Oil burner spark test

[@benjaminleatham1587]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do these videos. Like many people who live out in the sticks, we have a hard time getting anyone to show up to do anything. Which leaves us to do it ourselves. So we save money and learn something in the process. Great to be self reliant!

[@jfk64kennedy95]

I hope you see this as old as this video is...but THANK YOU... I'm a 58 yr disabled former builder/carpenter, 30 yrs + experience before back went, always been mechanically inclined...don't exactly have a lot of money Furnace stopped working, check thermostat working, check primer, got oil, check controller box working, check...only thing left, igniter...so I, KZbin searched it, found this video, watched...go to furnace, take the one screw out, holding igniter closed, flip open, grab screwdriver, drag across , get yellow orange spark....BUT I notice, one coil significantly covered in soot...so grab rag, a little acetone, wipe off leads, scotch brite them...closed, hit switch, VAROOM....furnace fires....you saved me at least $75 for unit alone, if I bought, easy $200 service call, if I had made....thank you

[@grayfurnaceman]

Welcome GFM

[@Dicofol1]

Thanks for all your vids. We used to pay 300 a year for an annual maintenance plan and the job was always half-done (wrong nozzle, etc) With your video series I now feel confident to do it myself thanks so much...

[@wilson3707able]

With his videos I’ve been doing it for the past 10 yrs

[@abaker3721]

Good info... I pulled off the oil supply and tried this same test to discover a very week ingintor transformer.. Got a new one for $55 and only took about 15 minutes to install it and I was back in business... note I had excessive smoke for 5 minutes from many resets before I found this issues.. good to go now...

[@jimmysmith9852]

Thank you! You just saved me $200 on an after hours service call!! Took that cover off, saw the springs and rods were corroded and covered in soot, cleaned and sanded everything down and now there's no more black smoke coming out the chimney!! Woohoo!!

[@grayfurnaceman]

Glad you got it working. GFM

[@3rd_Millennium_Engineering]

Thank you very kindly for taking the time to make and post this video. It has helped me immensely.

[@wilson3707able]

You my friend are a fountain of knowledge. You have save me a ton of money with your share knowledge. Thx

[@rolandfalworth3906]

Should be noted that while checking spark using this method oil will be spraying into furnace longer you test the more oil will be pumped into the chamber then upon relight there will be excess oil in chamber don't over do it :)

[@grayfurnaceman]

roland falworth Good thought. GFM

[@droppindots5612]

All you to have to do is disconnect the hot lead for the oil pump under your primary control, so your not pumping oil into the chamber while testing the transformer.. That's how I do it..

[@superdutyscaler6823]

Wrong, you must have the transformer down when you first fire up the burner so it will light the oil spray

[@pauldiglio4935]

Close the oil valve, silly

[@Karnol428]

Could a weak transformer create delayed ignition and puff backs?

[@stevevinas]

With the door open and the dim light in the room after turning on the power switch i get a large yellowish orange spark from the leads without using a screwdriver. I have the copper leads and they are about 1 to 3/4 inches apart. If i shine a light on the cad nothing happens. Would you say my cad eye and ignitor are working correctly? My issue is every fall my hot water fails. Sometimes i can reprime it and it works for a day or week depending. I just changed tank filter, burner pump screen filter and nozzle. The last service guy put in a .75 70B when my unit says 70A on it so thats what i changed it to. My electrodes are aligned correctly, motor tuens oil, good oil flow... it just stops running after less then a minute. Or will run for a day then shut down. Any help is appreciated!

[@mattfoley6082]

My 30 year old burner was shutting down every few days and sometimes would take several seconds to ignite. Could not figure out why. Did the screwdriver test and seemed to be a good arc. Good oil flow, new nozzle and electrodes. Replaced old transformer with a new Beckett electronic igniter for $50. Problem solved! Now she fires up instantly. The electronic igniters have much higher voltage.

