Unbalanced oil supplyline due to de-aerator? Air causing one burner to cut out.

Users who are viewing this thread

KinLI

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York
My aunt's heating system has been having issues ever since a Westwood de-aerator was installed only on the main furnace supply to the Riello.... The system has a 1,000 gal inground tank that is a fair distance from the boiler room....

What happens is that when the oil tank gets to about half empty, suddenly the hot water heater's oil burner has difficulty staying on....

I am attaching photos so you can see the system... Image0042.jpgImage0038.jpgImage0039.jpgImage0040.jpgImage0041.jpg

The oil supply line runs to the main furnace and before the de-aerator it feeds off to the hot water heater (see photo). The return line is currently only being used as a return for the Bock hot water heater burner. All summer when just the hot water heater was running there were no problems.... and if there is more than half a tank of oil there is no problem, but the hot water burner's pump seems to have vast difficulty getting the lift and suction to pull in the oil once the tank goes below half full.

Could there be a problem with the de-aerator sending air back that instead goes in the supply line to the hot water oil burner?

Could the hot water burner pump be just too weak in comparison to the de-aerator's effect when it is running and thus causes a drop in supply pressure at the hot water burner and it cuts out?

The screen of the pump has not been cleaned -- whether it is clogged or just getting weak, changing it with a new unit would resolve any issue there, but perhaps it should have a stronger pump instead?

It just seems to me when I look at the system that was installed that it is imbalanced on the supplyline between the two burners.... one is probably pulling oil much stronger than the other... right now the tank has 510 gallons in it so it is about to experience this problem yet again, and I would like to resolve it before having to add more oil as this is crazy....
 
Last edited:

Tom Sawyer

In the Trades
Messages
3,625
Reaction score
34
Points
48
Location
Maine
You need a check valve in the supply line to the de-airator. The water heater pump is pulling back through it. It only does it when the tank runs down because the pump pulls more vacuum with a lower oil level. Btw, it looks like she likes paying for oil. About time to tear that old crap out and come into the 21st century.
 

KinLI

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York
You need a check valve in the supply line to the de-airator. The water heater pump is pulling back through it. It only does it when the tank runs down because the pump pulls more vacuum with a lower oil level.

Update: I spoke with the chap who installed it and he is insistent that no air could be going back out of the de-aerator..... he says that it is just microns of air and would never be sucked back.... Meanwhile there doesn't appear to be any air leak at the hot water heater pump that could be causing it..... and the oil tank is only seven years old.....

Further Update: Additional info from Westwood Products is that there is a check valve already inside the TigerLoop, but their take is that adding another check valve wouldn't harm anything other than increasing the vacuum slightly to the main furnace.... their suggestion is to add another TigerLoop at the water heater to remove any air in the lines being created by the higher vacuum needed to lift the oil from the tank to there....
 
Last edited:

Tom Sawyer

In the Trades
Messages
3,625
Reaction score
34
Points
48
Location
Maine
Update: I spoke with the chap who installed it and he is insistent that no air could be going back out of the de-aerator..... he says that it is just microns of air and would never be sucked back.... Meanwhile there doesn't appear to be any air leak at the hot water heater pump that could be causing it..... and the oil tank is only seven years old.....

You need a check valve in the supply line, before the aireator so that the water heater oil pump can't pull back through it. Your "chap" is an idiot
 

KinLI

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York
Dear Tom Sawyer,

Thanks for the replies.... That is the beauty of this forum -- that someone can ask the collective minds for advice and the situation can be viewed from other than one perspective.... I was beginning to think I was crazy to question the installation....

I tried to ask Westwood Products who make the de-aerator unit, but unless you are one of their technicians, they don't provide any technical info to non-installers/professionals..... their website is full of great info but not anything about two burners where only one of which has their de-aerator.

UPDATE: Westwood did respond with some general details to my second email to them.... but suggested that the burner technician call them for any further info....

I will see about changing the strainer on the pump. The strainer and gasket is $3.47 at Home Depot and $1.98 at Patriot....
 
Last edited:

Tom Sawyer

In the Trades
Messages
3,625
Reaction score
34
Points
48
Location
Maine
I guess I missed the strainer comment. It very well could be the strainer. They get plugged solid regardless of the oil filter. You can shut off the supply, power and return lines and carefully remove the strainer cover yourself. Try not to bung up the gasket. Clean the strainer thoroughly. Brake cleaner spray works well. Be use to spray from the inside of the strainer out so you don't drive dirt particles through. Clean the cover and spray off the pump itself. Re-install the cover and gasket using a touch of silicone if necessary. Don't over due the silicone.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks