Oil Burner Running Rich

[Dave]

I've got a fairly new (less than 5 years old), Beckett AFG oil burner. I bought my house last year and the unit was all sooted up. My friend, who is a commercial boiler tech, helped me change out all of the filters, nozzle, electrodes, etc and I brushed and cleaned the entire boiler. One problem we had last year, was that the unit would only run with the air supply almost completely closed. Because of this, the unit ran really rich all winter and I even have soot stains on my roof. Does anyone know why this unit would shut off when I try to add air into the mix. I think I was probably throwing money up the flue so to speak last year.

Thanks, Dave

[Meat Plow]

Y need to get someone out there that cam measure the fuel pressure/flow rate and otherwise has experience with the Beckett. I spent a week at a Trane oil furnace school but that was many moons ago and the fuel delivery suggestion is the only one I can give.

[Pete C.]

Shut off when the air shutters are opened, or loose flame and then shut off?

If the former, it makes me suspect a bad or misadjusted safety of some sort, perhaps a draft sensor or a CAD cell that's misaligned, only marginally detecting the flame and loosing the detection if more airflow moves the flame attachment point. If the later, then I'm with the fuel pressure camp.

[Meat Plow]

Pretty hard to tell without an eyeball/eardrum on it. So instructing someone on what to check is fairly useless considering the complexities. I used to be able to diagnose the Trane units using sight and sound.

[Dave]

Since it appears to be the latter of the two mentioned above, I'm going to have to check the fuel pressure this weekend. That may be the culprit. Thanks!