[@pattyrutkoski4454]

Great video! I have my furnace tripping the reset on the Primary Ignition ! I have put a new motor on the pump a few years back and I cleaned the Flame Sensor , new fuel filter and bled air from system , cleaned and adjusted the igniter in the gun . It is still tripping the Primary occasionally ,so my next move is what ? New flame sensor eye ,cause they are cheap. New transformer ,or new primary ignition . Or all 3 ! Furnace is 30 yrs old approx but I had combustion analysis 3 yrs ago and it was nearly as good as a new furnace he told me . I do not use my oil furnace much as wood furnace is my primer heat ,oil is backup ! Any advice?

[@grayfurnaceman]

If your spark test has shown proper operation, I would eliminate the transformer. Be sure the flame sensor is pointed at the flame. It can be tested if you have an ohmmeter. Be sure the oil flow has good volume and no air bubbles. A pump pressure test may be necessary also. The last option is the cad cell relay. There is no effective test for intermittent failures, so it will have to be replaced. GFM

[@JohnSmith-uy7sv]

I have this burner with the honeywell relay reset like this one. I was having problems with it last week and when it was trying to start you could hear the relay's fluttering off and on. I took the cover off and filed the contact points like filing points on an older vehicle and the one relay would still kick out off and on. So I took the relay system out and took out the pc board and resoldered all the solder joints as 1 or 2 looked like they had a hairline crack. Poof, that fixed the problem. The relay and furnace is over 31 years old. I tested my spark while pulling up on the transformer and saw that it was arching a good bit to the electrodes. Just like a van de Graaff generator. :-)

[@grayfurnaceman]

If the spark is weak (there a vids about weak spark), the transformer has failed. If no spark at all, check voltage in. No voltage, look to cad cell relay, poor connections. Hope this helps. GFM

[@richardchen7097]

Hi, we have seemingly no spark from the transformer. The voltagemeter seems to be reading in 120V which is what we expected, just no spark or arc when we check with the screwdriver method. Any clue as to what's going wrong?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Power in, no power out, failed transformer. GFM

[@anthony8484]

I know this is a long shot but in case you see this I had a quick question. Putting together a Frankenstein waste oil burner and wondering if the unit needs continuous spark during operation or if I can run a switch to turn the spark off. Plan on adding brake rotors to the burn chamber that will get red hot, directly in the path of the atomized oil, so maybe once hot enough the spark will no longer be needed?

[@grayfurnaceman]

First, why would you want to shut down the spark? Most burners are set for continuous spark. Waste burners preheat the oil and use a small compressor to areate the hot oil to get it to burn. GFM

[@anthony8484]

Use to heat a pole barn with a gravity fed drip style waste oil burner without spark, so I figured this would work even better being pressurized/atomized. If it worked as well as the drip system I had then no reason to waste electricity on the spark the whole time. (If possible, and not big decrease in efficiency, not that it’s inherently efficient anyway)

[@anthony8484]

The unit I’m making to replace the drip style is filtered to 2 micron, then heated to 180f before feeding the pump, (old 1971 metzger branded burner)

[@grayfurnaceman]

@@anthony8484 There is a difference in the ability to atomize a lubricating oil and a fuel oil. This means the nozzle is not an effective way to atomize lubricating oil. GFM

[@anthony8484]

You are right, I plan on cutting the waste oil with maybe 20% diesel as well as having it preheated to 180. Should be able to test things out in a couple days, I’m debating getting a smaller nozzle and upping the pressure to maybe 200

[@scottryanlangley9782]

Hi, I have a Carlin burner & tried the screw driver test, but mine sparks without even using the screwdriver when I pull out the cad sensor & hit the reset button, is that normal. My heater comes on sometimes it's hit or miss, trying to trouble shoot the problem? I replaced oil filter, cleaned electrodes (they are pointing properly), & thoroughly cleaned the tip. No idea why it comes on occasionally? Thanx in advance & your videos are great!

