mysty
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Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 8, 2023 13:40:17 GMT 1
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Post by Polarengineer on Dec 8, 2023 15:55:44 GMT 1
A dry tank will mean some rust and dust. There must be a fuel filter in the supply line but not in the return line. Disconnect all the pipes and blow each one separately. Clean or better change the filter.
The compressor is good for this, a pneumatic stapler or nail gun and to pump up your tyres but not much else. Make sure the tank vent is open and clear before blowing into the supply valve on the tank if the valve is blocked,
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mysty
Member
Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 8, 2023 16:15:40 GMT 1
Thanks will pick it up tomorrow, when I say the tank was empty there was about 5 or six centimètres of fuel in it, the stick I used to dip the tank came out clean.
They had no fiter on the old boiler but I have one now but unsure which pipe is which and they go underground which does not help.
I have bought a small pump to draw the oil out the tank I thought maybe the return pipe would be high up in the tank so I could rule that out as the flow or is that idea flawed.
Thanks
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Post by Polarengineer on Dec 8, 2023 16:52:17 GMT 1
trouble is that both pipes could be at the top of the tank, in that case, disconnect both and blow them through. listen for the one that bubbles, i.e. goes under the surface. this will be the supply pipe. you need a gentle blow to hear the bubbling, I think a blast would sound different. you should hear the bubbling at the vent gooseneck. If neither pipe indicates bubbling then add some more fuel to the tank until one does bubble. this type of installation needs to have tight connections or an air leak could drain the pipe back into the tank when the pump stops, You may have to prime the pump with fuel before it sucks up the fuel out of the tank.
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mysty
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Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 8, 2023 18:20:40 GMT 1
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Post by Polarengineer on Dec 9, 2023 6:11:42 GMT 1
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mysty
Member
Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 9, 2023 17:17:13 GMT 1
Thanks for your help and advice PE all ordered, I did try and find someone local to do the work but could not find anyone who would work on an old boiler a couple tried selling a new pellet burner instead for 15000.
As a last resort I did have an ad on FB in the Limousin offering all costs inc hotel ect for someone to travel up to dep 52 to fix the boiler but no takers.
Will update next weekend when I get back up there I exspect the boiler to be working. Thanks
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Post by lapourtaider on Dec 10, 2023 13:03:48 GMT 1
Thanks for your help and advice PE all ordered, I did try and find someone local to do the work but could not find anyone who would work on an old boiler a couple tried selling a new pellet burner instead for 15000. As a last resort I did have an ad on FB in the Limousin offering all costs inc hotel ect for someone to travel up to dep 52 to fix the boiler but no takers. Will update next weekend when I get back up there I exspect the boiler to be working. Thanks Mine's still available if all else fails.... |
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mysty
Member
Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 10, 2023 20:00:09 GMT 1
Thanks for your help and advice PE all ordered, I did try and find someone local to do the work but could not find anyone who would work on an old boiler a couple tried selling a new pellet burner instead for 15000. As a last resort I did have an ad on FB in the Limousin offering all costs inc hotel ect for someone to travel up to dep 52 to fix the boiler but no takers. Will update next weekend when I get back up there I exspect the boiler to be working. Thanks Mine's still available if all else fails.... Thanks for the offer my boiler is working from a bucket of fuel, the problem is the fuel line from the tank it looks like its blocked. |
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Post by spectrum on Dec 11, 2023 14:29:08 GMT 1
Dont know if this will help or if you can do it but my nephew is a long time served "Corgi" gas engineer, at a friends house they was having a problem with the old gas boiler, as usual someone had come out and said that it is too old it needs replacing, my nephew checked it over and then got a large hammer and hit the ninety degree flow and return pipes a few times, "Cast iron" the boiler started working, he explained that a 90' corner slows the flow down and over many years bits of crude can accumulate and slow and even block the flow, he then flushed it all out re-filled with "Flowtext"? and its still OK 18yrs later, perhaps you may have a similar problem on the fuel line, but I don't anything about oil burners.
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Post by Polarengineer on Dec 11, 2023 14:33:40 GMT 1
Aah…. the Birmingham screwdriver solution.
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mysty
Member
Posts: 1,298
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Post by mysty on Dec 21, 2023 15:57:37 GMT 1
Thank you for al the help, I failed the pump did nothing the compressor had nothing to unblock so gave up and got an oil heating man out. 75 euros later which was not a lot for two men and and invoice. His expert opinion was trying filling the tank with enough fuel  I had put about 400 liters in but he said that I have a 3000 liter tank so pop in 1000 liters and he is sure it will fire up. The fuel arrives on boxing day. If that fails which he is certain it will not I have got a 2000L PVC tank to put in the cellar and pump the fuel out the old tank into the new one but he is sure I do not have enough fuel. What a wally or as they would say in Scotland, your a fanny. |
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Post by Polarengineer on Dec 22, 2023 7:56:25 GMT 1
That advice might only be valid if the tank had a low level alarm/ trip that would halt the burner function. RTFM if you have one. You could test this by bridging the trip relay and firing the furnace up. Now you have orders the oil, wait and see.
PS. Not having such a system myself, I an reasoning by engineering design requirements if I was to build a system like it myself. I don’t know if it would need such a trip, but any “ flame out” situation should shut it down so a trip on low level is a bit OTT. If the extra oil does not help, send me as much info, manual scans piping designs,electrical circuit diagrams and photos and I will try to help.
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Post by lapourtaider on Dec 22, 2023 8:32:35 GMT 1
Before I took it out my 2500L tank was down to 330L and the boiler was still running fine. But of course fuel was already drawn through. I hope his suggestion works.
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Post by annabellespapa on Dec 22, 2023 13:32:35 GMT 1
I am with Lapourtaider, gravity should mean it will always run and didn't you say the previous owner ran the tank "dry", growing up we lived in an old farmhouse with an equally old oil fired boiler, it was in the cellar and the tank was spring loaded underneath ( a bit like they do with real ale barrels) and it rose when the oil was used and dropped back down when full. My father always explained that gravity was your friend and always to have the tank exit pipe higher than the feed into the boiler. Our oil tank was always running out because no-one thought to check on it in the cellar and we just had it refilled and away it purred again.
Surely if you have a pvc tank good to go, put a new feed into the boiler from your new tank and your 26/12 delivery straight into your new tank, if you can raise the pvc tank on blocks to create a good gravity fall.
I am not a heating engineer by any stretch of my imagination but the gravity thing works in my head.
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