Boiler cutting out

[kittyjo]

I'm in my new built house 3 years. This time last year my central heating cut out but there was oil in the tank. After two services my boiler is still cuttin out. The last service man said that it was in the wrong place and suffering some sort of blowback(?)When it cut out he showed me how to unscrew the plastic cover and take out a long black plastic type thingy with a rubber end. This had to be clened of dirt before it would start again. After a couple of months of doing this in the pouring rain I'm getting fed up and the problem is getting worse. Its now bellowing out black smoke and there is a strong smell. Can anyone suggest what the problem might be and would it the boiler be under any guarantee?

 

[secman]

Just encountered a similar problem, it was a faulty photocell in the electrics end of things on the burner, as we had cleaned out the burner/ boiler and changed the nozzel twice. But i got lucky as the plumbers mate had just taken a burner ( in perfect working order) out of a job and it was the exact same as mine, cost me nothing , lucky break. Otherwise I was looking at a new burner for €300 ish.

yours

Secman

 

[Salem]

Had something similar last year ... The pump was drawing some dirt with the oil from the tank ... The pump would then cut out as the particles got inside ...

 

[kittyjo]

Thanks folks,
Just had another boiler man around who says that the chimney is facing into the direction of the wind and that the smoke is blowing back causing it to get sooted up. He says the only way to rectify it is to change where the chimney is. Is this a big money job? Does anybody know if I can chase the builder of the house for this (we are already goibng to court for a faulty sewage system!)

 

[Leo]

What do you mean when you say the chimney is facing into the wind? Is it not straight up?
Leo

 

[davidoco]

Thanks folks,
Just had another boiler man around who says that the chimney is facing into the direction of the wind and that the smoke is blowing back causing it to get sooted up. He says the only way to rectify it is to change where the chimney is. Is this a big money job? Does anybody know if I can chase the builder of the house for this (we are already goibng to court for a faulty sewage system!)

You mentioned the "long black plastic type thingy with a rubber end" which is the photocell. Due to poor draught your exhaust fumes from burning oil is not escaping and therefore you are getting a lot of soot and smoke in the chamber which is making the photocell on the end of the "long black plastic type thingy with a rubber end" dirty which stops the burner firing.

If you have the boiler on an outside wall with a stainless steel pipe on the outside it needs to be at least 1m above any object within 10m. You might just sort this out yourself by purchasing a flue down draught stabiliser to suit your pipe size and fit it on top. Buy an extension piece if the top of the pipe is too low as described above.