InspectApedia Diagnose & Fix What's Wrong at Your Building (original) (raw)

Oil burner schematic (C) Carson Dunlop AssociatesOil Burner Disassembly for Repair

How to disassemble basic oil burner parts:

To diagnose and repair the most-common oil burner operating problems some disassembly is often required.

Watch out: oil burner service and repair, to be both safe and effective, requires training and special equipment. A homeowner can not properly adjust the oil burner combustion air, pressure, nor other features. However, understanding basic and commonly cleaned or replaced oil burner parts such as the nozzle, nozzle adapter, electrodes, turbulator, can help diagnose and fix oil burner trouble.

The page top sketch is courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education, & report writing tool company.

This article series explains how to inspect, diagnose & repair oil burners used on oil-fired heating boilers or furnaces using a visual inspection approach as well as (optional) simple test equipment. We include descriptions of oil burner adjustment and operating problems and we illustrate the basic oil burner tests and measurements made in servicing and adjusting the equipment for safe, efficient operation.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Signs of Trouble Inside the Oil Burner - Simple Disassembly, Inspection, Testing

Oil burner gun operation (C) D Friedman - Audel

We look for obvious trouble signs before making any changes or adjustments to the oil burner assembly by turning off power to the equipment, shutting off the oil supply line at the closest service valve, and opening the oil burner for inspection.

Our sketch (left) shows how an oil burner gun atomizes and sprays heating oil into the combustion chamber

- AUDEL OIL BURNER GUIDE [PDF online copy of this book]

The oil burner parts sketch shown at the top of this page was provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, report writing tool, & home inspection education company. [Click to enlarge any image]

Most oil burners are opened by loosening two screw clamps at the front of the transformer box mounted atop the oil burner tube and folding the hinged transformer back to expose the interior of the tube, the oil burner nozzle assembly, and other parts.

Some obvious trouble signs inside the oil burner include the following

Leaky shaft at the oil burner fuel unit (C) Daniel Friedman

Oil Burner Won't Run: Diagnostic Steps - what to check in what order

This topic has moved. Now
at OIL BURNER WONT RUN we have collected oil burner diagnostic procedures from several texts, [1] - [22] adapted, expanded, and generally re-ordered steps in order of most likely to be successful and easiest to perform.

Readers needing an approach to heating system inspections that assures thoroughness, should also
see

HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION PROCEDURE where we explain an organized approach to inspecting the entire heating system, beginning outdoors, continuing indoors, and ultimately in most detail in the boiler or furnace room.

This article series explains the inspection, diagnosis, & repair of oil burners used in heating appliances such as hot water boilers, steam boilers, & water heaters.

To find what you need quickly, if you don't want to scroll through this index you are welcome to use the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX to search InspectApedia for specific articles and information.

An expert inspection of an oil burner begins either with having made note of building owner/occupant concerns (noises, odors, no heat, high fuel costs), or with having made some basic visual observations outside: a sooty chimney top, for example.

The oil burner inspection continues indoors, even before entering the utility room where the oil burner (or often more than one of them if oil fuel is used for both heating and a separate water heater) is located: look at the building interior as you enter: are there odors, soot deposits, noises associated with the heating system?

The oil burner inspection becomes detailed, and diagnostic, when you can actually see the equipment. It's obvious that you should notice oil leaks, soot in the boiler or furnace room, noises, odors, signs of repeated repairs, piles of junked parts, signs of unprofessional work (covers off of controls, sloppy wiring or plumbing). But just what each of these clues might mean bears some additional explanation that we offer below.

...

ADVERTISEMENT

Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

1993 Ducane oil burner electrode crack (C) InspectApedia.com MarieThanks for the follow-up; if you contact one of the suppliers I list It's quite possible that they'll have the part you need.

ICPT Tempstar Parts has many parts for the DRC10A Ducane oil burner. Tel: 888-828-8317 Website: icptempstarparts.com/model/icp-tempstar-heil-drc10a-parts/

See part no. ICP B0811114 ELECTRODE DUCANE (about $100. U.S.)

Thank you very much for this information. We will try looking for the right piece. It's challenging to find one that fits DRC-10A.

Unfortunately

Crown 21182-02 Set Of Replacement Electrodes For Ducane DMR-15A ---- We have DRC-10A

Crown 21182-02 Set Of Replacement Electrodes For Ducane DMR-15A With 7" Blast Tube Fits Ducane DMR15A, DMR-15A, DMR15A1, DMR-15A-1 Oil Burners ----We have DRC-10A

Hello,

The electrode (ceramic) part is cracked on our 1993 Ducane oil burner. See images. The system works however twice last week there was a strong smell of burnt oil in our home when the furnace kicked. We don't know how long the crack has been there, it was not found in the last maintenance 10 months ago.

We are trying to get more information on how soon we should replace our system. We need a full furnace replacement as those parts are not available anymore.

What is the worst thing that can happen from this crack ?

thanks

Thanks I will look at it again.

Small leaks along the nozzle line can drip into and accumulate in the bottom of the blower compartment of the oil burner;

But if the drip is below the pump it's probably a leak at a connection to the pump or possibly a pump gasket;

Wipe everything totally clean, seams, fittings, etc. then watch all of those areas for an oil seep.

PS: I did open the unit to inspect the electrodes and nozzle area. I did not see any oil at this point. It DOES appear to be coming right from under the pump - could be a poor seal. Lou

I understand. I have watched the unit carefully running so far and all it does is leak from under the pump a small bit - it LOOKS like a big leak because oil tends to spread out.

However I will have the unit checked. As I stated before it only leaks when the unit stops working - maybe there is an internal valve in the pump that does not completely close when the unit turns off? Id love to see an internal schematic/diagram.( I am a curious engineer). Lou

TEXACO OIl Burner Head.

Lou

By careful inspection (probably with help from your oil heat service tech) we need to identify the leak point: it could be a damaged nozzle adapter, a leak in the high pressure line between fuel unit and burner, a leak at the fuel unit, etc.

Watch out: the burner may be unsafe.

I have a TEXACO OIl Burner Head. Looks like a Beckett Unit Painted Red. The unit runs well and provides a good flame but when it stops running it leaks oil out onto the floor. How can this be repaired short of replacing the whole burner head?

Roland I would step through the diagnostics at

OIL BURNER WONT RUN - Diagnostic Steps - what to check in what order

https://inspectapedia.com/heat/Oil\_Burner\_Wont\_Run.php

my oil burner runs for hours then stops running again

Billy

Check the diagnostic procedure at

https://inspectapedia.com/heat/Oil\_Burner\_Wont\_Run.php

My oil burner keeps cutting out

...

Continue reading at OIL BURNER WONT RUN - Diagnostic Steps - what to check in what order, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

>

Suggested citation for this web page

OIL BURNER INSIDE TROUBLE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING OIL, OIL BURNERS, OIL FIRED HEATERS, OIL TANKS

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Search the InspectApedia website

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.

IF above you see "Comment Form is loading comments..." then COMMENT BOX - countable.ca / bawkbox.com IS NOT WORKING.

In any case you are welcome to send an email directly to us at InspectApedia.com at editor@inspectApedia.com

We'll reply to you directly. Please help us help you by noting, in your email, the URL of the InspectApedia page where you wanted to comment.

Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.