Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Username: Password:
Pages: 1 [2]

Author Topic: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat  (Read 12394 times)

yoderheating

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 833
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2010, 01:23:08 AM »

 If you are having a calcium build up problem you might try cleaning the system with Lime Away or The Works. Both have help me in similar situations. I have had several systems where I have installed two drain valves (one on the supply and one on the return). I isolate the heating loop by by turning the valves off at the furnace and hook a little submersible pump to the boiler drain in the return line and a water hose to the drain on the supply side. Drop the submersible pump into a bucket of water mixed with The Works and let it cycle for 15 min. A submersible pump cost $40 and it works like a charm.
Logged
Southwest Virginia
WF4000 Heat Master

jackel440

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 648
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2010, 10:13:36 AM »

If you are having a calcium build up problem you might try cleaning the system with Lime Away or The Works. Both have help me in similar situations. I have had several systems where I have installed two drain valves (one on the supply and one on the return). I isolate the heating loop by by turning the valves off at the furnace and hook a little submersible pump to the boiler drain in the return line and a water hose to the drain on the supply side. Drop the submersible pump into a bucket of water mixed with The Works and let it cycle for 15 min. A submersible pump cost $40 and it works like a charm.
Now that is some good information right there.I will have to try and remember this as I have hard water so I imagine it will be something I will run into in the future
Logged
LPK-440 wood gasification furnace
New Holland LS170
24' Titan deckover gooseneck
96' Dodge Ram 2500 V10 4x4
Stihl 025
Stihl 038 Magnum
Stihl 041 AV

tlynholland

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #17 on: December 07, 2010, 11:46:21 AM »

I took my lines off EVERYWHERE.  I started with the lines coming into my first exchanger (cold from the house water line, hot from the stove, out to the hot water heater, out to my furnace) The heat exchanger was completely plugged up with calcium chunks. I cleaned those out and then took off the lines to my plenum above my furnace.  When I do so, I poured out the lines into  a pitcher. It was full of calcium crap. I decided to try cleaning out my plenum/radiator looking exchanger.  I blew into one end and it sounded like the thing was vomiting chunks of calcium out everywhere. 
I did not have the crimping tool to crimp my pex lines back onto my furnace, but will do so tonight.

I may go ahead and replace my pump as well while I am at it.  I can get a new pump for $78 so why not.

I have a nice water softener unit that I constantly forget to fill up with salt. After all of this trouble, I will NOT be forgetting to do so in the future.  Dealers that install these things should give a heads up to people that purchase a new stove by telling them about stuff like this. I'm sure I am not the first guy this has happened to.  I feel like I could install these things now because I have done nearly everything there is to do.

I'm going to order another pump and run pex line out to my garage/barn, install a hydronic heater with a thermostat so I can keep it heated out there whenever I want to now that I know what all I need to do.

I will let everyone know for sure what ALL I had to do once I have wat water and heat again from my stove rather than my electric heat pump and my electric water heater which KILL me financially to run in this frigid sub teen cold weather.
 
Logged

tlynholland

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #18 on: December 07, 2010, 11:49:10 AM »

If you are having a calcium build up problem you might try cleaning the system with Lime Away or The Works. Both have help me in similar situations. I have had several systems where I have installed two drain valves (one on the supply and one on the return). I isolate the heating loop by by turning the valves off at the furnace and hook a little submersible pump to the boiler drain in the return line and a water hose to the drain on the supply side. Drop the submersible pump into a bucket of water mixed with The Works and let it cycle for 15 min. A submersible pump cost $40 and it works like a charm.

Now that I have my clogs cleared out, could I not just pour the Works or Lime Away into the top of my stove IF my pump is working and let it do the same?
Logged

yoderheating

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 833
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2010, 05:43:49 PM »

I would check with your furnace manufacture to make sure it would not void the warranty. 
Logged
Southwest Virginia
WF4000 Heat Master

macmgfd

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #20 on: December 07, 2010, 09:17:45 PM »

Two things i would wander about is would it break alot of other crud loose that is in the boiler and cause more problems and what would it do to some of the fittings. I know The Works will eat aluminum so I know it would not be good on an anode rod if you have one. Also unless you used the right amount for the volume of water your boiler holds which could be costly it would probably be to diluted to do anything.
I would try CLR somehow directly in the heat exchangers to be safe.
Just my two cents.
Logged
Sachs 112
Stihl 025
Stihl 032
Mono
Titan 30

willieG

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1852
  • owbinfo.com
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #21 on: December 07, 2010, 09:26:05 PM »

why not an in line water filter..thats what i use to help keep lines clear. 1 new filter each fall at start up and i'm good for a season


http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h308/billie_boy7/002-manifold-1.jpg
Logged
home made OWB (2012)
Ontario Canada

yoderheating

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 833
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #22 on: December 08, 2010, 05:42:53 AM »

 I think WillieG makes a good point. If you had an inline filter you would most likely not need to worry about it again. Make sure you get a filter that is designed for this application.
Logged
Southwest Virginia
WF4000 Heat Master

Sawdust

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 40
    • View Profile
Re: WM 4400 Problem with hot weater and heat
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2010, 06:36:58 PM »

 Was reading the former posts. Don't know whether or not this would be of any consideration or not but, when I was installing the pex lines for my system earlier this fall, of course the lines had to be cut to length at each connection, at one point when I cut the pex line there was a lump or deposit of some kind of material kinda of like spackling compound in the line- I had to scrape it out to remove it. I  was quite concerned about it as I had no idea as to how much of it may be in the line. I passed it off as some byproduct of the manufacturing process. However I have had no problems so far. Just thought I would mention this.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]