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InspectAPedia ® Home HEATING SYSTEMS AFUE DEFINITION, RATINGS AGE of CHIMNEYS & FIREPLACES AGE of AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES AGE of WATER HEATERS AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS AIR FLOW MEASUREMENT CFM AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS AIRBOUND HEAT SYSTEM REPAIRS ANODES & DIP TUBES on WATER HEATERS ANTIFREEZE for BOILERS ANTI SCALD VALVES APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKFLOW PREVENTER VALVE, HEATING SYS BACKFLOW PREVENTER, HEATER WATER FEEDER BACKUP HEAT for HEAT PUMPS BAROMETRIC DAMPERS BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE BLEVE EXPLOSIONS BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES BLUERAY Recall BOILERS, HEATING BOILER CHEMICAL TREATMENTS BOILER COMPONENTS & PARTS BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES BOILER LEAKS CORROSION STAINS BOILER LEAKS, HOW TO LOCATE BOILER NOISE SMOKE ODORS BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS BOILER OPERATION DETAILS BOILER PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE SETTINGS CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2 CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CARBON MONOXIDE WARNING CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHIMNEYS & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe COOL OFF HEAT, Thermostat Switch COMBUSTION AIR COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ COMPLETE COMBUSTION, Stoichiometric CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES DAMAGE CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS CREOSOTE FIRE HAZARDS Curved Brick Chimneys - Sulphation DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms DIAGNOSE & FIX AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-BOILER DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE DIRECT VENTS / SIDE WALL VENTS DIRECTORY of OIL TANK EXPERTS DRAFT HOODS - gas fired DRAFT MEASUREMENT, CHIMNEYS & FLUES DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUST, HVAC CONTAMINATION STUDY DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE ELECTRIC HEAT, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT FAN AUTO ON Thermostat Switch FAN, COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER UNIT FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS FAN LIMIT SWITCH FAN NOISES FILTERS, AIR for HVAC SYSTEMS FILTERS, OIL on HEATING EQUIPMENT FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS FIREPLACES & HEARTHS FLAME COLOR, BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR FLUE VENT CONNECTORS FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING FUEL OIL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS FUEL UNIT, HEATING OIL PUMPS FURNACES, HEATING FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES FURNACE EFFICIENCY, HIGH vs MID FURNACE HEAT EXCHANGER LEAKS FURNACE OPERATION DETAILS FURNACE OPERATING TEMPERATURES GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GAS BURNER Flame & Noise Defects GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GAUGES ON HEATING EQUIPMENT GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEMS HEAT EXCHANGER LEAK TEST HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams HEATING COST FUEL & BTU Cost Table HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-BOILERS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-FURNACES HEATING OIL CLOUD WAX GEL POINT HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS HEATING OIL - OLD, USEABLE? HEATING OIL PIPING TROUBLES HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE HEATING OIL SLUDGE HEATING OIL USAGE RATE HEATING SMALL LOADS HEATING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION DETAILS HEATING SYSTEM NOISES HEATING SYSTEM TYPES HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILERS/FURNACES HOT WATER HEATERS HOT WATER IMPROVEMENT INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LOW VOLTAGE BUILDING WIRING LOW VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER TEST LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH Natural Gas Combustion Products NO HEAT - BOILER NO HEAT - FURNACE NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP NOISE, DUCT VIBRATION DAMPENERS NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE, PLUMBING CHECKLIST NOISE, WATER HEATER ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS FROM HEATING SYSTEMS OIL BURNERS OIL BURNER FUEL UNIT OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS OIL BURNER NOZZLE & ELECTRODES OIL BURNERS, RETENTION HEAD OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS OIL FILTERS on HEATING EQUIPMENT OIL FILTER MISSING OIL FUEL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS OIL HEAT FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS OIL LINE CLOGGING FIX OIL LINE QUICK STOP VALVES OIL LINE SAFETY VALVES OIL ODORS, LEAKY OIL TANK PIPING OIL PUMP FUEL UNIT OIL SPILL CLEANUP / PREVENTION OIL TANKS PLASTIC HEATER VENT PULSE COMBUSTION HEATERS PASCAL CALCULATIONS PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES PUMPS, PONY PUMPS RADIANT BARRIERS RADIANT HEAT RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid RADIANT HEAT TEMPERATURES RADIANT SLAB FLOORING CHOICES RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES RADIATORS REFRIGERANTS & PIPING RELIEF VALVE LEAKS RELIEF VALVES - TP Valves on Boilers RELIEF VALVES - Water Heaters RELIEF VALVE LEAKS RELIEF VALVES - TP Valves on Boilers RELIEF VALVES - STEAM TP VALVES RELIEF VALVES - Water Heaters RELIEF VALVES - Water Tanks Reset Switch - Heater