I have a Burnham oil boiler with a Beckett burner on it. The burner does not fire up. It just kind of buzzes or hums a bit for about 30 seconds then shuts off. I am hoping I can get one more week out of this unit because I am getting the whole unit replaced next week, but I have a couple of cold days in the mean time.
Any tips on what might be the problem.
Before bending them, just try wiping them first. If they are sooted up, they will not fire.
Check if your oil is getting to the nozzle. it could be clogged, or you might have air in the line, in that case you need to unscrew the bleeder on the burner assembly. Also check the obvious, is oil running in the line to the burner.
I once had one that wouldn't fire but would if I gave it a good smack with the side of my fist. I opened it up to find a tiny string of carbon looped from one electrode to the other. One good smack would break the loop and it would start. The cause of the problem was the last guy to service the burner... ME! I had the electrodes adjusted wrong. Eventually I learned the right way but have forgotten it by now.
The fist smack did the trick. I don't mind doing this for a couple of days because I have a whole new system coming in on Wednesday. I just need to make it through a couple of chilly nights until then. If I get the house up to 70 by bed time, it should stay above 60 unti the morning when I can smack it another time.
I can hear Henry Winkler's voice echoing through my mind.
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