Worcester Greenstar 12/18 Locking out after heating circulates

[DONNA COLLINS]

Hi Guys,

I have a Greenstar 12/18. External Oil Combi.

3 weeks ago it cut out .

Changed photocell as they have died on it before. Still didn't work.
Single red light on burner.
So I checked the fuel. Discovered water had been sucked into the pump and the oil pump was goosed ! Sludge and muck clogging it. So I changed it.
Fired it up.. off it went. Radiators started., then started to go cold as is circulated.
Went out to boiler.. Locked out !
Tried it again., Nope ! Checked fuel., all clear. Tried a couple more times. Nothing.
Left it open for an hour and came back. Pressed reset.... Off she went !
Then same again..... heating started and then went cold.. Boiler locked out !
So I was thinking has to be an over heat of something. Listened carefully., NO SOLENOID Click !
Changed Solenoid !
But no changed,. got to temp., started heating and dead !

So have changed the ......
OIL PUMP
SOLENOID
PHOTOCELL

Any ideas what else it could be ?

Why am I trying this myself ?......................
Two engineers promised to come and fix it . They never turned up!
So trying to sort it myself.

Any help appreciated.

Dons x

 

[Best]

You shouldn’t have been working at your boiler tbh.
The oil pump needs pressure set and the combustion needs set up, so I assume you have no oil pressure gauge and no analyser, plus the knowledge to use them.
Once you got water into oil pump that means water is in entire oil line from tank including filters, but also in oil hose, pipe leaving oil pump to nozzle and the nozzle itself.
Needs an overhaul and done by a decent oil service person.
There has to be someone local to you
It is a waste of time and materials trying to diy fix your boiler and dangerous.

 

[DONNA COLLINS]

Yeah thanks for that !
The last engineer who DID appear last year fitted a new pump.
ALL HE DID WAS STICK IT ON... NO TESTING !
ALL the filters are changed,. all the lines bled through until clear.
Also a new nozzle as was in before !
Like I say booked TWO professional engineers .............
THEY NEVER TURNED UP !

 

[SimonG]

No excuse for playing with a combustion appliance.

Get a recommendation from a neighbour.

Oil pump needs setting up and combustion analysed.

If you are lucky it wont have sooted.

Post your location, maybe somebody on here is close enough to attend.

 

[Best]

Yeah thanks for that !
The last engineer who DID appear last year fitted a new pump.
ALL HE DID WAS STICK IT ON... NO TESTING !
ALL the filters are changed,. all the lines bled through until clear.
Also a new nozzle as was in before !
Like I say booked TWO professional engineers ..
THEY NEVER TURNED UP !

You unfortunately have had someone who was not a real oil service person, or just didn’t care.
The nozzle usually needs replaced once water or dirt gets inside it.
How do you know all the parts are flushed?
As SimonG said, post your approximate location and there might be some of the oil guys on here who can help.
Don’t mess about with nozzles and oil pumps because they obviously are altering the oil output and you need an analyser and oil gauge plus the settings knowledge. Only costs you more oil consumption if you are lucky to have it even near correct burning

 

[DONNA COLLINS]

Would it help if my name was BOB or STEVE ?

I posted on here because I could see other people being offered suggestions and things to try.

Right now I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE but to try and fix this !
I'm right in the middle of lambing and have had fekk all heating and hot water for THREE WEEKS !

So as you can probably tell I'm rather Soded off at the moment.

Sooted up ?? It didn't SOOT UP when the last engineer changed the pump without pressure testing it ?

If it's cutting out after heating up and starting again after cooling down., Then it has to be a thermostat. But which one ?

Never mind.

 

[Tea-Break]

Sorry Donna, but the advice you’re getting is correct.
Carrying out any work on a Pressure Jet Burner or Boiler for that matter requires the correct equipment and knowledge.
Have you discovered how the water got into the fuel?

 

[Best]

Would it help if my name was BOB or STEVE ?

I posted on here because I could see other people being offered suggestions and things to try.

Right now I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE but to try and fix this !
I'm right in the middle of lambing and have had fekk all heating and hot water for THREE WEEKS !

So as you can probably tell I'm rather ****ed off at the moment.

Sooted up ?? It didn't SOOT UP when the last engineer changed the pump without pressure testing it ?

If it's cutting out after heating up and starting again after cooling down., Then it has to be a thermostat. But which one ?

Never mind.

If you were a bloke we would say the same. Maybe harsher. Especially on farmers, who are known to bodge fix.
If boiler isn’t going to lockout on burner, then stat might be faulty.
Don’t be a cheap skate trying to fix it yourself.

 

[SimonG]

Really hard to see why you've had trouble getting somebody out 😉

Crack on, you'll not fix it yourself, that's for sure.

 

[SJB060685]

This could be a Control Box as you’ve changed solenoid, pump and cell, it could be a faulty stem as well. Like said above by these competent guys changing parts willy nilly is not the right protocol. I understand you’re in a tricky situation but this is best left to people like us who are trained and with years of experience (again I understand you’ve been let down). Unfortunately this is an intermittent fault and unless you have an engineer present at time of lockout it’s hard to say what is the exact problem. I’d be checking oil pressure at point of burner cut out, does the burner cut out before solenoid de-energises etc etc.

PS. An overheat stat tripping wont cause a burner lockout, that’s not how it works

 

[MikeJhn]

Donna

You have limited your profile page so that no one can contact you or find your location, if we knew where you are located someone may be able to help.

 

[Best]

Donna

You have limited your profile page so that no one can contact you or find your location, if we knew where you are located someone may be able to help.

Mike, I think Donna just was hoping somebody on here would suggest a solution so that she could again have a go herself.
Money saving attempts that backfire.
If she was really anxious to get an oil person to sort heat and hot water she would have given more details.

 

[Best]

Donna might be Irish or from NI, judging by her full username, (If it is her real name) although I could be wrong.
Plenty work on oil here, if Donna wished to pay.

 

[MikeJhn]

@Best
I am sure your right, just thought if she gave a bit more detail by PM if she did not want to post here someone could visit and sort it out for her.

 

[Best]

@Best
I am sure your right, just thought if she gave a bit more detail by PM if she did not want to post here someone could visit and sort it out for her.

Not worth the risk.
She seems miffed at oil service engineers because one of them didn’t properly install an oil pump and 2 others didn’t turn up.
So an engineer coming out might have an uphill struggle to win her confidence. 😕