Cracked Rayburn burner pot

[skyefarmer]

Hi all, just joined, hoping there's a solution to my problem. My Rayburn oil vaporising burner pot has developed a crack. It's in the bottom right (photo orientation) of the rectangular depression in the bottom of the pot.

Could that be welded?

Access is quite tight, but removing the pot is near impossible. And I'm concerned about igniting residual oil vapour.

I have a Rayburn guy coming 22nd Jan, but that's a long way off and it's cold up here.

I also have a quote for ripping the whole thing out and installing an external oil boiler.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

 

[martyr]

Rayburne spares try Rangemoors in Devon model no required first class firm

 

[Barking Mat]

Could that be brazed perhaps ?

 

[Barking Mat]

It's not that much work to get the top off.

I assume it won't come out the door.

 

[waddycall]

Is that the Don burners Rayburn supreme conversion with the high fire air fan?
Don’t think you’re likely to set fire to anything. Any vapour will have gone and anything around the pot will be non combustible.
As it is biggest risk would be oil leaking if it goes out and the level builds up in the pot. Once it’s running it’ll pull air in through the crack and might make the flame a little sooty.

 

[waddycall]

It might just be me, but I can't see a crack in that pot. It looks more like a seam, where the pot was formed from one longish sheet of steel, and joined to form the ring. Does it appear to have any effect on the combustion pattern, or cause any oil leaks?

It’s you

 

[Barking Mat]

It’s you

I can't see a crack either.

 

[voipio]

It's in one corner of the rectangular depression in the cap, and not in the pot. Sorry. I deleted the post when I realised, but @waddycall was too quick off the draw, and managed to capture it!! ;-) .

 

[skyefarmer]

Is that the Don burners Rayburn supreme conversion with the high fire air fan?
Don’t think you’re likely to set fire to anything. Any vapour will have gone and anything around the pot will be non combustible.
As it is biggest risk would be oil leaking if it goes out and the level builds up in the pot. Once it’s running it’ll pull air in through the crack and might make the flame a little sooty.

Yes, you've got it - it's a Rayburn Supreme with Don oil conversion, which has a fan-assist when in high fire mode. Pretty ancient, I think.

The low fire flame always was a bit sooty. The high fire flame looked good. Somehow the flame went out and oil leaked through the crack and into space below the burner pot. My theory was that crack appeared, and when on low fire, there was not enough oil to sustain flame, went out and started to leak below burner. But I'm not sure.

 

[skyefarmer]

It's not that much work to get the top off.

I assume it won't come out the door.

I've had top off before, and yes, that's the route out, but pipework is problematic. Not sure how to disconnect supply pipe from burner - there's a brazed bit, into which supply pipe looks to be screwed. Anyone know if it unscrews (after 40 years).

 

[Barking Mat]

Ok, braze with oxy acetylene, job jobbed.

 

[skyefarmer]

Ok, braze with oxy acetylene, job jobbed.

Hopefully, Rayburn guy will agree and has right kit, a mend would be good news

 

[waddycall]

Yes, you've got it - it's a Rayburn Supreme with Don oil conversion, which has a fan-assist when in high fire mode. Pretty ancient, I think.

The low fire flame always was a bit sooty. The high fire flame looked good. Somehow the flame went out and oil leaked through the crack and into space below the burner pot. My theory was that crack appeared, and when on low fire, there was not enough oil to sustain flame, went out and started to leak below burner. But I'm not sure.

I doubt the oil would have leaked out when running as once it’s up to vapourising temp there’s little or no liquid oil in the pot, only vapour. I doubt the Rayburn chap will carry or use brazing gear though.
These are a bit or a rarity now. I used to work on them in the 90’s and was trained on them up at Don burners. Spares are probably scarce so patching it up is your best bet unless you can find something like a Socomef burner pot to replace it with but the dimensions would need to be identical.

