Why no electrode spark?

Hi Matt - what you say is normal. This is what happens with most oil burners. Switch the system on - motor starts, turns the fan and pump, spark commences. This purges the boiler combustion area with fresh air. After about 8 sec, the programmer inside switches the oil supply on (there is a valve in the pump, coil operated) and ignition should occur. The photocell sees light, so keeps everything going. After a few more secs, the spark switches off. If no flame established, photocell sees dark and cuts everything dead, and flame out light comes on. After around 20 sec you can try again.
This is what I do to see if there is a spark at the electrodes: back the burner an inch or 2 out of the boiler hole. Position a mirror so you can see the nozzle. Switch on, see if there is a spark, immediately switch off again before oil is let through! (DANGER!!) You can see if oil is being sprayed because the boiler back wall will be damp if its not ignited. So, check for a spark (you can often hear a buzzing), look for wet oil spray on the boiler back wall. If none, then expect oil valve solenoid or pump failure. Hope this helps you, and good luck with it!

John
January 2008

Maybe i should also have mentioned that when I turn on my system it goes thru the motions of pumping the oil thru the burner. I then hear a click and the process continues for a few more seconds before I hear a second click and then the system cuts out.

Does this mean anything?

Matt

Matt
January 2008

The electrodes need a 3mm gap at the end of them, and the ends should be level with the nozzle end (the draught from the fan actually blows the spark into the oil spray). Make sure the electrodes aren't touching, or are too near to, the flame tube that covers them or the nozzle itself. Maybe the transformer is goosed? By the way, a blocked or faultly nozzle can direct the oil spray away from the electrodes so the flame doesn't establish.

John
January 2008