[@bigpardner]

So, around 1:45 you have fire in the chamber? That means once the oil is ignited it is not neccessary to have continuous spark? But there is continuous spark isn't there, as long as the burner is running?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Yes you do have fire. The spark does not have toll continuous. However, it is common practice to leave it on for the entire cycle. GFM

[@bigpardner]

@@grayfurnaceman Thank you. I have wondered if once a flame was going if the spark was needed to keep it going. I am guessing, only a guess, that that the flame without the spark might be different, differerent shape and maybe not as hot.

[@grayfurnaceman]

@@bigpardner It is not a lot different either way. The flame does seem to start closer to the nozzle. GFM

[@ryanhirschey]

So what needs to be replaced if the igniter doesn’t spark? I followed all your steps and it’s not sparking, so I assume the igniter needs to be replaced, do you have a video showing that? Thanks!

[@grayfurnaceman]

If you have 120 volts into the ignition transformer and no spark, the transformer has failed. If its a Beckett burner, replacement is simple. remove old, install new. If you are not confident, I will be doing a video on replacement soon. GFM

[@ryanhirschey]

@@grayfurnaceman thanks so much for the quick reply. It is a Beckett unit with a Honeywell R4184D 1027 ignition. I think I could tackle a replacement at some point especially once you post a video but since I need it fixed today bc I have no heat or hot water in the house and don’t have the part, I’ve contacted a technician. Love your videos. Your troubleshooting steps were how I figured out it was the igniter.

[@gocart09]

How old and what model is it I have one but I can't seem to find any model number on it

[@chrisnotap]

I have been thinking of another use for this ignitor. How long can you leave it "on" producing a spark? What I mean is if you placed a screw driver across the electrodes, could you leave it there for a half hour? Would the ignitor overheat?

[@grayfurnaceman]

You could. The transformer is made to operate continuously. GFM

[@chrisnotap]

Looking back at my initial question, I should re-word that. Placing a screw driver across it and creating the maximum spark it will produce, how long could you let it do that for do you think in your experience? Second question. I have worked with car ignitions for years as a mechanic and they produce a good wallop when you are diagnosing. Have you ever heard of anyone accidentally dying from the constant spark on one of these?

[@grayfurnaceman]

If there is a failure, it should happens immediately. Newer autos use extremely high voltage with fairly high amps that can be lethal. The amperage of this transformer is so low it is not lethal. GFM

[@grayfurnaceman]

That test was only done for a few seconds. However, the transformer can be left with an open circuit on the secondary for long periods of time. The secondary amperage is so low, I don't see any way it could be lethal. It is very similar the old auto spark transformers that were used with mechanical points. GFM

[@chrisnotap]

Thanks for the info.

[@pearlworkman174]

My spark is purple and barely comes out to the screwdriver. Should I replace it?

[@pacemetalfab]

Looking for a video of a strong spark. I have a 400,000 Btu space heater that has a bad transformer/igniter. Great video.

[@mikesmith9277]

SAFETY WARNING...Experienced HVAC people probably take this for granted, but for the inexperienced folks watching this, there are not enough safety warnings here about the dangers of doing it the way the gentleman in the video is conducting the test. If the flame goes out while the transformer is open and the chamber fills with oil fog, there is a severe danger of a furnace explosion, euphemistically called a puffback or backfire that can cause: FURNACE DAMAGE, FIRE, DAMAGE TO YOUR PERSON, or all of the above. The only reason it didn't happen at a couple of points in the video, when the fire was not burning, was that the grayfurnaceman did not reclose the transformer on to the electrodes while the power was still on, he shut off the power first. For safeties sake, the fuel flow to the nozzle must be stopped in some fashion while these tests are being conducted!!

