tools required for oil boiler servicing?

[BenC]

hopeing to do oftec soon so i can start servicing boilers, just wondering what tools im likely to need and what are the best ones to have, i.e what are the best flue gas analyzers to have.

 

[mark_mc]

there is a fella on this site called croppie he knows his stuff when it comes to doing oil boiler servicing try and get a chat with him on the fourm

 

[BenC]

cheers mate, hopfully he see's this thread and leaves a message.

 

[dontknowitall]

Last time I saw him he was under the afluence of incohol in Croydon ...

Kane analyzers are viewed as the best but other people like Anton - I have a Testo cos it was cheap.

You'll also need a smoke pump (around £90) and a pressure gauge (£60?).

A decent set of spanners e.g. 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21 and a good adjustable spanner.
Set of screwdrivers with different sorts of bits.
Set of allen keys (1.5mm to 6mm)
PTFE tape.
Disposable gloves and cleaning wipes.
I use a couple of roasting tins to hold the burner and control oil spillage.
Kitchen rolls/that blue roll stuff.
Nozzles - you can never seem to have enough of them.
Flexible oil lines - variety of male/female and 1/4" and 3/8". You can guarantee you'll not have the right one when you first go to a boiler - ditto nozzles.
Decent multimeter (not super expensive, just not the cheapest you can buy).
Vacuum cleaner, dustpan and brush.

That's the basics and in time you'll be buying stock if you concentrate on boilers only.

Hopefully Croppie (and there are one or two others) will volunteer some ideas of spares and other tools to keep in the van, e.g. filters, pumps, etc.

I probably do around 12 boilers a year as I do central heating, bathrooms, taps, etc so I don't have a vast array of tools for boilers.

 

[BenC]

cheers dontknowitall thats a great help. one question whats the smoke pump for and what is it?

edit take it the smoke pump is used to test for sooting

 

[kimbo]

It's difficult to say what to carry because you never have enough. I carry 3000pds of stock on the van and I never have everything. Basic stuff as already mentioned plus a paint scraper spare Hoover bags vinyl gloves not latex flue brushes glycerine filled pressure gauge plus manifold waterproof work sheet heldite pointing compound etc.

 

[dontknowitall]

Forgot brushes! Smoke pump is to keep OFTEC happy. Your analyzer will tell you if it's too smoky!

 

[kimbo]

Smoke pump is more valuable than analyses you should use it before your analyses otherwise you may block all your filters with soot in your analyzer. Also you may get readings on analyzer right but still may be burning sooty.

 

[BenC]

thanks guys, ill start buying bits as and when i can afford it. ive found a few analyzers but they are second hand and need calibration, i take it the manufactures offer this service? anyone know a rough price for this.
once again thanks for all your help

 

[Dannypipe]

Bout £85 mate, unless it needs a new sensor, then quite a bit more.