Druidic Dabblings and General Twaddle !!

[Stroppymonkey]

don't make 'em like they used to .... the original in there lasted circa 12 years to my knowledge ... this un's been in there less than two, maybe less. always keep two spares, as have had 'em faulty out the box ('proper' Danfoss)

I went to a boiler last week with a fault .. struggling to pin it down , changed the nozzle from van stock (I carry about 80 of the buggers in each van) and then spent another hour struggling to pin fault down, till I realised the brand new nozzle was duff out of the box. Danfoss also

 

[V8Druid]

I went to a boiler last week with a fault .. struggling to pin it down , changed the nozzle from van stock (I carry about 80 of the buggers in each van) and then spent another hour struggling to pin fault down, till I realised the brand new nozzle was duff out of the box. Danfoss also

have had it a couple of times - one was worse than what came out - 's why I always buy a few at a time - in case
all Danfoss OE from reputable local sources (Plumb centre/Royals/HRPC/etc) ...
bloody annoying ..
WTF has happened to QC FFS???

 

[V8Druid]

actually had some sun today since lunchtime ...
spent an hour or so pressure washing all the shite out of the Kia's wheel arches and blowing it over ....
looked great 'til it dried off and all the streaks appeared from our hard water here

burnt a load of accumulated crud and a couple of binfuls of leaves ....
just nice to be outside with the sun on yer back

forecast is utter shite for tomorrow

 

[V8Druid]

I went to a boiler last week with a fault .. struggling to pin it down , changed the nozzle from van stock (I carry about 80 of the buggers in each van) and then spent another hour struggling to pin fault down, till I realised the brand new nozzle was duff out of the box. Danfoss also

have had it a couple of times - one was worse than what came out - 's why I always buy a few at a time - in case
all Danfoss OE from reputable local sources (Plumb centre/Royals/HRPC/etc) ...
bloody annoying ..
WTF has happened to QC FFS???

well picked up three new nozzles, in case ...
and swapped out the new one which'd been my spare as was still smelling of kero, less than a week in service and was wet coming out
installed yet another, new out the box and has improved matters, but still 'fuming', so assume this too is not shutting off flow once pressure disappears ....
haven't had time to pull that one out again for a gander -- I am seriously PO-ed - still have two 'new' spares sat, but this is getting bloody tedious ....
there is nothing else that could cause nozzle bypass, other than a sub standard assembly of the nozzle at the manufacturers ...
when the motor/pump stops turning and the fuel solenoid closes the line, the pressurised supply ceases and the nozzle should not allow any flow whatsoever - it has a 'cracking pressure' under which it should remain sealed and not allow any seepage/weeping of kero into the fire box and cause 'a smell'
any thoughts/comments @Stroppymonkey ??

 

[Stroppymonkey]

well picked up three new nozzles, in case ...
and swapped out the new one which'd been my spare as was still smelling of kero, less than a week in service and was wet coming out
installed yet another, new out the box and has improved matters, but still 'fuming', so assume this too is not shutting off flow once pressure disappears ....
haven't had time to pull that one out again for a gander -- I am seriously PO-ed - still have two 'new' spares sat, but this is getting bloody tedious ....
there is nothing else that could cause nozzle bypass, other than a sub standard assembly of the nozzle at the manufacturers ...
when the motor/pump stops turning and the fuel solenoid closes the line, the pressurised supply ceases and the nozzle should not allow any flow whatsoever - it has a 'cracking pressure' under which it should remain sealed and not allow any seepage/weeping of kero into the fire box and cause 'a smell'
any thoughts/comments @Stroppymonkey ??