[@Alberts.Channel]

I have a similar old transformer can I replace it with Beckett igniter electronic?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Yes, if the mounts are the same. GFM

[@Alberts.Channel]

@@grayfurnacemanthank you so much for response, keep the good work and great content

[@grayfurnaceman]

Thanks for the support GFM

[@JasonTylerRicci]

Great test. My Riello boiler (sometimes) doesn't fully ignite and run consistently until a second attempt. The second ignition (if there is one) always runs it smoothly however. Hoping it's not an indication of something serious. Gonna test my spark. Thanks.

[@mrtrek64]

At 1:50 while you're testing the spark I can clearly see an after burn, or after drip at the retention head. You might want to check for carbon at the retention head. This can cause a fire.

[@grayfurnaceman]

Quite observant. Thanks for the thoughts. The pump has no cut off solenoid so it is common to have an after burn. Especially since the gun was just installed and still had air in the gun line. GFM

[@grayfurnaceman]

Yeah, its something not easy to forget, and the new ones have higher voltage yet! GFM

[@trankt54155]

Hi Mr. Guru, how do you do the spark test to check the working of a transformer of a Riello oil burner because the control box also contains the transformer in there; whereas in the Beckett the transformer is by itself? Thanks....

[@grayfurnaceman]

I have so little experience with Reillo burners that I cannot say much about them. The only thing I can tell you is the primary controls pretty much everything so You may just have to replace it to determine the failure. GFM

[@trankt54155]

@@grayfurnaceman Thank you for your reply. Have a good evening.

[@jcstevegigs]

Been learning a lot from your videos and replies. When I try to open my transformer when the boilers running the flame goes out and it starts to make a loud rumble noise.

[@grayfurnaceman]

You can do the test in just a few seconds so the rumble and flame loss is not important. GFM

[@bdagle]

Hi! So OK, if you start the burner with the transformer closed, it lights and then you can check the spark. If you pull the cad cell and start the burner with the transformer open, it won't light and you're spraying oil into the combustion chamber. Do that few times and when you do light it, it's going to light really hard until you burn off that oil! B.D.

[@MishaleStarling]

I was tired and stressed last night and had exactly that happen because I forgot to shut off my oil flow but I'm half glad it did because I said screw it I'll open it all up and clean the combustion chamber I pulled it out and the back of it crumbled just from being pulled out.. new one on the way..

[@frankc8578]

On the newer model transformers it is not advisable to short out the coils.Because the newer model transformers have resistors in them that will burn out in seconds. The instructions tell you this so please be careful on the model transformer you have. Mr.furnaces you have great illustrations you make it simple thanks

[@grayfurnaceman]

Frank C I will be testing that on a video soon. GFM

[@frankc8578]

Thanks

[@beewm4225]

Mine is arching but the color of the spark is more yellow than how it looks here. Does that signify a weak voltage? Right now I have fuel but no spark at the electrodes. I'm not sure bad electrode or adjusted wrong. They have a blunt squared off tip and I am not sure how to measure gap with that style. Any tips?

[@mernok2001]

I dont know much about oil furnaces.Why isn't the transformer on all the time?Why does it need to be switched off by the cad cell or stack switch?Isn't that short curcuit proof like a neon sign transformer?

[@grayfurnaceman]

The transformer can be on all the time during a call for heat. It is field selectable. GFM

[@clint649]

My spark on my Beckett R7184b 1024 is only about 1/4 inch if that Still not firing up Is there a special gap from the electrode to the nozzle?

[@bigpardner]

Can you do this test on a transformer not installed by connecting to 120V wire and plugging it in?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Yes. GFM

[@davemorgan1]

Thank you for all your videos, they are very informative and helped me learn a lot

[@marcelinorosa7889]

I have problem.with the motor..no rounig.please..can you can help me thank you.g.b.all.

[@mainelyelectric]

Just curious How hot do you think the normal operating temperature of one of these transformers is in Fahrenheit? When I grab a hold of the top of the one on my Miller that is brand-new it feels hot. But not scalding!

[@grayfurnaceman]

As long as you can touch it, its ok. GFM

[@MegaCyberleader]

So when replacing metal fitting make sure they don't leak .

