How to prime an oil heater? Well, priming should be done by a technician or a specialist in that field. However, it won’t hurt if you also know the steps. checking, turning the furnace off, checking the thermostat, finding the bleeder valve, etc. Suppose you are curious about how the priming works, then you’d better read up till the end of this article. You will be doing the priming yourself one day.
Oil doesn’t maintain its liquid state in ambient temperatures; therefore, an oil heater is required. There are many types of oil heaters available in the market, and one of them is the immersion heater used most commonly in industrial applications.
In this article, you will know the steps on how you can prime an oil heater. Without further ado, let’s start!
Determining If The Furnace Is Out Of Oil
Before you call a professional for priming your furnace with oil, you might want to check first if your furnace has run out of oil. If there’s still oil in your tank, it could mean that there may be other parts that need a different type of repair. So to check if the furnace has run out of oil, the first is to find the oil tank gauge. The gauge will typically give you the answer to whether the tank still has oil or not. An empty tank gauge should display a “0” or an “E” symbol. If you deem the tank empty, try adding some oil and restart it. It may work fine in some cases, but if it doesn’t, contact the technician.
Steps To Prime An Oil Heater
So, how to prime an oil heater? Before priming an oil heater, you must understand what priming or starting means. Priming or bleeding is when the oil line from the fuel lamp that leads to the furnace is cleaned out. Usually, you let the oil pump through it for a few minutes before redirecting it to the stove. To further understand priming, you might want to check out “What Is a Prime and Start?.” Now, you might not be the one repairing since the specialists in this field best do it, but it is an advantage to know how to prime an oil heater. So I’ve listed several steps to help you understand how the priming process works. So, let’s start!
Step #1. Basic checking and troubleshooting
The first step involves checking the furnace before starting or priming it. The sludge in the oil heater might have gotten far enough to your oil line, so you’ll have to take additional measures. Generally, the specialist will attempt to restart the furnace a few times to see it from a couple of angles to ensure that it is working correctly and that nothing more is damaged. After the technician is sure of the problems detected, he will move to the next step.
Step #2. Turning the power off
Turning the furnace off is critical to ensure that the procedure goes well. You might see a toggle switch next to the stove. It is where you control the power, although this case might not be the same for every furnace model. If the furnace switch is not found, it is best to shut the breaker off.
Step #3. Checking the thermostat
After turning the furnace off, you might see your technician look at the thermostat. You must set the thermostat to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of your home. If the furnace detects that the ambient temperature is closer to its temperature, it will signal its sensors to increase the unit’s temperature output.
Step #4. Find the bleeder valve
You may see your technician looking for the bleeder valve. The bleeder valve from your car’s brake system is the same as your furnace. The bleeder valve is usually located either at the side of the front of your fuel pump. You may see it as a hex nut sticking out from the surface, so using a 3/8 inch wrench would be appropriate. After finding the valve, he will loosen it and place a container beneath it. You could use a bucket or a gallon container should do the trick after attaching some tubing to the bleeder. I guess it’s helpful to read about bleeder valve working principle.
Step #5. Turning the power on
After placing the containers under the valve, the technician will turn the power on and start the furnace. Keep an eye on the valve to ensure that the bleeding process will start nice and smooth. You won’t be wounding or something. Bleeding is used when you drain the oil from the bleeder valve. Prepare an air and fuel sputter from the valve during the bleeding process; after the furnace dies out, the technician press a red button to reset the furnace. Resetting it will cause the fuel to pump through the attached line again.
Let the bleeder valve open until it streams steadily consistently. The process of bleeding may take longer than a couple of minutes. Once it already has a steady stream, the technician closes the valve and turns the furnace on. You may hear a sudden thump when the stove is turned on. You’ll also see the light in the pilot window. Once the furnace starts, it is good to go. However, please don’t throw the fuel you’ve gathered from the bleeder valve. You can still use it to fuel your tank.
It’s A Wrap!
Even though you are not doing the priming, it is better to know how to prime an oil heater for your good. Of course, you just let the specialists do their jobs, but it is advantageous to do it yourself one day. It can save you some bucks instead of paying for the service fee. Don’t hesitate to know these things too; read about how to reset a space heater and which infrared heater is best .