Hey. Just seen this . I’m not sure that the nozzle has a cracking pressure? I thought that the solonoid in the fuel pump does that job. Some burners have a non return valve in the high pressure fuel line behind the nozzle but the Riello doesn’t.
In your situation I’d be running a litre of fuel through into a clear container and eyeballing it , then checking pump pressure is steady wash and ignition pressures. Clean nozzle and check electrodes spacing and blast tube clean and happy.
Wet in the combustion chamber implies un burnt fuel . Very very occasionally the RDB can throw a weird fault where it throws fuel into the combustion chamber without trying to light it , but only seen a few times.
Could just be you fuel pump on the blink or the solonoid valve seating passing?

 

[V8Druid]

Hey. Just seen this . I’m not sure that the nozzle has a cracking pressure? I thought that the solonoid in the fuel pump does that job. Some burners have a non return valve in the high pressure fuel line behind the nozzle but the Riello doesn’t.
In your situation I’d be running a litre of fuel through into a clear container and eyeballing it , then checking pump pressure is steady wash and ignition pressures. Clean nozzle and check electrodes spacing and blast tube clean and happy.
Wet in the combustion chamber implies un burnt fuel . Very very occasionally the RDB can throw a weird fault where it throws fuel into the combustion chamber without trying to light it , but only seen a few times.
Could just be you fuel pump on the blink or the solenoid valve seating passing?

understood they were designed not to pass kero, without a certain level of pressure behind them ??

combustion chamber's dry as - just damp nozzles when the Riello is withdrawn ... but that's enough to make it 'fumey' / smell of kero - you know what kero is like for ponging

I have a new solenoid valve spindle, seat, etc. unit - might try that

kero is clear as a bell BTW

it lights and burns no issues, with no smells .... trips in/out happily on the thermo, as it dictates/demands -- only there after it shuts down for any prolonged period (like overnight) - classic leaky nozzle
it is REALLY p*ssing me off now

 

[Stroppymonkey]

understood they were designed not to pass kero, without a certain level of pressure behind them ??

combustion chamber's dry as - just damp nozzles when the Riello is withdrawn ... but that's enough to make it 'fumey' / smell of kero - you know what kero is like for ponging

I have a new solenoid valve spindle, seat, etc. unit - might try that

kero is clear as a bell BTW

it lights and burns no issues, with no smells .... trips in/out happily on the thermo, as it dictates/demands -- only there after it shuts down for any prolonged period (like overnight) - classic leaky nozzle
it is REALLY p*ssing me off now

What head is on your oil tank ? As in how high is it above burner?

 

[V8Druid]

What head is on your oil tank ? As in how high is it above burner?

about 4 ft max ... tank was brimmed last week .... issue pre-dates the fill though and was down to a quarter when filled (circa 400lt)

 

[Stroppymonkey]

about 4 ft max ... tank was brimmed last week .... issue pre-dates the fill though and was down to a quarter when filled (circa 400lt)

Not too much head then
You able to check pump pressures?

 

[V8Druid]

Not too much head then
You able to check pump pressures?

yeh got a line and gauge .. will have to get the book out again and eyeball procedures

 

[V8Druid]

thoroughly PO-ed with the smell of kero, in the utility first thing I was on me knees, talking to the boiler god again this morning, after Pam'd done me Hamster Juice 'fill up', for this week
Riello out the burner box - nozzle fine and dry - OK ...

fire box nice and dry too


solenoid valve next then ...
no way would you get at it with the burner in place anyway
New one in stock from a previous visit to Wolselys' in Hereford last year ..

discovered kero on the base of the boiler case - WTF is that coming from ???
only place I could even vaguely see dampness was around the base of the solenoid's shuttle core .. everything else, pump, pipework, every other component dry ...
so went and found a 'perfect' fit 15mm spanner for extracting the shuttle case .. with a 1.5mm thick nut .... no way José was it gonna come out with a spanner - recessed into the pump body half a mil, just to make it insanely difficult to extract
(this is the old one)


so .... sacrificed the end of a 15m deep socket - ground it down to give me a perfect sharp edge, instead of the mil plus 'lead in' it had originally

to get a perfect grip on as much of that 1.5mm thick nut as possible

and drilled out t'other end to 10mm to give me enough depth for the stem .... and it came out sweet as
the seal on the end of the piston had gone flat instead of the radiused shape it should've been (thought I'd taken a pic of the new one, but can't find it?)

new one went in sweet as with the modified socket ...
all back together, thoroughly cleaned the boiler's case/cabinet (was only 'damp') and re-installed the Riello in the fire box.
lit first try and appears fine -- see what a few hours'll do, re. smells once the residual niff has dissipated (hopefully)
now't like kero to linger in the nostrils

 

[Lancs Lad]

thoroughly PO-ed with the smell of kero, in the utility first thing I was on me knees, talking to the boiler god again this morning, after Pam'd done me Hamster Juice 'fill up', for this week
Riello out the burner box - nozzle fine and dry - OK ...
View attachment 70120 View attachment 70119
fire box nice and dry too
View attachment 70118

solenoid valve next then ...
no way would you get at it with the burner in place anyway
New one in stock from a previous visit to Wolselys' in Hereford last year ..

discovered kero on the base of the boiler case - WTF is that coming from ???
only place I could even vaguely see dampness was around the base of the solenoid's shuttle core .. everything else, pump, pipework, every other component dry ...
so went and found a 'perfect' fit 15mm spanner for extracting the shuttle case .. with a 1.5mm thick nut .... no way José was it gonna come out with a spanner - recessed into the pump body half a mil, just to make it insanely difficult to extract
(this is the old one)
View attachment 70116

so .... sacrificed the end of a 15m deep socket - ground it down to give me a perfect sharp edge, instead of the mil plus 'lead in' it had originally
View attachment 70117
to get a perfect grip on as much of that 1.5mm thick nut as possible
View attachment 70114View attachment 70115
and drilled out t'other end to 10mm to give me enough depth for the stem .... and it came out sweet as
the seal on the end of the piston had gone flat instead of the radiused shape it should've been (thought I'd taken a pic of the new one, but can't find it?)
View attachment 70113
new one went in sweet as with the modified socket ...
all back together, thoroughly cleaned the boiler's case/cabinet (was only 'damp') and re-installed the Riello in the fire box.
lit first try and appears fine -- see what a few hours'll do, re. smells once the residual niff has dissipated (hopefully)
now't like kero to linger in the nostrils

Tbh as much as I've other worries about my heat pump...one thing I don't miss is the permanent whiff of kero

 

[V8Druid]

Tbh as much as I've other worries about my heat pump...one thing I don't miss is the permanent whiff of kero

ordinarily you'd not know it was there - burns so clean - never smells .... slightest whiff tells me there's an issue

 

[V8Druid]

last time I saw one of these was when I put mine in the scrap, after the flywheel sheared off the crank and went skyward for about 150 ft. !! I was 13 at most ... great little engine, the 197 Villiers - but were prone to it

 

[V8Druid]

So .... Monday I'd arranged to go see a guy in Ross advertising a load of clip top 45 drums ... been after some for a while, but usually all 'well' distant and not worth the travelling ...
Ross was a far more attractive location
no sooner put the phone down on him, confirming I'd be over and getting a location directions and had Russ on the phone
" What you up to after lunch Gra? .. got 4 lifts in Ross sewage plant if you could do it "
Had been planning on Pam coming for the ride, but said she'd be OK for a couple of hours on her own here (her illness recently has left her self confidence in tatters) so explained the plan to Russ and said I'd see him before lunchtime.
Roads closed all over the place on the usual way over to Ross - God knows why - and then find the main drag into Ross closed as well...
detour was all side streets, which was fine 'til you meet a couple of 40 footers, trying to negotiate streets with cars parked all over and I'd got my 10' x 5' on the back of the Kia ... was interesting in places!!
Eventually found this guy's yard and I'm looking at a little guy stood with him, trying to put a name to the face and HTF I knew him ...
clicked when he started to talk - one of Russ's old drivers - Ted, really nice guy and a great op. - had worked with him a few times and obviously he knew me.
Once we'd exchanged hellos and had a yap, we chucked 10 drums in me trailer, got 'em tied down and promised to say hello to Russ, for Ted, exchanged some folding and left for Russ's place.