Socomef Blue Flame Pot Burners

High efficiency clean combustion.- Bespoke or standard catalysers.- With or without ignition port.- Allows compliance with EN1 European Standard.

store.anglo-nordic.com

If it’s sooty on low fire either the flow rate is too low or the flue draught is too high. The draught stabilisers and damper need careful setting up to get them to burn clean. They’re lovely when they do though. Always liked these burners. They’re better than Rayburns own fan assisted pot burner in the twin burner cooker. If you want to see how it’s running take the plug out of the hot plate and drop a piece of stove glass over the hole. It won’t run right with the door open.

 

[skyefarmer]

I doubt the oil would have leaked out when running as once it’s up to vapourising temp there’s little or no liquid oil in the pot, only vapour. I doubt the Rayburn chap will carry or use brazing gear though.
These are a bit or a rarity now. I used to work on them in the 90’s and was trained on them up at Don burners. Spares are probably scarce so patching it up is your best bet unless you can find something like a Socomef burner pot to replace it with but the dimensions would need to be identical.

Socomef Blue Flame Pot Burners

High efficiency clean combustion.- Bespoke or standard catalysers.- With or without ignition port.- Allows compliance with EN1 European Standard.

store.anglo-nordic.com

If it’s sooty on low fire either the flow rate is too low or the flue draught is too high. The draught stabilisers and damper need careful setting up to get them to burn clean. They’re lovely when they do though. Always liked these burners. They’re better than Rayburns own fan assisted pot burner in the twin burner cooker. If you want to see how it’s running take the plug out of the hot plate and drop a piece of stove glass over the hole. It won’t run right with the door open.

Thanks very much. Amazing to find someone with experience of my museum piece. I've been learning about mine by experience for a couple of years. Agree about difficulty of observing low fire flame - as soon as you open the door, no draft through the pot. I've been going up to the chimney and sticking white bits of paper in the flue gas to detect soot. If I ever get it going again I'll try the stove glass technique. It seems like high fire is easier to observe with door cracked open because of the forced flow from the fan. I finally set my flow rates at 4.0/12.5 ml/min and was happy with performance. I'd also swept and cleaned the boiler flue pathway, the chimney and revived the cooker/boiler baffle, so really disappointed to discover this crack because I think it's beyond me to fix and tradespeople are difficult to find up here on Skye.

And thanks for the link to Socomef, I'll check it out.

Do you happen to remember the order of events to remove the burner? It seems it would have to come out vertically through hot plate opening, but the oil supply pipe passes through a sheet metal fitting before getting to the elbow that I can dismantle (and have done for flow measurement purposes). Don't worry if not, just thought I'd ask. Tomorrow the weather is set to improve.

 

[waddycall]

You’re spot on about why you can observe high fire with the door open but not low so you’ve obviously got your head around how this works. I’ll have a look in the shed and see if I can dig out the Don burners info I may still have!

 

[skyefarmer]

You’re spot on about why you can observe high fire with the door open but not low so you’ve obviously got your head around how this works. I’ll have a look in the shed and see if I can dig out the Don burners info I may still have!

Thanks! I'm about to spray some WD40 on what looks like a screw joint near the burner, which may be the way to remove supply pipe, but not optimistic after 40yrs of not unscrewing. Have left message with Anglo Nordic - that new burner looks lovely. My hope is to: get old burner out; measure precisely; get it patched; replace patched burner; obtain spec of new burner; if match, buy and install new burner.

 

[TEO]

I'm looking on& wishing you well with the fix, I know nothing about rayburns but I do know what it is to be cold good luck

 

[waddycall]

I’ve found the manual and taken photos of all the pages. If you pm me your email I should be able to set up a shared photo album. I guess you know the whole burner box is fitted as one piece? It looks like you remove the baffle assembly, the front sealing angle and the oil pipe and cables and it should slide out as one unit.

 

[waddycall]

These guys have the rings - maybe they can get the pot. If not an 8” pot with the same dimensions from the mounting flange to the bottom would probably be fine.

Awena 8" Pot Burner Baffles • Oil Warm Burner Products

AW/01 AW/02 AW/03

www.oilwarm.co.uk

It’s an 8” Awena pot

 

[Barking Mat]

If it's your principal heating, I'd live with it 'till it warms up.