# White Smoke from Oil Burner



## malangon (Sep 14, 2012)

I have a Beckett Oil Burner which is a boiler for a baseboard hating system.

On Xmas morning (of course), I saw heavy white smoke coming from outside from the power vent. I smelled the smell of fuel oil burning and shut off the system. The basement had white smoke.

My furnace guy told me it just needed a regular cleaning and service. After that, he left and the system was running fine for the rest of the day. I was away for the night and came home to the burner cold and not running. My one floor had a frozen baseboard as well.

I hit the reset and the furnace immediately started. A few minutes later I got the white smoke again.

Here's the question: The furnace guy said the only problem he could find was that my pump fluctuated slightly and at one point dipped from 100 to 50. Other than that he found no problems. He took off the motor and we found the coupling deteriorated and was a little stripped. He replaced it but could not offer a reason for the white smoke.

I'm a bit paranoid about leaving this unattended as I try to warm up my house now. Can somebody help me understand if this could cause that smoke problem? Thank you!!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Check the oil for water.


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## malangon (Sep 14, 2012)

Not sure how to do that, but even so - the burner has been running for the last 3 hours without the white smoke happening again. Would water in the oil appear intermittent like that? 

Also, I should mention that this was not condensate, but smoke.


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## malangon (Sep 14, 2012)

Also, this tank is inside so I would imagine that water entry would be a reduced risk.


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

I would be concerned with this as it sounds to me like the furnace is being overloaded with fuel at times and that is causing the white smoke and smell of fuel that you describe. Why it would be getting too much fuel at times, I am not sure, but if the pump pressure was fluctuating when the tech was checking it, the pump may be screwed up, allowing fuel through when it shouldn't be. Hopefully a more experienced technician here can offer you some better advice. Don't ignore this issue, keep at trying to figure it out.


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

Another thought too, if the pump is losing pressure now and then, it may not be atomizing the fuel well enough for ignition, and that could cause a build up of fuel in the combustion chamber as well.


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