question about a waste oil burner

[coldblooded]

I finally got the burner to light and stay burning.  Using the motor wire to run the air solenoid won't work. If you use the motor wire to run the air solenoid, it will light and the eye will see flame before the 15 second pre purge, and the system will shut down. You have to use the VALVE TERMINALS to turn on the air solenoid. I don't know what the 15 second pre purge (associated with the valve terminals) is designed to do, but you have to wait 15 seconds before you make a flame, or else the system will shut down. I don't use a air solenoid. I have a on board air compressor (a Thomas 2660 vacuum pump) without a tank that I'll just turn on and off as needed (see picture). I'll go from the valve terminals to a relay to the air compressor.  I've got it wired so the ignitor does NOT stay arcing all the time.  Thanks Russ, for all your input.

[coldblooded]

Here's the Thomas 2660 vacuum pump that I use for the compressed air.

[Russ]

Good to hear you got it to keep running.  You will have to post back and let us know how it works when turning off the spark. I tried it once but didnt have very good luck so mine is on all of the time while the burner is on.

[coldblooded]

Good to hear you got it to keep running.  You will have to post back and let us know how it works when turning off the spark. I tried it once but didnt have very good luck so mine is on all of the time while the burner is on.

I'll try to let you know how mine works with the spark turning off.  Mine turns off after about 25 seconds.  What kind of problems were you having before you kept the spark on all of the time while the burner is on?  Thanks.

[Russ]

I dont remember exactly.  I think it might have actually went out if I didn't keep the spark going.  Or it wouldn't burn cleanly. 

[coldblooded]

Good to hear you got it to keep running.  You will have to post back and let us know how it works when turning off the spark. I tried it once but didnt have very good luck so mine is on all of the time while the burner is on.

Hi Russ, I'm getting back to you.  I've been running my furnace for a month with the burner wired up to turn the spark off when it sees a flame, and it's been working perfectly.  The temps around here have been warm (40 degrees F), though.   If that matters.  I don't know how it will work when it gets real cold, like minus 10 below zero.  I'm having problems with my float valve though.  It doesn't work, it sticks.  Any ideas on how to keep the oil level constant in my float tank?  Thanks.

[Russ]

Interesting, I might have to give it a try again myself.  I have worn out at least 2 primarys, so that would certainly help keep the hours down on my current one.

As for the float tank, I dont have any good ideas to make it better.  Like you, I started out with a CL tank, but had many problems with it and finally built a metering pump.  It works great and I highly recommend it.  Here is the topic where I discuss what I did to build it:
https://wasteoilheaterforum.com/index.php?topic=293.0

[coldblooded]

Interesting, I might have to give it a try again myself.  I have worn out at least 2 primarys, so that would certainly help keep the hours down on my current one.

As for the float tank, I dont have any good ideas to make it better.  Like you, I started out with a CL tank, but had many problems with it and finally built a metering pump.  It works great and I highly recommend it.  Here is the topic where I discuss what I did to build it:
https://wasteoilheaterforum.com/index.php?topic=293.0

Thanks.  I'll consider a metering pump.