# Thermopride Oil furnace won't ignite



## Jim33 (Jun 1, 2011)

Thermopride OL20-151 oil furnace won’t start. It is 24 degrees outside and house is getting cold on Sat night.

The thermostat is set at 80 on heat. The breaker and emergency shutoff are both on. I have ¾ tank of oil.

When I hit the red reset button, I get a quick flash of light and clicking sound. A few seconds later the red light comes on. I pulled open the transformer and wiped off the sensor.

I pulled out the nozzle and cleaned it off. It was replaced last Spring when the unit had the annual cleaning. It looks OK but I wiped off some soot and oil. There was a little oil since I have hit the reset button about 4 or 5 times in last 2 hours.

The controller and burner motor were replaced last Spring (serviceman said they both were about to fail). Otherwise, haven’t had any problems with it til now.

I would really like to get the heat back on tonight. What should I do next?

I appreciate any suggestions.


----------



## REP (Jul 24, 2011)

If you have in fact hit that reset button 4 or 5 times like you said,I figure you now have a pool of oil big enough to cause a good explosion.
It is now too late to do anything .If it catches now your furnace will actually move around and you will have enough smoke and soot to fill an old victorian 3 floor house.The best thing you can do is call for help and forget that anyone ever told you about that reset button.
Please,please tell the repairman that you hit that button that many times so he can maybe prevent the biggest mess you ever saw.


----------



## Jim33 (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for responding.

It was wet, but not a pool. I wiped it out with a rag.

Do you have any other advice?

Thanks,


----------



## REP (Jul 24, 2011)

Jim33 said:


> Thanks for responding.
> 
> It was wet, but not a pool. I wiped it out with a rag.
> 
> ...


I remember the first time one took off on me because the customer didn't tell me they had hit the buttom a few times.
I didn't know if I wanted to crap or cry it scared the hell out of me.
It sounds like either the transformer is weak or the electrodes are either dirty or out of set.
I don't know how to help you at this point.You might find the point setting in your owners manuel and I know how to see if a transformer is weak but don't know how to tell you without being there.
You do have one of the best oil furnaces made so the only thing I can strngly reccomend is that when you do get a serviceman there make sure he sets up the burner with instraments.Doing it by eye will only cost you upwards of $400 in extra oil this year.


----------



## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Wow. He could tell that the motor and primary wee both about to go out? They were either all rusted up, or he was making commission.

Could be a bad nozzle, transformer, oil pump, coupler, oil filter, water in oil. And a couple other things. can't tell from your description. But, STOP pressing the reset button. If its pumping oil, you can't get the oil out of the combustion chamber's fibers. An it will have a bad lite off, and you will be surprised at how bad it can get when it doe lite off.


----------



## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

checked over in youtube on that type...clean the fire eye maybe sooted up...it needs to see light/fire up in seconds of ignition or it trips..check the bleed solid flow into a bucket...


----------



## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Apparently you can get a rag in the firebox area because you wiped it up. shut off power to the unit, light a napkin or paper towel and push it into the fire box where you wiped it up it should start burning off the excess oil that's laying there if any, you will probably see a lazy flame burning off the excess oil.
After that close everything up, call the pro and explain everything to him/her.
NO MORE RED BUTTON PUSHING. 
Sorry wish we could get you running but it sounds like a pro has to look at it, too many things could be causing the problem.


----------



## Jim33 (Jun 1, 2011)

I really appreciate all the helpful replies.

I replaced the nozzle with the one that was taken out last Spring. I soaked it in rubbing alcohol to clean it. This nozzle was removed during the annual service. The repairman left it on the floor and I put it in my junkroom. But, I can't run out and buy a nozzle at 2 am Sunday morning so it came in handy. Anyway, this used nozzle was a 1.25 A and the one that he installed was a 1.25 B. I see in the specifications that my unit can take either A or B. 

Started up immediately when I flipped the breaker back on. :thumbsup:

I am going to go ahead and schedule the annual maintenance just to get it checked over.

Thanks again,


----------