Primary Control Reset Switch Broken - Quick Repair RESET SWITCH - ELECTRIC MOTOR Reset Switch - Stack Relays SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE SAFETY, HEATING INSPECTION SAFETY RECALLS, Chimneys, Vents, Heaters SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM DESIGNS SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT SPILL SWITCHES - Flue Gas Detection SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS STACK RELAY SWITCHES STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS TANKLESS COILS Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick THERMAL EXPANSION of HOT WATER THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL IMAGING, THERMOGRAPHY THERMAL IMAGING MOLD SCANS THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING Transite Pipe Chimneys & Flues VIDEO GUIDES: Heating System Videos VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com WATER HEATERS WATER HEATER SAFETY WATER HEATERS for HOME HEATING USE? WATER HEATER NOISES WATER HEATER SCALE - De-Liming Procedure WATER HEATER SCALE PREVENTION WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES WOOD STOVE SAFETY ZONE DAMPERS ZONE VALVES More Information |
Oil Burner Nozzle Electrodes: here we explain how to select & install an oil burner nozzle, we describe different oil burner nozzle firing rates & spray patterns; we discuss the setting of the gap and position of oil burner ignition electrodes, and we discuss how to diagnose oil burner electrodes or nozzle problems, how to inspect, clean, and adjust oil burner nozzles, electrodes, and air turbulators used on heating oil burners found on residential & light commercial oil burners. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Oil Burner Electrode Setting & Oil Burner Nozzle Types, Selection, & PropertiesOil Burner Nozzle Types, Flow Rates in GPH, Spray Patterns, Selection Guide
Cut to the chase? OK so if you don't know a reason to change, install the same oil burner nozzle type that was already on the burner. Our oil burner nozzle photo at left shows you what an oil burner nozzle looks like. We are holding a Delavan 0.85 gph (oil flow rate) oil burner nozzle. The "80A" marking on another nozzle facet (photo below left) defines the spray angle (80 degrees) and spray pattern (A). At the right side of the nozzle assembly you can see the sintered bronze filter that protects the oil burner nozzle orifice from clogging. But of course if oil reaching this point is dirty (say you never installed that oil filter or it's leaking debris), this final filter will clog. Our third oil burner nozzle (below right) shows the outlet end of the nozzle and you can see that there is a stainless steel insert with a small opening that forms the spray pattern for this device. Before manufacturers started using these beautiful steel inserts the entire oil burner nozzle was made of brass - and the spray opening would wear during the heating season, leading to a bad spray pattern. This is not the case any longer and the nozzle below will have no wear problems provided it is replaced during annual maintenance.
First off a new nozzle is not expensive. Second using a wire in the nozzle orifice will likely damage it and ruin the spray pattern. When the service company buys oil burner nozzles (in huge quantities in their case) each oil burner nozzle comes in a (usually color-coded) plastic container such as the one we show at left, indicating the gph rating and the nozzle angle and spray pattern. The number of oil burner nozzle sizes and spray patterns is quite large because the nozzle properties have to accommodate not only models of oil burners themselves but more critically, different sizes and shapes of combustion chambers in boilers, furnaces, and water heaters, and different combustion chamber designs (wet base, dry base, for example).
You can find that in the installation and service manual for the oil fired device, you can ask the manufacturer, or you can use a nozzle guide such as the W.M. Steinen Mfg. Co. Nozzle guide - a book that lists literally thousands of oil burner nozzles for every application. We show an example page from Steinen at left. [Click to enlarge this or any image or photo found at InspectApedia. You will see that for each brand of oil burner, or boiler, furnace, or water heater, and for each model within that brand, there is a listing of the required oil burner nozzle. These oil burner nozzle specifications will show:
Table of Oil Burner Nozzle Patterns & Properties
Oil Burner Electrodes - Inspection, Adjustment
Also see HEATING OIL USAGE RATE where we explain oil burner nozzles in additional detail. The articles at this website describe how to recognize common oil-fired heating appliance operating or safety defects, and how to save money on home heating costs. Readers should 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. Also see CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR for details of chimney inspection, diagnosis, and repair, including blocked chimney flues, chimney backdrafting, leaks, and odors from flues. Oil Burner Electrode Settings Guide & Measurements: Oil Burner Ignition Electrode Gap & PositionsAn oil burner adjustment template provided by Beckett Corporation and shown just below summarizes the adjustment of the ignition electrodes & their positioning for Beckett oil burners. And for eight oil burner head designs the template recommends oil burner nozzle firing rates (in gallons per hour or gph) and spray pattern or style. As you will read below, there is a very large array of oil burner nozzles and spray patterns provided by a variety of manufacturers.
