Oil Burner Electrode FAQs

Q&A on oil burner electrode Inspection, Cleaning, Adjustment

Oil Burner Electrode Spark FAQs

Oil burner spark doesn't reach the tip of the electrodes

Spark not reaching the top of electrodes On 2016-07-02 by Anonymous

by (mod) re: bad ceramic insulators on the oil burner nozzle assembly

Anon

I see that problem when the ceramic insulators are shot, the electrodes are dirty and shorting, the contacts between transformer and electrode rod back ends are poor, or the transformer is shot.

Repair details are

at OIL BURNER ELECTRODES

No spark visible at the oil burner electrode assembly - bad transformer?

I have a Wiel Mclain oil burner. It's getting fuel,the motor is running but it doesn't ignite.I can hear it click,but it won't ignite. Could this be the ignition transformer? On 2016-06-25 by Dave

by (mod) re:

Certainly; if you don't see a spark between the igniters and the head is clean, not shorted out, and the unit has power, then that's a good guess.

Oil Burner Electrode Tip FAQs

How do I know I have the right Electrode and/or Nozzle on my oil burner

Hi Dan,

I have an approximately 30 year old RUUD oil fired furnace (mod. # UOBC-112QAGA) with a Beckett AFG burner unit.

The problem I have is that for years I don't get a clean burn (appears to run rich with lots of build up on the spray nozzle until it clogs.)
The system is clean w/ new filter and all debris cleaned form heat baffles, flue and chimney.

Today I went to the supply store to purchase some spray nozzles (.75 80 A) as another clogged over night.
The clerk asked the same question he always asks "Are you sure it's the correct nozzle" and my reply was my standard "its the same nozzle that was in there when I started servicing it myself 5 years ago"

but this time it got me to thinking, I started servicing it myself because I was unhappy with the work and lack of expertise and professionalism of the techs the service company was sending out. On the last call they did for me 5 years ago the tech replaced the electrodes.

At that time I remember asking why the electrodes appeared to be different than the one removed and he stated it was a newer version.

I have never made adjustments to the fuel flow (with the exception of replacing filters, air supply or anything else I think would change the flame. I did recently have the ignition transformer replaced as it appeared to be weak.

My question: how do I know I have the right Electrode and/or Nozzle?

Thanks, Marco (Mar 5, 2014)

Reply:

Correct,

The oil burner instruction booklet or the manufacturer will tell you what electrodes are standard.

You may also see a sticker on the oil burner itself that specifies the nozzle angle and pattern and firing range in gph.

These are field replaceable parts but they do vary in length, diameter, and angle bend.mand of course you want the gap correct.

Also, The transformer could be bad, or system could be not adjusted properly, or combustion air inadequate, etc.

E.g. Backpressure can overheat and destroy even a new transformer.

Can I braze an new tip on my oil burner electrode?

Can two electrode be placed end to end and brazed? the current going through be the same? we just had one done like so . On 2018-04-09 by John Kennedy

by (mod) - braze on a tip to an electrode? Nah! Not worth it and possibly unreliable.

One could braze an electrode end to another but such a design is very likely to be improper and result in improper and unsafe oil burner operation.

If electrical continuity is perfect AND if the electrode shape doesn't cause shorting the brazed-on repair might work.

BUT: The right repair for a damaged oil burner electrode is to replace the pair with an OEM matched set.

Thus we have the proper angle, diameter, electrical continuity, tips.

What causes grizzle on the oil burner electrodes?

What would cause this please?

Build up of grizzle on electrodes stops ignition On 2017-12-30 by jim -

by (mod) - oil burner needs cleaning, new nozzle, oil filter, and adjustment.

Even when properly adjusted, an oil burner nozzle and the electrodes in front / above the nozzle will eventually build up a deposit of carbon and grit that one might indeed call grizzle.

Your oil burner needs cleaning, new nozzle, oil filter, and adjustment.

