Oil Burner Types and Operation Flashcards

What is the purpose of the barometric damper on some oil-fired installations?

Answer: To regulate the draught through the appliance by admitting room air into the flue

A barometric damper maintains a consistent draught by opening a weighted flap to admit room air into the flue when the natural draught is too strong. This prevents excessive draught from affecting burner performance and efficiency.

What is the correct procedure if an oil burner goes into lockout repeatedly?

Answer: Investigate the cause before resetting — do not repeatedly press the reset button

Repeated resetting without investigating the cause is dangerous as it can flood the combustion chamber with unburnt oil, leading to a puff back or fire. The cause must be identified and rectified first.

What component converts 240V mains supply to the high voltage needed for the ignition electrodes?

Answer: The ignition transformer

The ignition transformer steps up the 240V mains supply to approximately 10,000V to create a spark between the electrodes. Some modern burners use electronic ignition modules instead of traditional transformers.

Why should the burner be allowed to complete its full start-up sequence without interruption?

Answer: Interrupting can cause oil to accumulate in the combustion chamber creating an explosion risk

If the start-up sequence is interrupted (e.g., by switching off and on), oil may have been delivered to the combustion chamber without ignition. Restarting immediately could ignite the accumulated oil, causing a dangerous puff back.

What is the difference between a single-stage and a two-stage oil burner?

Answer: A two-stage burner can operate at two different firing rates for better efficiency

A two-stage burner operates at a lower firing rate for moderate demand and switches to the higher rate when more heat is needed. This modulation improves efficiency and comfort compared to a single-stage on/off burner.

What safety check must be performed on the oil supply after any maintenance work on the burner?

Answer: Check all joints for oil leaks under operating pressure

After any maintenance, all oil connections must be checked for leaks at operating pressure. Even a small oil leak is a serious fire risk and environmental hazard. A leak test using a pressure gauge is recommended.