[@grayfurnaceman]

Leaks are bad. GFM

[@AdirondackNY]

What if the spark is yellowish orange not white, is that a weak spark?

[@grayfurnaceman]

As long as the spark can be stretched to around 3/4" and the spark sparkles at the end, its ok. GFM

[@maryd3008]

Thank you for the information that was great I'm having a problem the igniter hasn't been replaced for just about 4 years I don't know how long they last I didn't want to replace it if I didn't have to. So I'm going to use your video to check it thank you but I do have a question the system runs fine starts up very quickly but if I try to run it too long or too close together it appears that it needs to cool down before it'll start again any ideas what that may be leaning towards? I'm very knowledgeable about heating systems I've been trained by some contractors that are in the field so I'm pretty well versed I've checked the high low limit seems to be working fine but I'd appreciate any input you might have as to what you think the problem might be leaning towards thank you so much!

[@maryd3008]

I should mention that the people that are heating contractors that I know have passed away so I don't have anyone heads up right now that can give me a hand with this problem I'm having....

[@grayfurnaceman]

The ignitor electrodes often last the life of the furnace. If you have the fan continuing to run between cycles, but the burner won't start, I would suspect you have an airflow problem such as plugged filter, dirty blower wheel or plugged A/C coil. GFM

[@Viper81766]

The spark on mine is orange instead of blueish white . Can that keep it from igniting ?

[@grayfurnaceman]

As long as it can be drawn out to 3/4" it should be ok. GFM

[@Viper81766]

@grayfurnaceman Thank you brother 💯

[@latebloomer2937]

Ur touching both springs to check for spark correct ?

[@grayfurnaceman]

I will be doing a vid on just that so we can see what happens when unburned oil is finally lit. GFM

[@myviews469]

My situation is red the red light is on in the past I would press back in and would start now press in back in and I get a click sound coming from the ignition controller module. What does this mean because when I hear the click sound but motor doesn't turn on. And should check for spark too? Thanks

[@grayfurnaceman]

+myviews You might try hitting the motor with a small hammer. If it starts, the motor is the problem. Hope this helps. GFM

[@geojor]

excellent point about how the cad cell works...

[@glennlarsen9675]

I am having a problem fires once I press reset after the boiler heats up and turns off the reset trips . When the hot water runs out and I push the reset button it runs but wont fire . After several hours it will fire heat up shut off and trip reset again.

[@grayfurnaceman]

I would be looking for a flame sensing or fuel problem. If the unit has not been serviced for several years, that should be done. Does the burner start and burn normally? Does it shut down during the cycle? GFM

[@gyver471]

What kind of screwdriver do you have anything special or just glass?

[@grayfurnaceman]

The standard plastic handle is fine unless the shank goes thru the handle. GFM

[@briansadler5460]

Hey bud. Just came across your videos. They are fantastic brother. However I have a problem that I haven't found them. I have an old rheem with no circuit board that I can find, and a becket oil system. When I turn the power on to the furnace. When I do the red light comes on that tells me its tripped out. If I push in the reset on the box. The light goes out, but the furnace does nothing, but it does not trip the reset either. I have checked the motor, the pump, all that stuff nothing is locked up. However when I turn the thermostat to fan. Nothing happened either. So I can't get fan, motor, or blower to evwn try to turn on. But I have power to the furnace. At least going to the small circuit board before the reset. I think its somekind of power issue, but don't know what or how to test it to find out. Any help you can give brother would be extremely helpful. Starting to get cold, and dont have the money to call a furnace repair place.

[@grayfurnaceman]

If the cad cell relay looks like the one in the referenced video, you may be able to reset it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXm3qJuFqduEjac Hope it helps. GFM

[@myviews469]

ok did the test i have spark. So when i put it back together the blower goes on but motor for oil doesnt go on could this be ignitor controler module???

