Beckett oil burners are a very reliable oil burner. Like anything mechanical, they will fail from time to time. Basic check number 1, is the burner powered? Check this with a voltmeter. I have seen circuit breakers or fuses that seem fine. When checked with a meter, they are either tripped or faulty. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called in to fix an oil furnace, only to have to turn a circuit breaker back on or replace a fuse. Power surges, lightning strikes, or low voltage can often cause this kind of thing.
Once the power is verified, you can begin to verify that the controls are working properly. First, find the red button in the gray box and press it. I could tell you to reset the Protectorelay, but many of you have no idea what it is, so the red button in the gray box will do for now. Does the engine start when you do this? If not, check motor power. This is best done by removing the gray box and checking the power on the wires going to the motor. Always remember to watch out for hot wires and turn off power before unplugging any wires. If there is power to the motor, check the reset button on the motor. It’s a little red button on the side, usually about the middle of the rear of the engine in the worst place to go. If the motor hums but doesn’t run, try turning on the blower under the transformer. The transformer is the black box on top next to the gray box. If the blower does not rotate, remove the two screws holding the pump and remove it. Does the engine start now?
Here are the options for what we know so far. With the pump removed, does the motor run? If so, the oil pump is probably bad and will not turn. Replace the pump and everything should work. If the motor still hums, replace it. Of course, if there is power to the motor and the reset does not trigger, then the motor is bad and needs to be replaced. That should fix the engine problems. If none of that is the cause of the problem, then we need to dig deeper.
The transformer is another problem that can be very common with these oil burners. With the engine running, carefully balance the transformer on its hinges and look for sparks in the compartment. The sparks should look like little lightning bolts flying around. If the sparks are very weak or yellow in color, replace the transformer. If there are no sparks and there is confirmed power going to the transformer. The transformer is also damaged and needs to be replaced.
Oil pumps rarely break down, and if they do, it’s hard to figure them out. Another problem with changing the oil pump is that the proper equipment is needed to adjust the oil burner after installing the new pump.
The most common oil-related problem would be a clogged oil filter. Probably should have addressed that earlier. It is very common for the filter to become clogged with dirt or water. Replacing the oil filter is fairly easy to do and should be done at least once a year. A very dirty oil charge can clog an oil filter very quickly. It is very helpful to have a new oil filter available at all times.
The oil nozzle can also be a problem area. This nozzle sprays the oil into the combustion chamber at a very high pressure. The oil breaks down into a fine mist so that it burns more effectively and efficiently. Due to the very fine hole that the oil must pass through, even very small pieces of dirt can cause major problems. The oil nozzle assembly is below the transformer and can be removed by unhooking the oil line from the pump. Remove the locknut and then slide the nozzle assembly back and up through the hole.
Two wrenches should always be used to remove the mouthpiece. The tip should always be replaced with one that has the exact same flow, angle, and spray pattern as the removed tip. Even if it is replaced with the same nozzle, the oil burner should be fine-tuned as soon as possible after replacement. Not all nozzles are totally the same and even a very subtle difference can affect the performance of the oil burner.
This is by no means a complete oil burner troubleshooting guide. It will give you some basic things to see if your oil burner stops working and you need to try to get it working for now. A professional tune-up with a flue gas analyzer is always recommended for any appliance turned on at least once a year. After any replacement or adjustment of any kind, a new analysis must be completed. An oil burner that is not adjusted properly will waste oil and cause a lot of problems with soot build-up, which in turn will cause more problems. This will almost always come back to you many times with more problems.
This was intended to be a very basic emergency guide to help your oil burner work if the problem is basic. Oil burners are delicate combustion engines that need a lot of tender and loving care to last them long. Make sure your oil burner is adjusted by a professional at least once a year to get the most out of your oil. There are other issues that could arise that you could not address here. Like I said, oil burners are quite complicated and there are many combinations of problems that can occur.