Bleed oil burner not working

[Laura]

Hi, I live in student accommodation where we never really pay much attention to anything, but anyway this is the second time our oil has ran out but we are having difficulties bleeding it this time. Last time I ha no problem I just used a spanner to loosen the nut and waited for the oil to drip through and it worked perfectly. The problem is this time there is no oil dripping out at all? Please help

 

[Howsie]

Welcome! A call to the landlord perhaps?

 

[Laura]

He hasn't been very helpful with any of the problems we've been having its all been left to ourselves!

 

[Howsie]

I'd tell him you're calling a plumber out then and will be deducting the cost from his rent. He'll soon get off his bum.

 

[Laura]

Yeah I will try that! I just know we can't afford the expense of a plumber

 

[Dotty]

Moving to the oily forum

 

[Bunker]

You probably have an air lock in the pump. Whats the boiler and whereabouts are you?

 

[Laura]

I have already tried to release trapped Air. I'm in Belfast

 

[Bunker]

I do alot of work for tenanted properties and running out of oil is common but not a landlord responsibility (as long as he provides some reasonable method of monitoring the oil level).

Following on from above, can you take a photo of the burner for us? Where did you try that, from the flexible hose or the actual pump? You can get an air lock on the low pressure side, ie the oil line or flexible, OR the high pressure side which is a different method to bleed.

 

[Laura]

This is the boiler

 

[dontknowitall]

Not the thing you really want to hear, Laura, but it's probably best to get someone in.

:smile:

 

[WHPES]

Me too. Don't try bleeding with the burner running!

 

[Best]

Oh boy!! I'd never recommend someone else fires up the burner with the bleed nipple loose! I was taught that oil piercing the skin under 8 bar pressure is a 999 hospital job!!

I've read the above a couple of times but I'm hoping I've mis-interpreted it!!

:smile:

You are right, - Plenty people try it themselves, but pressurising the oil is I admit, greatly increasing any risks.
Better she gets someone out.

 

[Laura]

The burner won't fire up at all. I'm just going to pay for someone to call out as I'm having no luck

 

[Bunker]

A bit late but deleted my post. Im very happy doing that but your all right, daft thing to suggest to someone else to do.

Sorry Laura, as you have now realised, its going to be a call out.

Personally if it is just an airlock, it will be simples and shouldnt cost much, Id charge £45 to attend and sort it if it were local to me.

Look up the OFTEC website for a local engineer, might be worth asking him how much a service would be while hes at it...could uncover any further issues plus the landlord might contribute to it.

 

[dontknowitall]

Great response, Bunker!! I hope I didn't come across too strong but while I appreciate you know what you're doing, I fear something going wrong with a non trained person and the forum or someone here being blamed.

I hope I'm not being patronising by saying this!!

(And as far as I'm concerned, this is all water under the bridge!) :smile:

 

[SimonG]

Sometimes it's too easy to tell somebody something on here without realising

Like checking for a spark at the electrode

 

[Best]

In fairness to Bunker, I had earlier also suggested same thing in the first post that had been moved from plumbing to oil thread. I often do it the way I suggested, but don't normally tell anyone unless I know they are very hands on.
Have also edited my posts.

 

[dontknowitall]

It's a difficult one really, ain't it? Our instinct is to help.

 

[Best]

It's a difficult one really, ain't it? Our instinct is to help.

Yes, easy to tell someone to do too much!
Oddly, I normally don't tell anyone on the phone if it's risky, unless they are say, some sort of engineer, for example.
But what can you tell people? If you tell people how to bleed a radiator, you can bet somebody will remove the screw & cause a flood! :smile: