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By GeorGe Lanthier the no heat Call HVAC/ HYDRONICS A t our gas and oil schools and many seminars I am still amazed at how many people don't do what I call "diagnostic troubleshooting." It's good that the honest ones will admit it, but I worry more about the ones that don't and even more the group we don't see in classes. I'm going to give you two versions of this, and will modify what has been an industry standard for oil and gas in as many cases as I can. Way back in the 1910s a group called the Oilheat Institute of America wrote down some basic laws in a ground-breaking text called "The Handbook of Oil Burning." That is where these procedures originated and were later refined in a text by Charles H. Burkhardt called "Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners © ," which was for many years the definitive text on the opera- tion, installation and teaching of oilburners. Charlie was my first boss as a teacher way back in 1975, and over the years I haven't really found a better way than the original. I'll give you an updated quicker version a bit later though. Here's the Eight Steps of a No Heat Call updated for gas and oil systems: 1. Check the main fuse and power supply. Don't use one of those stupid light-up screwdriv- ers either. Use something that proves the quantity and quality of the voltage present. A meter truly beats everything else since it's the only device out there that will qualify and quantify amperages, resistances, voltages and a whole lot of other things. Today's meters are wondrous pieces of technology and we feel our Victor 88E is one of the best, Figure 1. 2. Check the burner fuse (or breaker). 3. Check burner remote control switches. In many states like Massachusetts, and on oil, that means all of the safety switches; customer switch, thermal switch, serviceman's switch. 4. Check the fuel tank. On propane and fuel oil check the tank. On natural gas verify you have gas pressure available. On oil don't bang on the side of the tank or trust a gauge, check it! I once had a guy spend 8 hours on an empty underground 10,000 gallon oil tank, no kidding. He absolutely destroyed "Lanthier's Second Law—assume nothing!" 5. Check fuel supply valves. Make sure all of the fuel valves are open. On oil, thermal (Firomatic) valves do a great job, but must be "exercised" to prevent varnish- ing of the valve seat. If these valves are not operated on a regular basis they have been known to stick open. Massachusetts has now banned all manual and ball check type valves for this reason. I know some think a "service valve" or a valve without a handle will work, but I personally think the concept is not only danger- ous but downright stupid. 6. Test the limit control. Pressure controls, pigtails and low-water cutoffs on steam. Fan and limit controls on warm air and multi-function aquastats on water. Keep in mind that many of today's hydronic boiler con- trollers have low-water cutoffs built into their design. 7. Test the operating control and thermostat. On gas this means the ignition control, Figure 2. On oil this means the primary control, Figure 3. Don't use a jumper at the operating control except to see if a signal is coming to the control for heat. Thermostats MUST be checked; remember, this is a no heat call. Make sure the thermostat works and is set high enough. 44 OCTOBER 2014 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com Figure 2 Figure 1