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When I turned on the water this morning, I got a nasty and cold surprise.

Checked the heating system and it showed an alarm. After resetting it, it came back on but I did not trust it to work reliably. This is a 1993 year old oil heating and hot water system with a replacement burner from 2008.

Figured it's probably the ignition electrodes and I had spares since the last repair in 2018 so I got to work this evening. The electrodes did indeed look horrible. It's a miracle it worked this long and praise the Lord this didn't happen during winter.

Decided while I was in there, I'd replace the oil nozzle, of which I also had a spare. Pic related shows it was caked with residue and at the end of its useful life.

Works like a bought one again. Wife is very happy.

When I turned on the water this morning, I got a nasty and cold surprise. Checked the heating system and it showed an alarm. After resetting it, it came back on but I did not trust it to work reliably. This is a 1993 year old oil heating and hot water system with a replacement burner from 2008. Figured it's probably the ignition electrodes and I had spares since the last repair in 2018 so I got to work this evening. The electrodes did indeed look horrible. It's a miracle it worked this long and praise the Lord this didn't happen during winter. Decided while I was in there, I'd replace the oil nozzle, of which I also had a spare. Pic related shows it was caked with residue and at the end of its useful life. Works like a bought one again. Wife is very happy.
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[–] • 1 pt (edited )

I'm not familiar with 'inducer' in the context. Is it a fan of sorts? Yeah, 25 years is a great lifespan for those components you install and then forget about them.

[–] • 1 pt

The inducer motor and fan is an assembly that pumps the exhaust out of the combustion chamber in a natural or propane gas heating furnace when the waste heat and gasses from the combustion process aren't hot enough to exhaust convectively out of the chimney. This is an example: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Nordyne-903111-Inducer-Blower-Motor-Assembly-w-Gasket

This is necessary on 80/90+ efficiency devices because they are...well, efficient.

Natgas powered water heaters usually don't have this problem as they're just a kettle on a flame type systems.

[–] • 1 pt

I see. Thanks, you learn something new every day.