Hard starting heater

rusty6 · Dec 12, 2016

For several winters now it has been really hard to get this reddy heater to ignite when it gets cold. Like below 0F degrees. The only way I could get it to light was by unscrewing the top cover and opening it up. Then it fires up instantly but burns pretty rich with a flame as I guess there is insufficient air to the nozzle without the hood. Set the hood back on and try it again and it fires right up fine. I can use it this way but its a nuisance having to unscrew the cover every time to fire it up. I've tried air pressure adjustments but it was not the real fix. Talked to a guy with an older John Deere heater that has the same problem.

jacks · Dec 12, 2016

I have an old reddy heater that is hard starting unless I block off about half of the air filter, then it starts right up and runs fine with the air filter not blocked off. I have cleaned and checked the ignitor and nozzle, but it still wants a little choking to start.

rusty6 · Dec 12, 2016

(quoted from post at 12:19:18 12/12/16) I have an old reddy heater that is hard starting unless I block off about half of the air filter, then it starts right up and runs fine with the air filter not blocked off. I have cleaned and checked the ignitor and nozzle, but it still wants a little choking to start.

Thats interesting. It seems more like mine gets too much air with the hood on so when I take it off it can ignite. I leave the round rear louvered cover off all the time. I could try your method next time I start mine.

rrlund · Dec 12, 2016

Mine does both. I can take the top off like the OP,or slap the air intake with a piece of cardboard. I should have taken it back when it was new because it's done it since day one. At one point,I found a cracked fuel hose that was sucking air. I replaced than and it helped some,but didn't cure it.

fixerupper · Dec 12, 2016

I tried every trick in the book to get mine to fire right till I finally made little stand offs that permanently raise the rear of the hood a bit on my heater. Runs like a champ now. If the hood is all the way down it acts like it is faltering for awhile, then it starts blowing smoke.

Bill in IL · Dec 12, 2016

I had that problem with a heater one time too. I think I had to replace the pump in it. I would look to the fuel side or lack of delivery either filter dirty nozzle then the pump. If you think about it you are slowing the airflow by opening it up therefore increasing the fuel to air ratio.

Does your heater still turn the inner cone bright orange or just a dull orange. The last one I had that how I realized I had fuel problems.

Bob Bancroft · Dec 12, 2016

I haven't worked on these since my days in the shop from the early 70's to the mid 80's. I assume they're still built the same, and I'll try to remember.
Randy mentions a cracked hose. That's one important thing. There is a seal back in where the nozzle screws in. It's very important as this little bugger separates the air pressure from the fuel. The vane pump pumps air under pressure out through the nozzle, which then siphons fuel up through the CLEAN filter, good hose, and out through the nozzle, where the air and fuel are mixed. Like an engine, problem is almost always a fuel delivery problem, not an air problem. So, the cleanliness and integrity of the whole delivery system is important.
You can hold a finger over the air relief valve/adjusting screw, giving it full pressure, for starting. Often the difference of whether one of these units starts is the fuel. Most will burn fuel oil all day, but many won't start on it. They require the thinner kerosene to get that initial siphon going. The air pressure is about correct when the front flame cone has a little dark spot in the middle, and the rest of it glows red.

FBH44 · Dec 12, 2016

Have no idea but it reminds me of my Stihl MS-180 saw that won't run when the muffler screen is all carboned up. Have to just take propane torch and burn the screen clean, then it's all fixed.

Stroby · Dec 12, 2016

Unless you use that thing in a national forest, REMOVE the screen! It serves as a spark arrestor....

Jerry/MT · Dec 12, 2016

These heaters are pretty simple. Make sure the pressure is correct. You"ll need a gauge that is 0-10 or 12 psi. Make sure the fuel pickup isn"t sucking air. They"re usually made of rubber hose so they deteriorate. Make sure the air inlet is clear. They normally have a small air filter and that has to be clear. Make sure nothing obstructs the air intake. make sure the fan is running. It may have a fuel filter on the pick up so make sure it isn"t clogged. Check the nozzle and clean it if necessary. Since you say it is running rich, either your fuel pressure is too high or the air flow is restricted.

rusty6 · Dec 12, 2016

(quoted from post at 16:15:37 12/12/16) These heaters are pretty simple. Make sure the pressure is correct. You"ll need a gauge that is 0-10 or 12 psi. Make sure the fuel pickup isn"t sucking air. They"re usually made of rubber hose so they deteriorate. Make sure the air inlet is clear. They normally have a small air filter and that has to be clear. Make sure nothing obstructs the air intake. make sure the fan is running. It may have a fuel filter on the pick up so make sure it isn"t clogged. Check the nozzle and clean it if necessary. Since you say it is running rich, either your fuel pressure is too high or the air flow is restricted.

No question the fan is running like a jet engine but if it does not light in about 15 seconds it automatically shuts the whole system down. It definitely pumps fuel because after a few failed attempts, when it finally does light it really flames and smokes burning up the excess unburned fueld than has accumulated when it was trying to start. I tested it again this evening after it had sat six hours in 0 degree or less temps and it started up with no problem so I did not get to test out any of the ideas offered so far. Maybe tomorrow.

Bob Bancroft · Dec 12, 2016

Yes, I had forgotten, even back then, they had an electric eye that would shut the unit down if flame didn't develop. And I forgot all about the ignition. Spark plug/ignitor, high tension lead, and transformer. But that was pretty straight forward. You either had spark, or not!

oc-18guy · Dec 12, 2016

get on youtube there is very helpful videos for those on there mine gave me fits last year watched a few videos and purrs like a kitten now figuratively speaking of course.

Bob · Dec 12, 2016

" unscrewing the top cover and opening it up."

What do you mean by that?

rusty6 · Dec 12, 2016

(quoted from post at 20:01:02 12/12/16) " unscrewing the top cover and opening it up."

What do you mean by that?

Notice in the picture below the name "Reddy Heater" there is a horizontal seam? There are are screws holding that joint together and when removed the top half lifts right off exposing the fan and burner. You have to be careful running it because the fan blade runs close to the housing. I don't risk trying to put the cover back on with it running in case the fan hits the cover as I replace it.

Leroy · Dec 13, 2016

I bought a Knipco about 40 years aco and about 2 years later dad wanted to get a second heater, bought a Ready heater and it would not work new, store took it back and he bought a Knipco just like I had, no problems and still have both to use. The ready was just made to flimsey to work.

JMS/.MN · Dec 13, 2016

Hinge the cover....

rusty6 · Dec 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 13:59:26 12/13/16) Hinge the cover....

I tried holding my hand over the air intake while it was starting today and that worked this time. Might be the easiest solution of all.

flying belgian · Dec 13, 2016

Could be water in the tank. Drain the tank and put in fresh kero. See what happens then.

flying belgian · Dec 13, 2016

Oh I should add, it costs you nothing to pour out old fuel into a open top bucket and leave it set out overnight to freeze. Tomorrow you can pour the fuel back into heater and the water, if any, will be in chunks.

rusty6 · Dec 13, 2016

(quoted from post at 17:20:04 12/13/16) Oh I should add, it costs you nothing to pour out old fuel into a open top bucket and leave it set out overnight to freeze. Tomorrow you can pour the fuel back into heater and the water, if any, will be in chunks.

Trust me on this, any water that is not in my house or 8 feet underground is already well frozen solid at the temps we have here. The heater has been sitting in the unheated shed at 0F temps for many days. It started fine back when it was in the 20s.

GVSII · Dec 14, 2016

Bob's right.Most all the ones I've messed with, in -0 temps,light right off on kero. but want nursing on diesel.

Hard starting heater

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