outside condensing boiler hesitant to start.

[crackingup9]

Hello, i would appreciate a bit of advice with a new outside condensing boiler i recently installed. It's an open vented 26kw model with a firebird burner. The damn thing will run for a week and then refuse to start.
I noticed from the beginning that it would hesitate nearly every time before firing up which i put down to an air leak so i've dismantled all the oil line connections and reconnected them to sort it out. At the moment i'm badly hampered by the lack of a proper burner test kit to check the pump pressure and vacuum readings.
Would too high a pump pressure cause this hesitation and also a very sooty interior. I haven't fitted many condensing boilers so i'm running out of ideas on this one.

 

[tamz]

If it is sooting up the photo cell may be dirty. Get it set up properly by an oil guy. It is a big investment to ruin for the sake of £80.

 

[crackingup9]

Thankyou for the reply, when working on the burner i checked and cleaned the photocell which didn't make any difference but thanks anyway, t.

 

[diesel_ltd]

have you checked the air intake and is the boiler house vented to outside??

 

[crackingup9]

Yes, i've set the air intake shutter to the recommended 6. The burner breathes thro' slots in the outer casing, thanks for your thoughts, t.

 

[Dotty]

What make and model boiler/burner combination is it? and what fuel are you using? Warmflow (for example) state in their MI's that their combi's are only designed to run on Kerosene (28 sec).

Have you checked the baffles are properly in place?

but reading what you said, it does sound as though you need an Oftec guy to commission the thing for you.

If you pop into Bassetts on the dromore road they should point you in the direction of a local guy who can help!

 

[crackingup9]

It's a firebird enviromax outside model with a firebird max1 burner. The fuel looks and smells like the regular stuff and the previous boiler didn't seem to have a problem with it.
I'm reluctant to admit defeat but if it keeps this up then yeah i'll have to do what you suggest, cheers croppie.

 

[dontknowitall]

First port of call is to look at the pump pressure, then the air intake. If these are okay then is the nozzle the correct one? If yes, is the diffuser set correctly, to the millimetre? And are the electrodes set correctly?

Lots of questions but just because it's new doesn't mean it's come out of the factory in the correct "format". Also transit can create problems.

Finally, I might be wrong but I thought a newly installed oil boiler had to be installed by and OFTEC qualified technician? I know that many solicitors would ask this in the event of a house sale.

 

[crackingup9]

Thanks for answering and for your ideas, i'm a self taught plumber and only occasionally fit boilers. This one was for a friend and i thought i was doing him a favour so i've still got a way to go.

 

[dontknowitall]

Good for you for having a go - it took me ages to have the guts to install my first one even though I sort of knew what I was doing.

 

[crackingup9]

I appreciate that. Should make it easy on myself and go back to school but could never pick up the courage to do it.
Looks like it'll have to be the hard way or no way, thanks t.