oil boiler reset button ??

[ar22]

this may sound stupid but would someone be able to explain what exactly the reset button does, other than ask the burner to start its timed sequence again after being locked out due to a failed sequence

my question arrises from a boiler in which when turned on by the time clock makes no attempt to start up at all, it goes straight to lock out, not one squeek

my initial suspician is photocell or capacitor, but if either are faulty for whatever reason why does hitting the reset button allow this burner to fire up perfectly and run until the water stat stops the demand on the burner. But when water temp falls enough and the initial demand is sent to the burner again, it is back to square one again, no sequence, nothing, but hit the reset and away she goes perfect.

so what does the reset button do over and above sending power as normal initially ?


customer asked me this and to be honest I had no plausable answer and it got me thinking that I really didnt know.

 

[Dotty]

Reset button does exactly what you said, prepurge, ignition and proving.

I'd be more inclined to look at the control box but try reseating it first.

 

[Puddle]

I would have thought control box,as said,few years ago when I worked on oil,used to get reconditioned units from 'shoreheat',do they still do this are is it new ?

 

[tamz]

Check the photocell first. It is easy to test with a multimeter.
It needs to prove it is dark before it will fire then light when it does.

If that is ok then control box.

 

[ar22]

thanks for the replies,

I was shown how to test the photocell but could someone remind me, I assume its just testing the resistence in dark and light, no resistence means no use.

is there an easy way to test the capacitor, It was a bit more complex from memory, it involved charging it and then testing discharge ????

 

[buffy27]

get a multi meter and stick it on ohms ... capacitor should be 7 ohms ... any reading less than 5 and definetly swap it .

 

[ar22]

cheers buffy

is there a definitive figure for the resistence in the photocell ?

 

[oldplumber]

Now I know why working with oil is all to difficult, too much to think of whilst trying to keep clean, but I gather you can charge more as your on site a lot longer.

 

[dontknowitall]

Bit controversial, but I work with oil for three reasons:

1. I live in the sticks and not much gas round here.
2. I feel trying to get a Gas Safe card means going to a local competitor and asking if he'll check over my work until I'm qualified so then I can compete against him for our local customers. You don't need qualifications to work with oil (but I am OFTEC)
3. There's something prehistoric about Agas and some old oil boilers and great satisfaction after a service or fixing.

 

[Dotty]

Unless you come back from the one I just had! Warmflow/riello combination in a garage, runs fine for about 4 weeks then starts smoking up.

Was doing my head in because i've been trying to suss out why for about 2 months. plenty of oil, readings on the nose (12% CO2, 34ppm CO, 92.3% efficiency and so on). Absolutely no idea. Until tonight.

Effing cat found a nice warm spot laying on the burner and managed to shut off the air! I happened to be in the right place at the right time! Burner now moggy proofed by a modified fire guard.

 

[dontknowitall]

Cracking one Croppie!!! LOL LOL - blimey "we" have to think outside the box sometimes!!

 

[Dotty]

Another one I had a long time ago was a boiler randomly out during October. Ran perfectly throughout the rest of the year. October, lock out most mornings.

I was doing my tiny pieces until it (literally!) dawned on me that first thing in the morning the sun shone through the window and reflected off the lovely white painted wall at the exact angle to shine through the sight glass of the Nuway NOL burner tricking the photocell into thinking there was a problem.

2" of duct tape later, problem solved!