thats controlling it? As for 'oil engineer', not easy to find anyone prepared to touch a 40 year old system, they just want to sell me a new one - if they bother to turn up!

 

[Kellie Riccardo]

sorry, and yes the fan works, its not a fan issue, I can free that easily when it sticks. It does seem very much like something is 'turning it off', and the little light on the Honeywell controller box inside the boiler doesn't light up - which is usually a sign the boiler itself is at fault (i.e no oil etc)

 

[Riley]

We mean controls like the valves not necessarily the physical controls you turn on and off

 

[Kellie Riccardo]

The 'physical control' is literally turning the fuse switch on or off! the thermostat never worked. I replaced the zone valves and pump, but the zone valves still never worked and I had to jam them permanently in the open position. Its worked fine for the past year after doing that, until the header tank ran dry a couple of nights ago. its a mason 130/170 - vented system.

 

[Riley]

Pump bled? All air out

 

[Kellie Riccardo]

Yes, definitely no air, had the pump off, its fine. When you push the switch on the zone valve really fast the pump lcd lights up for a second, the boiler fires, then it all goes off again after a second or so

 

[Riley]

It doesn’t mean the pumps actually turning though.

 

[Riley]

It boils down to a controls prob still. I know you’ve had a work around with manually opening the valves I think you probably need somebody in who is competent in heating wiring and get them to sort it for good. The handles on the valves aren’t really designed to be manual on off switches

 

[SimonG]

Valve heads goosed.

 

[Best]

Get a heating engineer in.
It sounds like a mess of a job and with bodge it attempts at keeping heat working.

 

[Kellie Riccardo]

Getting someone competent is the problem! I'm out in the sticks. You call them, they never turn up!

 

[Best]

Getting someone competent is the problem! I'm out in the sticks. You call them, they never turn up!

Got to be someone surely?
Put your approximate region on here, - on the find a tradesperson part of forum if you want some of the oil engineers here

 

[rpm]

Getting someone competent is the problem! I'm out in the sticks. You call them, they never turn up!

Roughly where are you, we have a few guys on here who like the smell of diesel with their bacon rolls and coffee.

Also there is a sub forum
Find a Plumber, Tiler or Electrician | Plumbing Advice | Gas Engineers Forum | Plumbing Jobs - DIY and Professional

Cross post with Best.

 

[SimonG]

Love the smell of kerosene in the morning.

 

[rpm]

Love the smell of kerosene in the morning.

Kerosene, that`s the word, had to settle for diesel earlier.

 

[SimonG]

Kerosene, that`s the word, had to settle for diesel earlier.

Still an odd machine or two running on red diesel.

 

[rpm]

Still an odd machine or two running on red diesel.

For tax reasons?

 

[Best]

For tax reasons?

No! Unless for farmers to claim vat back on their diesel, or for risk takers to use the red stuff from their boiler oil tank to fuel their cars.

Some homes still use diesel for their boilers and some commercial properties. It gives high output for big boilers.
I don’t have any customers on diesel anymore I think

 

[rpm]

Reckon you and Simon would luv my sisters boat, smelly old diesel engine and enough room in the engine room to hang a hammock for you.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I haven’t read all the posts but shouldn’t this be started at the timer?

 

[rpm]

I haven’t read all the posts but shouldn’t this be started at the timer?

Getting the impression this was installed before timers were invented.

 

[SimonG]

I haven’t read all the posts but shouldn’t this be started at the timer?

Definitely a testers out start.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Was just an idea

 

[Best]

I haven’t read all the posts but shouldn’t this be started at the timer?

I was thinking same, but OP has all sorts of rubbish going on with their old system, it wasn’t worth mentioninig.
Electronic timers can do a couple second failure, as we know