[@grayfurnaceman]

+myviews i would first look at the burner motor. Is it getting hot? Older units have a manual reset on the motor. Hope this helps. GFM

[@x.y.8581]

My transformer gets pretty hot while furnace is running and so much so that the black tar inside has been melting and dripping down onto the gun burner insulators , squirrel cage fan blades and even blocking the cad cell! What is wrong? I'm wondering if there is a continual spark while furnace is running?

[@grayfurnaceman]

I would be looking for heat exchanger blockages. GFM

[@x.y.8581]

@@grayfurnaceman Wouldn't that mean poor (or low) heat blowing out from the furnace? It blows nice and warm air out. I wondered if the spark continues while the furnace is running (my second question) - seems as if something is keeping the transformer energized causing it to overheat. Another question - would you say these Beckett burners are really nothing but dinosaurs? Seem rather Rube Goldberg-ish to me.

[@grayfurnaceman]

@@x.y.8581 A clean heat exchanger would not reduce heat output. Quite the contrary. It is normal for the transformer to operate throughout the heating cycle. The transformer is not your problem, although it may have been damaged. You probably have a blockage causing the combusted gasses to fail to move out of the combustion chamber. The next problem may be a puffback. A nice word for a very messy problem. The Beckett retention head burners work well. GFM

[@x.y.8581]

Sorry, please explain what you mean by a heat exchanger blockage. Or what a "clean" one is. My blower works well and it is supplied with filtered air. Plenty of hot air at over 100 degrees blows from the ducts when the furnace is running. I see no evidence the combusted gasses are failing to move out of the combustion chamber. What would "puffback" be like? Furnace operation seems normal except for the overheated transformer. You say the transformer operates throughout the heat cycle - so are you saying there is a continual spark in the chamber? I have used knowledge gained from your videos to keep this old furnace running for quite a while but about ready to quit having to fix it continually and switch to a propane space heater!

[@x.y.8581]

Now the GD burner shuts off even though the thermostat contact is closed; not open. Cad cell is not blocked by dripped tar. 4" exhaust stack is hot.

[@lfdvidinc]

Nine years ago , thank god , Beckett S with J pump , I hope you upgraded to a high speed burner 😂😂😂 maybe 9 years ago I might have that pump or motor in the truck, the transformer I could jury rig, but here in 2022 at 10:00 pm your gonna wait till the morning and hope the supply house has something

[@JugHeadRepair]

I believe my transformer is getting bad. It will only pull about a half inch spark. The furnace typicaly gives trouble starting. I am thinking of replacing the transformer and the contacts. Would this be a good idea? Thanks

[@grayfurnaceman]

If you can't get 3/4" with the yellow spark on the end, the transformer if failing. GFM

[@tammybrogan5128]

if I replaced the pump, why can't I get it to bleed?

[@michaelyerton1598]

I have one of these on a power washer, I wired up an extension cord wrong and shocked myself, now it wont light can you help me trouble shoot mine

[@grayfurnaceman]

You may have damaged the control board. GFM

[@plumbercustoms6673]

another easy method is to start it with the transformer open, and the bleeder cracked, that way you can check oil flow and transformer at the same time, and your not pumping oil into the chamber, kill two birds with one stone, i do this all the time on burners off on reset.

[@grayfurnaceman]

aksheating aksheating Good thoughts. GFM

[@Cunninglam4]

Do you shutoff the oil.

[@grayfurnaceman]

I do not. The best option here is to pull the gun and let the oil run into a can. You can also just let the nozzle spray into the combustion chamber, as this operation should take no longer than a few seconds. GFM

[@shawnwilkinson3604]

I tried this and upon immediately opening the transformer I had a ton of smoke pour out. Amy thoughts on why it might do this as I followed the video to a tee.

