After trying everything I could find in threads and videos, I need help (technically and psychologically). This kero heater is breaking me. I have one of Pinnacle's "radiant" heaters - branded the Master MH 80 OFR. For a few weeks it would do the light, run for a few seconds, turn off. If I warmed up the heater a bit it would eventually stay on. For reference it is ~40F in the shop when this is happening. Eventually it wouldn't stay on at all so I took apart and cleaned the lines, nozzle, and fuel filter. Multiple times. Then it wouldn't even light. I took all of the grates off the front so I could watch the ignition and saw that it wasn't misting, just dripping or squirting. Cleaned the nozzle again and upped the fuel pump pressure to 120psi. Now it atomizes and sparks and still doesn't fire. The fuel pipe is only submerged about halfway so as to not pull water if any existed in the tank (though the fuel is fresh and was igniting fine before). My only ideas are: can the spark be not strong enough? could the nozzle spray angle wear out so that the cone of mist misses the spark? Never heard of either of these things mentioned... I really appreciate any insight!
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Help! with a "radiant" torpedo heater
- Thread starter Mattman83
- Start date
PWC Repair
Well-known member
I would imagine, just like on any engine, weak spark can cause the fuel NOT to ignite. Does the manufacturer have tech support?
Captain Spaulding
Well-known member
How did you clean the nozzle?
I had the version that Home Depot sells. When they work they are the best torpedo type heater I have experienced. Not too loud, great radiant output and even burning diesel they are pretty clean once warmed up.
They are sold under lots of different brand names, but I think there is only one real manufacturer as they all have the same specs and look pretty identical.
If you look at the reviews on all of them you will see that quality control is not their strong point.
The first one I got worked great but leaked. I should have just taken it apart and tightened the fuel fittings. The second one I got after returning the first failed to light after the first 2 attempts. I eventually diagnosed the ignitor as being bad. I was in the middle of construction and never bothered to fix it and my brother now has it as a backup.
I just used a propane weed burner to ignite it. Try that with yours then you will know if the ignition is the issue. The other thing that it could be is the light sensor for the pump. If it doesn't sense enough light, it will shut down the pump after initial startup.
They are sold under lots of different brand names, but I think there is only one real manufacturer as they all have the same specs and look pretty identical.
If you look at the reviews on all of them you will see that quality control is not their strong point.
The first one I got worked great but leaked. I should have just taken it apart and tightened the fuel fittings. The second one I got after returning the first failed to light after the first 2 attempts. I eventually diagnosed the ignitor as being bad. I was in the middle of construction and never bothered to fix it and my brother now has it as a backup.
I just used a propane weed burner to ignite it. Try that with yours then you will know if the ignition is the issue. The other thing that it could be is the light sensor for the pump. If it doesn't sense enough light, it will shut down the pump after initial startup.