SNAFUs to watch out for when cleaning & adjusting the oil burner nozzle assembly
... Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Oil Burner Nozzle Assemblies: nozzles, electrodes, settings, cleaning, diagnosis, repairQuestion: Every time my oil furnace fires I can smell raw heating oil/diesel smell from my chimney.Every time my oil furnace fires I can smell raw heating oil/diesel smell from my chimney. It may last up to 5 minutes. No smell in the house. The furnace gets serviced every year,new filter,new nozzle and cleaned. - Joe. 10/10/11 Reply: Improper oil burner operation, unburned oil, or bad draft - watch out for a puffbackJoe, Most likely you've got a system that is not running properly and is stinking up things at start-up. Once strong draft is established and the system is up to full operating temperature (typically 5 minutes), the draft improves and combustion may improve enough to keep going. But the system is not running properly. Question: Sometimes my oil burner won't re-igniteI have an aero burner on my hot water furnace. Starts and runs perfect most of the time. Every once in a while it will not re-light I press the reset button, it might run perfect for a week or two, then one day it will not light Press button again,starts right up and runs perfect, maybe for two days or two weeks again, then all of a sudden it will not light Any suggestions what to look for. - Joe Daye 12/3/11 Reply:Joe, take a look at the oil burner diagnostic suggestions beginning at OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR. Usually when a system is limping along as yours is described, the operating problem is going to get worse. I'd look for an air leak in the oil piping, a dirty oil burner, a clogging filter, a draft problem. Question: I kept my oil furnace running for two hours - would that damage the electrodes or transformer?I kept the oil furnace running continuous for about two hours, then it stopped running by itself. I pushed the reset on the stack control, it ran for a few seconds then kicked off. Did I burn out the electrodes or transformer by running it non stop? - Bob 2/9/12 Reply:Bob: Question: In cleaning my oil burner assembly I bumped the electrodes - I'm not sure if there is a problemI cleaned my nozzle and bumped my electrodes but I think I got them set back where they go. I put them back in. I started my furnace and now it runs fine. It runs till it gets to proper set thermostat setting then kicks off. The relay control cell seems a little hot at the back closest to furnace. I checked to see if working properly by pushing red switch when running and when pushed down it stops and let up it continues. Is this normal the heat at back of gray box? Also could you do damage if your electrodes are a hair off? I don't know I am just paranoid now! The flame constantly runs with motor till it heats to proper temperature then kicks off. - Mark Freed 2/20/12 Reply:Mark: If there is an oil burner adjustment or cleaning or draft problem, one result could be back pressure in the combustion chamber. The oil burner may start and run, but back pressure sends heat back up the burner tube where it can overheat (and destroy) the ignition transformer and it may also heat up the primary or cad cell control mounted on the same assembly. If the electrodes are a "hair" off - that would be about 25 to 50 microns, and not important. But if the electrodes are more than 1/16" off of proper position (see the Beckett template above), or if the ignition transformer is failing, adjustment and replacement may be in order. Question: Our oil burner only ignites if the door is open. What might be wrong.We have replaced the electrodes and nozzle on the furnace. It will only light with the door open and stay going after you close the door - seems like it is not getting enough air. What could be the problem? - Simone Reply:If you mean that the door to the boiler room (or furnace room) has to be open for an oil burner to work, that suggests it's air starved - we need about 1 sq. in. of air intake into a small utility room per 1000 BTUH for oil fired heating equipment - so a 90,000 BTUH oil heater would need 90 sq. in. of unfettered air intake opening. If you add louvers and screening the sq. in. requirement is increased. Take a look at COMBUSTION AIR and COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings But lack of combustion air usually leads to sooty operation and the oil burner going off on reset, or worse, loss of heat. The bit about "... stay going after you close the door " is baffling. If we don't have enough combustion air to ignite then we shouldn't have enough combustion air to keep going. I figure you need a service call from an expert heating service tech who will check the condition of the burner, combustion air setting, cleanliness of the flue vent connector and chimney, the draft, and a few other parameters. ... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaQuestions & answers or comments about oil burner nozzle & electrode function, adjustment, & repair Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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