quick coffee at Russ's and headed for the treatment plant about half one ... doddle of a job re-installing some sweeper arms on a filter bed, which'd been re-fitted with a new filter medium ...

whilst they bolted the ends back to the column I decided to reconnect all the bracing cables, rather than stand about watching them .....
saved about two hours I reckon - had them all cabled up by the time they'd bolted the arms back on ..
and they were happy as Larry for the help ..
back at Russ's place by half three
and back home by four o'clock all parked up

had a look at 'em Tuesday afternoon .. all lovely clean drums - contents are usually bagged up in these -- looks to have been mostly fruit juices and one still had the outer bag in it
two got sorted out as new scrap drums, as was running out of storage for all me scrap, bits and pieces ..
(used to have a never ending supply of these, gratis, in work from a customer who used to do blended juices and liqueurs - he was glad to get shot of 'em)
and don't like dragging me scrappy here unless I have a decent pile to make it worth his while.

Had to take Pam to the dentists yesterday afternoon -- developed raging toothache over the weekend .. couldn't see any issue with the tooth and she still has all her teeth, so pretty good for 65.
was one that'd been filled about 6 months ago and appears that the 265 quid it'd cost was a bit of a waste ... had drilled too close to the nerve and it'd eventually given her grief .. another 190 quid to have it extracted
'kin scandalous .. has to pay 10 quid a month just to be 'retained' on their books
think every dentist in the country should be compelled to treat a min 50% of NH patients (with priority over privates), or not allowed to practice in the UK - ever/at all ... would soon sort the shortage and do not get me started on what they charge for the kids
Not seen a dentist in probably 35/40 years, but am gonna need a new set shortly ...
God only knows what they're gonna cost

had 'em all out in ''78 (part of my Gaucher's, but cause unknown at that time) - first set lasted a good 5-6 years and have had these ever since - guy who made them did a brilliant job

 

[V8Druid]

Boiler saga part #? .......
functioning fine, but still a residual kero whiff in the morning, after being off overnight ??
Not so much a fumey smell as the smell of wet kero ?

cabinet still dry and couldn't see anything obvious .. burner out - nozzle dry as
so been eyeballing it regularly as it's worse when cool - dissipates when warmed up - really bloody odd ...
wiped everything off with tissue and getting nothing - nada - no signs of a leak for several days.

so up earlier than usual on Tuesday, 'fore going to take the kids to school, before the morning fire up occurred - lying on the floor looking for ANY signs of kero..
and can see a droplet / weep on the pressure adjusting screw - sod all really, but shouldn't be there .. dried it off with the edge of a tissue and it re-appeared
lit the boiler and within ten minutes, had stopped ....
turned it off and went and sorted the kid's school run ....

came back to a cold boiler and we had a repeat performance
miniscule amount but - wet (smelly) kero

went up a box and found the new pump I'd bought last year thinking the bearings were on their way out (turned out to be the motor bearings) and pulled the adjuster body out to see what was behind it and the screw out to see how it sealed. 'O' ring job on the spindle - AHA!! .. new one was a green nitrile seal, so needed to order a selection box .. duly done and awaiting its arrival.
replaced the adjuster in the new pump and set the adjuster as close to where it was when I'd pulled it out

Particularly 'niffy' this morning and case/cabinet was 'moist' to the touch when I looked (doesn't take much kero to give you a film on yer finger tips)

both kids all day (Clara not 100% this morning so stayed 'home' with us today)

soon as they'd gone, 'bout 4 ish I'm on the case
laid on the floor I can now see a weep at the adjuster screw and the pump body is damp, from it working its way down it, 'fore ending up on the cabinet base.
dried it all off with tissue - AGAIN - and obviously disturbed the adjuster screw - didn't turn it, just disturbed it and it went from a weep to a miniscule 'flow' - smoking gun located properly !!

