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Author Topic: Water level and wood consumtion  (Read 3951 times)

gtownky

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Water level and wood consumtion
« on: March 03, 2013, 08:31:02 PM »

It appears to me that Im burning way to much wood. I have to stuff this thing with wood every 12 hours. Does that sound right. How much wood do you all go through in 24 hrs? Also i have to add water do to steam every 3 days. How do i stop that?
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Scott7m

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2013, 08:38:35 PM »

It appears to me that Im burning way to much wood. I have to stuff this thing with wood every 12 hours. Does that sound right. How much wood do you all go through in 24 hrs? Also i have to add water do to steam every 3 days. How do i stop that?

I'm in the same weather as you know..  In this weather you should be putting in 6-8 split pieces of hardwood at night and maybe 3-4 during the day...  I'm talking just average size pieces were used to seeing. 

Adding water due to steam?  Shouldn't be doing that unless it has a totally open vent with no cap of any kind, it sounds like you may have some flow issues inside the water jacket though, it's common for that to be a problem in home made units, the water doesn't flow inside the water jacket and causes hot spots, water could be boiling me steaming like crazy in one spot and 140 at another, making you use more wood and adding water all the time..   
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tawilson1152

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2013, 03:47:40 AM »

Scott,
Have you seen anyone put a circ pump between the supply and return lines at the boiler to help with flow through the boiler? I guess it would be a primary loop and the piping to the house would be a secondary loop drawing of that?
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Scott7m

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2013, 09:41:16 AM »

Scott,
Have you seen anyone put a circ pump between the supply and return lines at the boiler to help with flow through the boiler? I guess it would be a primary loop and the piping to the house would be a secondary loop drawing of that?

Not exactly but often times the supply and return are in the wrong places, and folks don't understand that often times there is some internal plumbing.  If you pull heat from the top and return to the bottom you are doing nothing to promote a balanced tank of water.  In his case he could have water boiling in the back or front and temps staying below his set point where the probe is, it could even be 40-50 degrees colder in spots..  Not only does these flow issues cause steaming, water loss, and efficiency issues, but also to the early death of the boiler.  I it constantly has cold water around the bottom of the firebox that's gonna cause moisture to gather there inside the firebox.   It's a bad deal
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gtownky

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2013, 04:05:18 AM »

you sound like you are right on target, Scott. I can move the temp probe down a inch and drop temp several degrees. Im pulling off the top should i switch to the bottom? If I do I dont think i will ever get the water to get 180 degrees coming in the house. The top is just like a cover over the water jacket. Its just laying over it. Then I took some foam board and layed it over that. Then made anouther lid to lay over that. I was thinking of welding the first lid on and putting a blow off valve in. Whats your thoughts on that.
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Scott7m

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2013, 10:02:41 AM »

you sound like you are right on target, Scott. I can move the temp probe down a inch and drop temp several degrees. Im pulling off the top should i switch to the bottom? If I do I dont think i will ever get the water to get 180 degrees coming in the house. The top is just like a cover over the water jacket. Its just laying over it. Then I took some foam board and layed it over that. Then made anouther lid to lay over that. I was thinking of welding the first lid on and putting a blow off valve in. Whats your thoughts on that.

Pulling off th bottom would make the tank more balanced, if that would keep you from gettin the whole tank to 180 then u got big problems..

With the set up you have and the top being open and adding water constantly your either gonna spend a lot of money in boiler treatment or have this unit fail early, it has several things working against it right now, that colder water at the bottom of the fire box will cause condensation inside the firebox which will mix with ash and eat it up quick.. 

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chaikwa

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2013, 02:05:47 PM »

... often times the supply and return are in the wrong places, and folks don't understand that often times there is some internal plumbing.  If you pull heat from the top and return to the bottom you are doing nothing to promote a balanced tank of water
So where is the ideal location to place the outlet pipe? It would seem the very bottom of the water jacket doesn't make any more sense than the very top. The return line should also extend into the water jacket by at least 2/3rds the total length of the water jacket, shouldn't it? Would you also recommend the return line be higher than the outlet line or lower?

I'm going to be building my own boiler in a few months and these are questions I have yet to resolve, so any advice you can give would be appreciated!
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Scott7m

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Re: Water level and wood consumtion
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2013, 02:26:46 PM »

... often times the supply and return are in the wrong places, and folks don't understand that often times there is some internal plumbing.  If you pull heat from the top and return to the bottom you are doing nothing to promote a balanced tank of water
So where is the ideal location to place the outlet pipe? It would seem the very bottom of the water jacket doesn't make any more sense than the very top. The return line should also extend into the water jacket by at least 2/3rds the total length of the water jacket, shouldn't it? Would you also recommend the return line be higher than the outlet line or lower?

I'm going to be building my own boiler in a few months and these are questions I have yet to resolve, so any advice you can give would be appreciated!

No definitely not out of the lowest point....  Most are about 12-14" from the bottom and the returns are maybe 6-8" from the top, and yes you can extend that forward into water jacket for even better circulation.  If your supply is at the top, as I've said it does nothing to promote water circulation, and them factor in the if you have any kinda boiler over and you lose some water, your pump is gonna be destroyed as well.  Most pumps we use, use water for lubrication and fail when they run dry. 

When you get a good balanced tank of water everything works better and the stove is better protected, just keep your probe sensor away from the return where it emptied into the stove
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