[@grayfurnaceman]

Shawn Wilkinson My thought is you have a plugged heat exchanger or chimney. GFM

[@shawnwilkinson3604]

If either of these were plugged would the furnace still operate? Reason being is furnace runs good all day overnight at some point honeywell relay trips. Once I wake up and reset it everything works fine again until the following night. I've tested the cad cell and it is okay. Also replaced the Honeywell control to no avail

[@grayfurnaceman]

Shawn Wilkinson It may. You should probably get a rumble when it starts. GFM

[@Dicofol1]

What do you think of the newer Beckett transformers (electronic types) vs the big heavy older Allanson ones ? are they as reliable and durable ? I need to change mine, are they interchangeable from an Allanson to a newer electronic type Beckett ? Thank you for your help.

[@RHEAD100]

I understand the cad-cells importance. The igniter has a very low duty cycle. The igniter will burn itself out in 3 to 4 hours of continues run time. at least the 110 volt A/C in-puts. I don't know about the 12 volt D/C in-put igniters. Does anyone made a 100% Duty cycle run time igniter ??? I REALLY need one

[@grayfurnaceman]

+RHEAD100 I haver never seen one that was not 100% duty cycle. Some of them have been in service for 50 years running for the complete heating cycle. GFM

[@hllywd964]

How do you test the spark transformer on a riello burner?

[@grayfurnaceman]

I would be looking thru the inspection port with a mirror. GFM

[@muddysledge]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@wilmorris1955]

Is it pumping fuel in the firebox while you are doing that?

[@grayfurnaceman]

+Wil Morris Yes, it should be checked quickly then turned off. GFM

[@grayfurnaceman]

Thanks GFM

[@brittanylambert4376]

I have a question i got a new igition transformer put it on and my furnace started great but the back screw is also sparking ? Help please why is this happening

[@maryd3008]

I have a question can you read my other two texts to you below? Maybe you can give me an answer when you have time thank you

[@1970beerman]

whats the wire diagram for the transformer?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Brian Saffles

[@grayfurnaceman]

Brian Saffles I am not sure of your meaning. There are 2 primary wires that are usually black and are interchangeable. The secondary is the terminals with the ceramic insulation. Hope this helps. GFM

[@1970beerman]

Thanks ill look at it and see

[@hoboken5224]

I hope the spark test you showed us was located in your own home. I hate like hell if you came to my house and handled the equipment like that.

[@JohnSmith-uy7sv]

I was waiting for you to say, "it's alive... It's alive." as if you were Dr. Frankenstein. :-)

[@grayfurnaceman]

+John Smith Probably not my style. GFM

[@6364Chevyguy]

gauche

[@Anubalfer]

What if the spark is weak?

[@grayfurnaceman]

Weak spark equals a dying transformer. Get a new one. GFM

[@Anubalfer]

grayfurnaceman Thank you. I went ahead and got one after checking your website. I was reluctant since I had bought one last year and thought it couldn't have gone bad. It's still not igniting despite there being oil and spark now. Checking the gun assembly now.

[@kevinrichards9101]

Have spark but orange and weak looking

[@grayfurnaceman]

Replace the transformer. GFM

[@wiley0714]

So if I have bad electrodes can I tape my screwdriver to those two Springs and then stuff it in the hole to the front of the oil burner nozzle? That's just a joke you trolls

[@nathanjeffrey4637]

you realize you're the troll in this situation, right?

[@RobHVAC]

Good video.

[@rtoweprojects]

That transformer's weak. Should be 3/4 of the way across.

[@BOB05733]

That is the most asinine video I've seen in quite some time. You are showing people how to expose themselves to a 10,000 volt shock potential. Just buy a transformer tester already!!

[@grayfurnaceman]

+Bob Weeden I have worked with oil burners for many years and never used a transformer tester. I am sure they do their job fine. The voltage here is not hazardous as the amperage is so low. Also many of the viewers do not have such tools. GFM

[@superdutyscaler6823]

I've been a oil technician since 2000 and ever beckett course I've taken has stated NEVER use a transformer tester. Even beckett website tells you NOT to use a tester but TO USE the screwdriver test