Oil Burner Won't Run Q&A

Constant vs intermittent ignition at oil burner
Oil burner transformer

Continuous vs Intermittent Ignition Oil Burner FAQs

Is the oil burner ignition always on or not?

Should the transformer send continuous spark to the gun or should it shut down after the flame ignites? Thank you for your help in advance. On 2019-01-23 by Bruce Ruffini

Reply by (mod) - Constant (Continous) vs intermittent oil burner ignition systems

There is no yes or not answer to your question about when the transformer should send current to the electrodes and make an ignition spark.

There are two types of oil burner ignition systems:

Continuous ignition: the transformer and electrodes continue to spark all during the burner-on cycle (this is the most common set-up among residential oil burners)

Intermittent ignition: the transformer and electrodes operate to get the oil burner flame established then shut off until the next burner-on cycle.

You won't find intermittent ignition on most modern residential oil burners.

So the answer is ... it depends on your oil burner brand and model.

For examples of intermittent ignition oil primary controllers see

Honeywell R74B,P,U,G Electronic Oil Primary, ENviraCOM Enabled INSTALLATION MANUAL [PDF] (2011) also in French & Spanish

ICM INTERMITTENT IGNITION SERIES OIL PRIMARY CONTROL USING THE C554A CAD CELL TO MONITOR FLAME [PDF] ICM1501, ICM1502, ICM1503, ICM Controls, 7313 William Barry Blvd., North Syracuse, NY 13212 USA Tel: 800-365-5525 315-233-5266 Web: www.icmcontrols.com Email: info@ICMControls.com

Watch out: if your oil burner transformer has failed, be sure to review IGNITION TRANSFORMER FAILURES

Why does my oil burner keep sparking after it has fired-up?

The electrodes on my burner continue to spark after the burner has fired up any ideas why? On 2015-11-22 by paul

by (mod) - check the manual: your burner could be a constant-ignition type

Paul, are two different systems for firing oil burners. Intermittent ignition that only sparks during startup and continuous ignition that sparks all of during the time that the burner is on. Most residential modern oil burners are continuous ignition not intermittent ignition.

Oil Burner Transformer FAQs

Tip: See OIL BURNER TRANSFORMER and also

see IGNITION TRANSFORMER FAILURES

and see the diagnostic and repair steps at OIL BURNER WONT RUN

How do I know if my oil burner has a weak ignition transformer?

Is there such a problem as a weak ignition transformer when the oil burner runs just fine and only needed annual cleaning? On 2021-04-15 by Jim M.

by Inspectapedia Com Moderator

@Jim M.,

Yep; a test of the ignition transformer may find a weak spark that ultimately leads to loss of heat; it's pretty easy to demonstrate in a low-tech way using a screwdriver if the technician knows-how.

And a failing transformer will eventually fail to ignite the oil, leading to the burner turning off on safety-reset.

But when an oil burner hums and doesn't start running, I suspect a bad burner motor

Is there a reset button on your motor? If so, when the motor cools off see if you can push it in.

Keep me posted.

When I tap on the transformer on our Beckett oil burner it will run

I have to tap on beckett transformer for it to come on does it need replaced or can it be fixed - dave 10/29/12

Reply:

Dave:

look for a loose wire or a defective control or transformer;

If that doesn't do the trick it's time to replace the transformer.

Can I 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

That would be OK as long as the electrodes, including the metal electrodes themselves and the ceramic insulators and their end connectors that match the oil burner transformer power supply contacts are in all regards the right dimensions.

Those include:

Electrode wire angle and length, electrode ceramic insulator diameter and length, electrode back-end electrical connector to the transformer wires.

Watch out: be sure also that your electrode settings in spacing apart, forward of the nozzle face, and above the nozzle center opening are all as specified for your Aero oil burner.

Does a long oil burner on-time damage the electrodes or transformer?

I kept the oil furnace running continuous for about two hours, then it stopped running by itself.

I pushed the reset on the stack control, it ran for a few seconds then kicked off. Did I burn out the electrodes or transformer by running it non stop? - Bob 2/9/12

Reply:

Bob:

No. Running a furnace non-stop for two hours should not itself damage the equipment.

On the coldest windiest day of the year in a poorly insulated home an oil burner might run almost continuously for hours.

Watch out: the fact that your oil burner was off on safety reset means that something else is wrong. Don't keep re-starting the burner, or you could get

an OIL BURNER PUFFBACK EXPLOSION - you need expert service.