so went up the box - again - and pulled the adjuster body and screw complete out of the new pump, grabbed my pressure gauge and some suitable spanners and back down the house
pulled the test port bung out and dropped the gauge into it .. wanted to check its running pressure was as the book said - 8bar - yep, bang on 116psi running...

boiler off, kero line turned off, gauge back out - couldn't get a spanner on the damned adjuster body with it in situ

and swapped out the old for the new.. reconnected the gauge and fired up the boiler - hadn't been a bad guess, when I reassembled the adjuster before - just over 120psi showing, so backed it off to the 116psi/8bar and let it run for 15 minutes.
steady as ..
gauge out, test port re-plugged with the port extension, I'd removed (easier to get the gauge in the port than the extension) and ran it up again whilst I cleaned up the mess.

All stop for tea, then went and put it all away ..
the old adjuster was actually 'wobbling' in the body when I looked at it and was less than finger tight in it's mount - when I spun it out, the 'O' ring'd gone flat - amazed it'd still been sealing at all - it was so loose

when I extracted the 'O' ring off the spindle it was so brittle it split/snapped at the first slightest effort to remove it and was hard as ..

and a rubber, not a nitrile, as the new one is .....
found a suitable replacement from one of my many selection boxes and refitted the assembly back in the new pump - bagged the old seal and labelled it, 'fore dropping it in with the new pump into its box - might replace it with a nitrile, when they arrive.

so ... all in all - a combination of circumstances/issues/coincidental factors, that has conspired to 'do my swede' ..
have cleaned the cabinet out as best I possibly can, (tissue is a great 'sponge' for absorbing stray kero), but the offending kero will have tracked under the fire box and has been soaked up by the lower edges of the glass wool lagging jacket around it, so it is going to continue to 'niff' a bit until it all evaporates - eventually - hopefully soooooner rather than later
just looked at it and all is dry and 'hunky dory'
hopefully I will not have to get down on my knees again any time soon - apart from to fit the placcy cover/shield, I've left off for now for observation purposes - give it a week and see what it's like ...
will hopefully have cleared all residual, by then and it'll have returned to its normal 'don't know it's there' performance

 

[V8Druid]

cleaning time yesterday - glorious day here - apart from the NE breeze .. deck is going to need some repairs shortly .. unless I can trip over a newer/better one ... have had this 15 years and wasn't new when I had it so it's not done badly

new belt required - well, to at least pre-empt issues, in a week or two .. number stored to remind me to order the next one

surprisingly small amount off this ... and looked pretty decent for a one pass first cut ... clean deck and sharpened blades helps a lot though

side of the drive next for a few passes at the edge, where it's 'comfortable' on the Countax ... couple more dry days and the rest'll get shown the Dane

these arrived Tuesday ..

boiler performing leak-lessly and all smells gone

 

[V8Druid]

our sky this morning at 11.00 --- 14 that I can see - in the last 2 hrs .. and it usually starts about 4 am -- still going over at 02.00 am most nights - can see their nav. lights ... do we REALLY need all these???????? -- 'course not

 

[V8Druid]

and after a busy day of sunning themselves yesterday, spent the evening relaxing ......... where ever they felt like it
.... it's a hard life being a cat

the ginger one was a completely feral, full house teeth and claws, wild animal that you couldn't get within 20 yds of, 4 months ago

 

[Lancs Lad]

our sky this morning at 11.00 --- 14 that I can see - in the last 2 hrs .. and it usually starts about 4 am -- still going over at 02.00 am most nights - can see their nav. lights ... do we REALLY need all these???????? -- 'course not
View attachment 70480View attachment 70479

Lovely and dry and hardly a cloud....

So they ain't doing any harm lol