When experiencing difficulties with an oil fired plant, which two issues should be investigated first?

The choice of investigating plugged strainers and pump failure first when encountering difficulties with an oil-fired plant is particularly sound due to the critical roles these components play in the overall operation of the plant.

Plugged strainers can lead to restricted fuel flow, which affects combustion efficiency and can cause the plant to operate poorly or even shut down. If fuel cannot pass properly through the strainers, it could lead to insufficient fuel delivery to the burners, resulting in unstable or incomplete combustion.

Pump failure is also a vital concern because pumps are responsible for the circulation of fuel oil to the combustion process. If a pump is failing or has failed entirely, there would be an immediate impact on the system's ability to supply fuel, leading to potential operational issues, such as pressure drops, loss of heating capacity, or complete system shutdown.

Focusing on these two elements first helps in quickly diagnosing and addressing fundamental operational risks that can disrupt the entire plant. Other issues, while potentially serious, might arise only after ensuring that the fuel delivery system is functioning adequately. Hence, troubleshooting these areas initially is a practical approach in the maintenance and operation of an oil-fired plant.