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Portage & Main / Re: Should I drain water out of my boiler at the end of burning season???

« on: February 10, 2017, 05:56:05 AM »

Thanks everyone for your responses...

From what I've seen checking nitrates, electrical conductivity and ph every season will save a lot of treatment. Once the water is treated and has "oxidized away" any free oxygen it's basically "dead". When you drain it out you're starting all over with the whole process.

Talked to Brian at P & M and E Yoder is right on...  not a great idea to drian your boiler.  I will instead be installing a filter and will continue to keep sending my water samples to make sure everything looks good.

Thanks again

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Portage & Main / Should I drain water out of my boiler at the end of burning season???

« on: February 06, 2017, 06:20:05 PM »

Once this season comes to an end, I wondered if i should drain the boiler for the spring and summer months.  This is my 3rd season with the BL-2840. I'm very happy with it, and have never drained it before and always have my water ph level tested. 

Thoughts and advice...

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Portage & Main / Re: bl 28-40 front air chamber plugging

« on: February 06, 2017, 06:09:14 PM »

 I got a call from Heat More in December wondering if I was getting moisture in my ash pan.  I was not, but they had made up a baffle to help fix the issue for those who are. All I had to do was pay shipping to get it. It's a U shaped piece of sheet metal with fiberglass insulation stuffed in it and it sits just inside the ash door.  I was not having a moisture issue before but am using it anyway.

Thanks for sharing...   great to know.

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Portage & Main / Re: 28-40

« on: April 01, 2016, 04:27:01 PM »

^^^^
 I read all the reviews,but like most things people buy they will not admit to short comings  in their purchase.Most of the things i have posted a bought may seem small,but should not happen on a stove of this price.There are alot of good things they have done and the stove in the most part is well built.The stove i made i only added water a couple of times a year,this one it is every week and more often at times.On mine i ran the intake for the draft fan in the attic of the stove,this way it got worm air and dropped the temp of the water far less.When i buy something form a stove to a motorcycle i will tell the truth of it's short comings,of coarse this is IMHOP.

I have added a total of 2 quarts of water over 4 and half months use....   Might wanna check all your connections???

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Portage & Main / Re: 28-40

« on: April 01, 2016, 04:19:32 PM »

I do wish the door opened the other way though.   Never dawned on me that that is why my left side of my jacket is all dirty.

Yes my one complaint...

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Portage & Main / Re: Things I've learned from my BL3444

« on: April 01, 2016, 04:07:53 PM »

Approaching the end of my second season with the stove (2nd season with any outdoor stove actually).  Last winter was much more severe with many days failing to reach above zero, and many lows in the -30s and -20s.  This year we've had occasional lows into the -20s (twice maybe?) but many mild days, including 50s and 60s this month.  These are the things I've learned through two years now of working with the stove.

1.  Smaller, dry pieces of wood, loaded to the same volume as large wet pieces of wood, burns much more efficiently.  I was stoked (no pun intended) to be able to load it full with big rounds last year and then reload it 24+ hours later.  That led to a lot of smoke.  I get the same burn times now with splits or smaller rounds that are dry.

2.  Keep the ashes low to keep the firebrick exposed.  I have the non-shaker version.  Last year it seemed the stove lasted longer between loads if I had ash/coal bed piled up almost to the door.  This year, I've shoveled out 20 gallons of ash every one or two weeks, to the point that it looks almost like the fire won't relight because there's so few coals in there that I'm throwing logs onto.  It burns way better this way.  The firebrick help keep it hotter and the fire can relight easier.  I make sure to rake it enough so the ashes keep falling into the cleanout chute, which leads to the third thing I've learned...

3.  Keep the ash cleanout chute cleared at least every week.  This allows the airflow to be much more efficient to get the fire going again, and to burn it hotter once it's going as the air is flying in from two directions with maximum speed.  When it's burning efficiently, I see only heat coming out of the stove.  When the coal bed is small and the ashes are not in the firebox, I get a blowtorch of flames shooting up from the chute when it's burning with the blower on.  I'm assuming it's from small coals falling into the chute that are getting completely burned up to ash.  That really helps in the efficiency department.

4.  Keep the diff longer instead of shorter.  Last year I had it at 7 degrees.  This year, 12 degrees (190 set point, fan kicks on at 178).  I've thought about trying to lower it further, but it's been working so well this way I don't want to mess with it.  Even in the warm 50s and 60s weather we've had this month, I still leave it set there.  I thought I'd have to lower it so the fan kicked on at about 183 for the warm weather, but I haven't had to.  Probably because:

5.  Don't overload it.  Load just enough to get to the next fill.  I aim for 12 hours.  98% of the time, my aimed-for-12-hours-fills would last about 16 hours or more.  Less fresh wood allows it to burn more of the coals completely to ash, which aids in raking the ash into the chute, which aids in keeping the ashes low, which keeps the coal bed low, which keeps the firebrick exposed, which makes my life easier!

Bottom line, I'm really liking this stove.  It's heating 5200 square feet between a house and a detached garage, and DHW, and working wonderfully.

Great post.  I have the little brother to the 3444 but all five of your observations transfer to the smaller unit as well.  I am also very happy with the unit as I'm also finishing up my second year with it.

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Portage & Main / Re: Closest Portage and Main dealer to Southern Ohio???

« on: December 23, 2015, 06:50:13 AM »

Hi Oaky

I live in the Chillicothe area and I'm not sure of one in this region.  About two weeks ago though, I was up in millersburg (amish country) and happened across one.  Not sure of the name of it.  They also were a plumbing business.

Cando

Cando, thanks for the info and response, we make our way through your neck of the woods quite often...

Coolidge, I went ahead and ordered some spare parts from the factory a couple weeks ago, should be here anyday...

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Portage & Main / Closest Portage and Main dealer to Southern Ohio???

« on: November 01, 2015, 09:16:01 AM »

Would like to know the closest dealer so I can stock some replacement parts???

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Portage & Main / Re: Any BL 2840's within a couple hours of central Ky.?

« on: December 17, 2014, 06:39:34 PM »

I live about an hour south of Columbus Ohio and would not mind helping out.

Cando...  where abouts are ya???

I'm down here in Jackson County.  Just Curious how happy you are with your boiler???

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Portage & Main / Re: Burn Time

« on: December 17, 2014, 06:29:26 PM »

I see that Marty was able to post a picture this morning so I'm going to try and post the diagram this morning for those of you who are interested, Darn it won't go, I have had several requests for it so I'll try to get Marty to post it on this thread, Guys if you want it Please send me an E-Mail request and I'll send it right back, my E-Mail is mainlycustomsawing@yahoo.com
  The whole Idea is to interrupt the power wire to the blower/actuator and pass it through a Strap on Aqua Stat( I use a honeywell 6006C  1018 ) this gets placed on the supply line off the back of the boiler, use the R+W terminals (they make connection on temp rise) set the Aqua Stat at 160 degrees, this kills the blower below set point, now where you interrupted the power wire, attach 2 more wires to run over to a 60 minute timer ( I use the TORK A560MW ) this allows you to bypass the Aqua-Stat for 60 minutes while the fire is rekindling itself

Don't know how soon i'll get to this, but sounds like a great idea and definitely see the reason behind it...