Empty tiger loop de-aerator

[nocturnal]

Hi, oil ran out in June, got it refilled last week. I noticed the Afriso de-aerator did not fill up after pressing the burner reset button like it always has done. The installation is 18 years old.

I suspected the Teddington fire valve and the inline oil filter, however I was able to pump 1.5 litres of kerosene from the suction port of the de-aerator after removing the flexi oil pump line. The de-aerator did not fill up whilst pumping and the oil retreated back down the line on disconnection as it aould do as the oil level in the tank is slightly below this point.

I eventually got an engineer out and he didn't seem to know how a tigerloop deaerator worked. He tried to bleed screw at the oil pump which I know is not necessary and the alarm bells rang loud! He said he couldn't tell if it was the oil pump.

I'm going to order a new Afriso de-aerator filter combo and new oil pump hoses, cut the old filter out and fit this. Hopefully 1000mm hoses can reach across to the pump! However I am not sure the bentone bfp 11 l3 oil pump is working after 40 odd reset presses over 5 days. I seen a cheap reconditioned Danfoss 21 l3 but not sure if this can take the other models place... I'm trying to keep the cost down as I may replace the system soon with gas (boiler replacement scheme) and I'm skint too.

I'm competent with copper end feed plumbing etc. BTW and I might even take the oil pump out and apart to inspect it.

I don't pretend to know about setting oil pump pressure and flue gas analysis etc... I'll get someone to do this.

Cheers

 

[SimonG]

Could be any number of things.

Get another engineer.

No flexie hoses outside of boiler casing.
No soldered joints on oil lines.

More concerned you could have burnt out control box.

Don't chuck parts at it. Just find somebody who knows what they are doing.

 

[nocturnal]

Thanks for replying Simon. I think the control box is OK as the burner starting sequence all sound normal up to the click then it cuts out due to no oil supply.

The oil line from tank has all compression fittings. Are you suggesting to not use flexi hoses? I refuse to use them for plumbing due to seeing the wreckage done by bursts!

Called 3 engineers, first 2 never showed.

I don't mind replacing the de-aerator and filter anyhow. The problem is no oil supply.

 

[nocturnal]

Forgot to mention this...

I also disconnected the flow and return hoses at the tigerloop ports and put both in a container of kerosene to see if the boiler would start from this... didn't work either after 2-3 reset button tries. Maybe the pump is goosed?

 

[Chalked]

Get a proper oil engineer. It’s an easy check with the right gear, as they weather the pump is goosed.
Will need an fga after, if it is replaced.

 

[DaveyHep]

Any oil boiler engineer that doesn’t know how a tiger loop works is a chancer. Hope you didn’t pay him.

 

[nocturnal]

Getting somebody proper seems impossible. They don't come out or don't phone back hence why I'm trying to sort it myself. What is going on in this world?

Looks like I'm sleeping in the living room for the whole winter and glad I installed an electric shower!

 

[Chalked]

Getting somebody proper seems impossible. They don't come out or don't phone back hence why I'm trying to sort it myself. What is going on in this world?

Looks like I'm sleeping in the living room for the whole winter and glad I installed an electric shower!

Where do you live?

 

[nocturnal]

Luvely Belfast where the unemployment rate is so high heating engineers don't want jobs!

I disconnected the suction hose tonight at the de-aerator, held it up and syringed syringed oil directly into it... Discovered it ran straight out of the bottom so the hose was busted which explains it all.

I'm hoping the pump isn't goosed by the amount of resets and I'll get 2 hoses tomorrow.

Was looking for a Bentone BFP11L3 pump just incase but can't find one, just Danfoss with the same model name so I assume this fits and it looks identical.

 

[DaveyHep]

Shocking that the ‘Engineer’ that did come out, couldn’t diagnose a knackered hose.
May I ask how long since the boiler had been serviced, as a hose change is normally a service item.

 

[nocturnal]

Indeed Daveyhep, he even advised me that the hoses looked fine. I know you can't see if a hose is fine, I never use flexis for water plumbing.

I fixed it this morning with new hoses running nice and smooth without twisting or looping them. The last hoses were badly kinked by the installer so no wonder they failed! I only ran the boiler for 5 minutes as I seen and smelled a lot of white unburnt fuel coming out of the flue. It needs the pump pressure set correctly etc. I.e a general service. I'll not use it until it gets done.

It hasn't been serviced for a few years but it hasn't had much use, maybe only 1500 litres through it.

It was a joy to see the de-aerator working it's magic again. I'm going to install one in my mother's house.

Now for the next problem of getting and trusting someone to service it correctly.

Thanks

 

[Best]

Luvely Belfast where the unemployment rate is so high heating engineers don't want jobs!

I disconnected the suction hose tonight at the de-aerator, held it up and syringed syringed oil directly into it... Discovered it ran straight out of the bottom so the hose was busted which explains it all.

I'm hoping the pump isn't goosed by the amount of resets and I'll get 2 hoses tomorrow.

Was looking for a Bentone BFP11L3 pump just incase but can't find one, just Danfoss with the same model name so I assume this fits and it looks identical.

I am here in NI and have worked at oil all my time, from when very few did oil servicing.
I would have been able to sort your boiler no problem and I carry the basics.

The oil hoses are a suspect if Tigerloop not working.
Lack of proper servicing has resulted in your problem.
Plenty of folk who claim they can do oil here in NI, so shouldn’t have been a problem for you to get one, but few will be capable of proper servicing I must admit.

 

[nocturnal]

Thanks Best, I got it serviced properly today by the guy who does my gas boiler in my rented house which also got done today.

I got him to do the efficiency test and it read 88.9% which is nice for an 18 year old oil boiler. However the gas got 97.9% efficiency!

The oil pump and tigerloop all working fine, cheers to Simon for advising me to not just chuck parts at it and I'll know any future problems with the oil line will probably be with the hoses.

 

[Best]

Thanks Best, I got it serviced properly today by the guy who does my gas boiler in my rented house which also got done today.

I got him to do the efficiency test and it read 88.9% which is nice for an 18 year old oil boiler. However the gas got 97.9% efficiency!

The oil pump and tigerloop all working fine, cheers to Simon for advising me to not just chuck parts at it and I'll know any future problems with the oil line will probably be with the hoses.

Good you got it done by a service guy.
The eff test on oil boiler will be less than what your engineer analyser got. The efficiency has seasonal variations.
Oil boilers that are not condensing will only be 85% approx over a year. (at 18 years yours is likely just standard eff).
New condensing boilers can be similar to gas condensing eff.