OT, but possibly weather-related

[Hugh Newbury]

I have an oil-fired AGA. Up till they changed the oil composition a couple of years ago it just worked 24/7/52. Then it started to lose heat, even when the oil had the additive. I was told by an AGA-trained engineer that if you waggled a particular knob it would clear the tiny oil inlet.

A week or two ago I noticed that the thermometer was down, so I duly waggled the knob, with no result whatever. I continued waggling for the next day or two, still without having any effect. So since it hadn't dropped any further, I left it alone. Two or three days after that it began to rise until now it's working at full temperature again.

As far as I can see, the only thing that's changed is the weather. Could it have an effect on the AGA? Condensation of moisture in the tank? Or something else I haven't thought of?

What experiences have other oil-fired users had?

Hugh

[Weatherlawyer]

Try this on uk.d-i-y

What exactly do you mean by:

?

[Dave Liquorice]

Agreed, though there are a number of Aga owners in here. Group added.

Can't say I've noticed anything different in out pressure jet boiler but looking at the Mumsnet thread the problem appears to be restricted to vapourising burners.

-- Cheers Dave. Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

[Huge]

There's your problem. Chuck it out and buy a proper cooker.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Nothing sorts a clogged oil pipe bar a good clear out usually with a drill.

If you cant do it yourself get a man in.

The general symptom is it starts to take longer to recover heat after coooking till eventually it cant hold full heat at all

[The Natural Philosopher]

An aga is not a cooker.

Its a heater that also does cooking.

[Gazz]

Fnar fnar, yip yip, etc,

Have you tried viagra? still, 2 days of know waggling must have warmed you up nicely.

[Steve Firth]

+1

[Hugh Newbury]

Sorry! This thread has got a bit out of hand. I was wondering if anyone had a weather-related answer to the problem, like water condensation in the tank. But evidently not.

Hugh

[Dave Liquorice]

Condensation in the tank just sits at the bottom until it gets deep enough to get into the outlet pipe. Ours was like that, it then collected in a low point in the supply line and one nice cold and snowy day froze enough to stop the flow of oil...

A bit of water in a pressure jet boiler doesn't seem to bother it. Donno about a vapourising burner. Has you tank a condensate drain off? Open that and see if water or oil comes out. Failing that you can get some gunky stuff you spread on the end of a stick and dip the tank. The gunky stuff changes colour in contact with water.

What was (marketing name) and who from was you last batch of oil?

[Weatherlawyer]

When you hear hoof beats, think zebras?

Why would you suddenly have weather problems with the tank?

It's far more likely that the greener fuel being foist on us by politics and idiocy is the culprit.

Do you know if the stuff you used to use is paraffin or diesel? If it is diesel, pour a few gallons of paraffin in the tank. It will take a long time to disburse though.

If you have an old petrol pump form a car handy. a diy bodge with some suitable plastic pipe will get the stuff circulating.

[Hugh Newbury]

...

It was from Ford Fuels as usual, and it was called just heating oil, I think. My AGA-trained engineer said there was little difference where you got the stuff.

Hugh