Do not keep trying to re start it

Oil Burner Electrode Settings: space apart, forward & above nozzle, FAQs

Tip: see our detailed advice on installaing, testing, inspecting, and adjusting oil burner electrodes found at OIL BURNER ELECTRODES 

Also see our OIL BURNER NOZZLE GUIDE - how to install, replace, choose the oil burner nozzle - as generally you replace the oil burner nozzle and adjust the electrodes at the same time.

Also see this helpful document that pertains to many popular Beckett oil burners.

• Beckett, STANDARDIZING ELECTRODE SETTINGS [PDF] (Beckett's Website), Beckett, U.S. Office 38251 Center Ridge Rd North Ridgeville, OH 44039 Toll Free: (800) 645-2876 Local: (440) 327-1060 Fax: (440) 327-1064 Canadian Office 430 Laird Rd Unit #3 Guelph, ON N1G 3X7 Toll Free: (800) 665-6972 Fax: (519) 763-5656 Delavan Office Office Hours 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday – Thursday Toll Free: (800) 982-6943 Local: (803) 245-4347 - local copy saved as Oil-BUrner-Electrode-Settings-Stasndard-Beckett.pdf

Where can I find the electrode settings for my Ducane oil burner

I have a 80's Lennox oil fired furnace, OF 16-155, Ducane burner DMR-15A1. Where can I find the electrode setting specs? On 2017-02-28 1 by Bob Smith

by (mod) - contact for Ducane oil burner manuals

Bob:
You need the oil burner manual for your specific model. While I found a few old oil burner manuals when searching for Ducane, none match the exact model number you cite.

Usually the electrode settings, nozzle requirement, and turbulator specifications as well as other details are right on a sticker on the oil burner itself. If your burner
lacks that information,
I'd contact Ducane - see DUCANE, bought by Lennox 1999 - al

so see LENNOX HVAC MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES

by Bob Smith - I set the electrodes to 1/8th gap, 1/8th past tip, 1/2 above orifice.

Thanks Dan, will call them, nothing anywhere I could find. Has Webster pump and transformer/coil but no markings I could find other than firing rate range.

I set them to 1/8th gap, 1/8th past tip, 1/2 above orifice.

The electrodes are kind of a scarf cut, not point like some so I measured off the closest point of the tips. It fired off super fast and seems to be doing fine. It did have a lot of slag looking crud in burner housing below the electrodes.

The tech who looked at it in Jan changed it from a .85 80 deg b to a W, not sure what that is, all I could find was "special". It came with 1.1 and was firing pretty hot. Thanks again.

Reply by (mod) -

The letter after the nozzle size is spray or atomization pattern - but the meaning of the letter may vary depending on the nozzle brand.

A 1.1 gph is a much bigger firing rate and may not have been needed - most efficient is to fire with a smaller gph if possible.

by Bob Smith

Dan I contacted Michelle at the number given, she was not having any luck but was so awesome in her efforts, this is a march 89 furnace and she was going to check with a guy who had been there forever (lol). Appreciate it.

Reply by (mod) -

I agree that when measuring electrode gap you measure between the closest points of the electrodes.

The other measures you cited are pretty standard. Click to enlarge that Beckett nozzle electrode gap measuring tool I photographed in the article above and you can see more detailed data on settings.

by Bob

Thanks!

 

In cleaning my oil burner assembly I bumped the electrodes - I'm not sure if there is a problem

I cleaned my nozzle and bumped my electrodes but I think I got them set back where they go. I put them back in. I started my furnace and now it runs fine. It runs till it gets to proper set thermostat setting then kicks off.

The relay control cell seems a little hot at the back closest to furnace. I checked to see if working properly by pushing red switch when running and when pushed down it stops and let up it continues.

Is this normal the heat at back of gray box? Also could you do damage if your electrodes are a hair off?

I don't know I am just paranoid now! The flame constantly runs with motor till it heats to proper temperature then kicks off. - Mark Freed 2/20/12

Reply by mod (DF):

Mark:

If there is an oil burner adjustment or cleaning or draft problem, one result could be back pressure in the combustion chamber.

