# Firebird 50/90 boiler



## miss lilac (9 Feb 2012)

We have a firebird 50/90 boiler. When we switch on the boiler fires up and works for a few moments. Then it trips out. Would it be the stat that needs replacing or what would you think could  be causing this I wonder. any advice or help would be very much appreciated.

Many Thanks


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## Shane007 (9 Feb 2012)

When you say it trips out, is it tripping out the high limit stat on the boiler thermostat, is it tripping out on the burner lock out (red button) or is it tripping out your electrical RCD at the fuse board or other fuse?


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## miss lilac (9 Feb 2012)

Hi Shane. It is not tripping out the electrics !!! It is tripping out the red button but when you press it, it will fire up again. Any idea what could be causing this pleaseeeeee...


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## Shane007 (9 Feb 2012)

Probably not the issue, but first check is to check your oil level. I recently was called out to a similar issue that turned out to be the oil was robbed from the tank.

Apart from that, it is a burner issue and will probably need a service call. It could be a number of causes, such as faulty photocell, dirty photocell, faulty fuel pump, faulty solenoid coil, etc. Hard to diagnose remotely without seeing and hearing the problem and being able to test the various components. It will not be a thermostat problem.
A common fault is the photocell which is an inexpensive part to replace, but will probably still need a service call. If it has not been service for a while it maybe worth getting this done at the same time and it may work out cheaper.


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## miss lilac (9 Feb 2012)

Thanks Shane for your advice. Much appreciated. Will get someone to check it out for us. We are living in Leitrim. Oil or lack of it isnt a problem. That was checked and we moved our oil tank into the garage last summer which is a huge plus too. So many people have had their oil robbed alright.


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## john martin (9 Feb 2012)

I wonder if it is wise to have your oil tank in the garage. There may be a serious safety issue there!


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## miss lilac (10 Feb 2012)

The tank is not near the boiler. Opposite sides of the garage and the garage is separate from the house itself too. Better than having paid for oil and then it being stolen. See your point too though but what other options are there in these times I wonder. Topping up with more kerosene now x 3 drums at a cost of 75.00 just to bring the level up a bit more. Hubby going to clean the nozzels going to the burner now and hopefully that will do something for us. We bought our last fuel up north and the little window in the burner seems to be clogged now with soot so we are thinking maybe not as clean a fuel as we get here. That could be our problem.


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## miss lilac (10 Feb 2012)

Thank goodness. We have now got heat at last. We got 3 drums of kerosene locally and topped up our tank. Didnt need it but just in case the fuel with got elsewhere wasnt up to scratch we decided to do this anyhow. Hubby took the cover off the boiler and said there was a huge amount of soot on the inside of the boiler which he took off. Then he took out the little filter at the back and cleaned that too. Got the hoover out and did a general go around on the rest of the inside of it and hey presto it worked. Still thinks the circulation pump could be on the way out but fingers crossed. When we put the heating on the radiators seemed to heat a lot hotter than they had been the past few weeks.


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## Shane007 (10 Feb 2012)

Buying fuel in drums over the border is fairly risky. Kerosene in the Rep. is red but in N.Ireland it is green. Do not get them mixed up. Red in the North is Gas Oil and not kerosene. In the Rep., gas oil is green. This is probably why your boiler sooted up as gas oil requires a much higher oil pump pressure to fully atomize the fuel.

Another risk is that there is a lot of laundered heating oil going round. Make sure it is red. If it is clear, neither green or red, then it is laundered. The dye is removed by mixing sulphuric acid through it and this will destroy your fuel tank, filters, oil burner, etc. and you will end up with a very expensive repair bill, never mention how much it will cost you to dispose of sulphuric acid from your tank.


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## miss lilac (10 Feb 2012)

Thanks Shane007. Dont think we will be trying that again. The heating is just lovely tonight. Nice and cosy and thanks for all your help.


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