Oil burner problem

[WHPES]

Had a problem with an oil burner today. Burner going to lockout and I found that the control unit wasn't sending power to the electrodes. Replaced it (Honeywell TF832.3) and found that the ignitor worked but the solenoid wasnt getting triggered. However if you turn the thermostat down then up again, the silenoid clicks open and the boiler fires. On checking the voltage to the solenoid coil, at the beginning you get about 60v which doesnt trigger the solenoid. FLicking the thermostat off and on gives you 240v.

I am presuming there is a fault with the control box. Anyone ever had this happen to them?

 

[quality]

I have had the same problem / it turned out to be a lack of combustion air (inlet)
I took the balanced flue pipe connection off and it was ok
It was a new install and the supplied flue was not the correct one for the burner rating

 

[SimonG]

Never had that one before, sounds like something sticking in the new control box. Take it that it was a new out of the box control box? Wouldn't be the first time though that a 'new' part was faulty. Caught me out a few times in the past thinking that 'new', 'out of the box' can't possibly be faulty.

 

[WHPES]

I have had the same problem / it turned out to be a lack of combustion air (inlet)
I took the balanced flue pipe connection off and it was ok
It was a new install and the supplied flue was not the correct one for the burner rating

I'm not getting the solenoid to trigger at all to let oil in - don't get as far as oil coming in and not igniting througn insufficient air. Will be onto the suppliers in the morning.

 

[quality]

Does it fire with a manual solenoid magnet

 

[WHPES]

I don't have a magnet to try it witn but I assume it will. Basically it's not getting enough voltage at the start to work the solenoid. When you click the stat off and on again it seems to get full voltage and runs the burner until the boiler reaches the thermostat setting and cuts off.

 

[diesel_ltd]

could the fault possibly be with the stat? wot voltage are you gettting comimg out of the stat when your only getting 60v at the sol' valve

 

[quality]

I don't have a magnet to try it witn but I assume it will. Basically it's not getting enough voltage at the start to work the solenoid. When you click the stat off and on again it seems to get full voltage and runs the burner until the boiler reaches the thermostat setting and cuts off.

Try the Air inlet hose as it suprised me too as well as the manufacturer

 

[kimbo]

I have known engineers had a problem with the control box base with a hairline crack causing problems, it sounds electrical, obviously a pain to re wire but worth a go

 

[WHPES]

Was neither of what I thought - turned out to be a bad contact on the wiring to the photocell.

 

[dontknowitall]

Well found!! Bet you were chuffed with that!

Many thanks for posting the solution - had me stumped (but then many oil burner problems do - in fairness to me though, I've yet to be defeated.)

 

[Dotty]

nasty one, not come across that before. I'll have to remember that!