The oil burner may start and run, but back pressure sends heat back up the burner tube where it can overheat (and destroy) the ignition transformer and it may also heat up the primary or cad cell control mounted on the same assembly.

If the electrodes are a "hair" off - that would be about 25 to 50 microns, and not important. But if the electrodes are more than 1/16" off of proper position (see the Beckett template above), or if the ignition transformer is failing, adjustment and replacement may be in order.

Mark follow-up:

25 to 50 microns? Don't you mean 25 to 50 thousands of an inch? Good grief - 50 microns is slightly less than 0.002". No one, not even the factory, is going to be able to adjust the electrodes with that kind of tolerance!

Reply:

Right Mark. As I said a "hair off" - a human hair is about 25-50 microns in diameter. The point is that being "a hair off" would not explain electrode malfunction.

 

I had to reduce the electrode gap on the oil burner - is the transformer failing?

I had to reduce my electrode gap below specks to get an ignition on Wayne MSR-C burner.

Shorting transformer terminals with insulated screwdriver yielded a spark of less than 1/4.

Is this a sign of a failing 10,000 volt transformer.

Or is the output an all or none deal?

The oil burner seems to be working fine. (Apr 6, 2014) FRED FranceFormer 5lay-03.

Reply: small spark probably means bad transformer - replace it; here's what else to check

Fred,

It sounds as if your transformer is bad. I'd replace it.

Watch out: backpressure in the combustion chamber can cause heat to back up the combustion tube and cook the transformer. A clue would be oil leaking out of the component.

Assuming we've got voltage to the transformer, other causes of weak spark between electrodes include

- cracked ceramic insulators and shorting out of the current to the oil burner metal body

- too-wide a gap (not your case)

- poor electrical contact between the transformer springs and the metal rode of the electrodes

Reader follow-up: FRED again

Prior to reducing the gap... when it was set at 1/8"spec a thin filament(my guess carbon)would develop on the end of one of the electrodes...it would grow and flop around and eventually bridge the gap and connect with the other electrode(my guess on shutdown)closing the circuit and preventing ignition spark.

I suspect the transformer was already failing and a normal 10,000V spark would have blown the carbon filament away. WHAT SAY YOU...have you heard this filament story before. New nozzle,insulators and electrodes...good spring buss bar contact

Reply: by (mod)

Yes Fred it's common to see a whisker of crud grow between and short nozzle electrodes, caused by any of several snafus:

- improper electrode alignment: not just the gap width but the height and front-to-rear positioning. See the Beckett nozzle guide in the article above for some example specifications, though those for your burner may be different;

- wrong nozzle spray angle or pattern or size

- dirty turbulator cone

- improper burner combustion air adjustment

- air in the oil lines, dirty starts an stops

- transformer failure

- something else I've forgot

Is it better to put oil burner electrodes below rather than above the nozzle?

Would the Electrobes be placed better if they were below the oil nozzle instead of above ? On 2023-02-10 by Mike k

by InspectApedia Publisher - oil burner nozzle electrode placement: above is better

@Mike k,

Thank you, that's an interesting oil burner nozzle electrode placement question.

I figure that the oil burner design engineers have spent almost a century designing oil burners and electrode replacement, so I trust their judgment.

I suspect that they figure that as oil is delivered under pressure the electrodes' spark could be almost anywhere in a rather symmetrical spray of oil leaving the nozzle tip, but perhaps placing the electrodes above the tip as is usual, makes routing inside the burner tube easier and might reduce fouling from any dribbles that occur at shut-down. (Those shouldn't but they do occur).

Oil Burner Electrode Substitution FAQs

OK to use Beckett brand oil burner electrodes in an Aero oil burner?

I have an Aero burner, can Beckett brand electrodes be used in this burner? (Dec 22, 2014) Lloyd

Reply: yes if ...

Lloyd

I think that you're ok as long as the electrodes, including the metal electrodes themselves and the ceramic insulators and their end connectors that marry the oil burner transformer power supply contacts are in all regards the right dimensions.