Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers with NON EPA-Certified Models Only => RidgeWood Stoves, defunct, support only => Topic started by: automan77 on February 09, 2015, 08:30:12 AM

Title: Boilers
Post by: automan77 on February 09, 2015, 08:30:12 AM
How's everyone's winter been so far with there boilers.  it's  been silent lately on the ridgewood forum.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: jamesbodeis on February 09, 2015, 09:29:09 AM
So far so good. My only issue has been I dont have seasoned wood. Installed the fan kit and it has helped some. Finally got some dead ash this weekend so curious to see how much different it is.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 11:23:59 AM
James

How much stack do you have?  I add a three foot section and it help a lot. I'm been burning a lot of damp wood.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: jamesbodeis on February 09, 2015, 11:28:14 AM
I'm running 6ft.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 11:42:01 AM
Are your burn times less with the draft blower set up?
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: jamesbodeis on February 09, 2015, 12:32:36 PM
Yeah. They are shorter.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Vincent Paul on February 09, 2015, 05:16:09 PM
Still incredibly happy with our 7500.  I have friends who have both Central Boiler and Hardy units and I think they are secretly envious of the simplicity of the design and how well they are built ( not to mention the cost ).  Been cold then mild then cold at our farm in southern Indiana.  Either way, my log home with TALL ceilings is always warm.  Again I say, we are very happy with the natural draft and 6' stack.  But, we are always burning seasoned wood.  You Ridgewood guys on this site have been very helpful to us and we appreciate it very much.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 05:20:26 PM
Who has the tallest stack? I have six foot now. I want to add more.  Thoughts?
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Chas on February 09, 2015, 05:41:14 PM
Not to out do you Wissel , but mine is 7ft. Last winter I was thinking about going to 10' but never did. It's working fine the way it is.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 05:49:37 PM
I was thinking two or three more feet.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 06:11:47 PM
What size stove pipe is everyone using? I used the adapter and use  eight inch.

My dad is using single wall and is going to switch to double. Six inch is a lot cheaper.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Chas on February 09, 2015, 06:21:52 PM
I used an adaptor  and 8" double wall from Menards.  I don't think I'd drop to 6", it might mess with the draft.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 09, 2015, 06:24:15 PM
Menard's had a special order seven inch.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: U.P. Doug on February 09, 2015, 06:58:44 PM
I have been very happy with my stove this winter. Burn times have been great, fill the stove around 6:00 am then rake it forward when I get home, then load it at night around 8:00. I have not had any problems with recovery times, but I am using well seasoned hardwood. I was concerned about not having a fan when I bought the stove but after using it this winter I am very pleased with the natural draft as it seems to be using less wood than the Woodmaster 4400 that was in the house I rented.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Chicken farmer on February 10, 2015, 03:47:30 PM
Other than a faulty controller, I'm pretty satisfied. I'm running a single piece of 24" double wall from Menards on the stack. I will be adding an aquastat to cut the voltage to the damper door solenoid should an overtemp situation occur.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Roscoe on February 10, 2015, 06:38:15 PM
I think I finally have my 7500 with fan option dialed in @ 185 low 195 high. Burning semi seasoned everything but hardwood. Still not used to tending to it 2x a day and still a little gun shy on losing a solenoid due to creosote. Minimal creosote since bumping up the temps.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: wissel12 on February 10, 2015, 07:23:37 PM
High the temp the less creosote you will have. Mine comes on at 183 off at 190.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 12, 2015, 07:26:28 AM
im running 9ft of stack, helped out recovery times for sure. i can throw anything in that sucker now and it will burn. only takes about 2 min of that door being open and u got a fire raging
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: right2bear on March 22, 2015, 05:54:48 AM
I paid for Ridgewood's 8ft pre built stack... dropped right in after grinding down the bead inside the stub. It surely helped my recovery times by a lot. My problem is excessive creosote no matter what wood we run... almost like the inside of the tank has a coating of something that will not stop melting. I have never seen so much tar all over the damper door, spilling out onto the ground, destroyed the rope gasket within the first two months of running the stove.

Hell I run the thing at a 200° shut off and 196° turn on.

I also have been burning nothing but well seasoned wood so...
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: U.P. Doug on March 22, 2015, 06:56:26 AM
I am not sure why my stove is so different? I have had no issues with creosote, my door is completely free of it, and I have been burning wood cut in the fall the last few weeks. I have the stock stack but I did fabricate a fan for the door that blows a very small amount of air, around 30cfm, to help in burning the green wood. I do not load my wood right up to the door. I rake the coal bed forward and stack wood 3 rows high in the back and middle of the stove. My temp is set at 182 high 172 low.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: golffanman on March 24, 2015, 04:09:05 AM
Wow right2bear I'm on my 2nd year and have no creosote on the door at all. There is creosote in the firebox, but nothing dripping out my door. Last year I burned green wood, this year drier wood. Nothing like you are experiencing. What type of wood are you burning? Mine is a mixture. My high temp is 175°.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: woodman on March 24, 2015, 06:00:24 AM
You guys having trouble with creosote at the door, is there any chance the stove is just off level? If so try shimming the legs in the front a little to make it tip back ever so slightly.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: right2bear on March 27, 2015, 09:21:21 PM
Wow right2bear I'm on my 2nd year and have no creosote on the door at all. There is creosote in the firebox, but nothing dripping out my door. Last year I burned green wood, this year drier wood. Nothing like you are experiencing. What type of wood are you burning? Mine is a mixture. My high temp is 175°.

I'm burning primarily 2yr old ash and elm, with a mix of red oak.
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: slimjim on March 28, 2015, 03:30:41 AM
Right2bear, have you got an air leak around the door gasket? Could you replace the gasket and tighten the door?
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Roscoe on April 05, 2015, 03:46:23 PM
Bump....................anything new guys?
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: right2bear on April 05, 2015, 06:25:12 PM
No air leaks... still massive amounts of creo-evil :bash:
Title: Re: Boilers
Post by: Chicken farmer on April 06, 2015, 05:10:57 PM
I get lots of creosote also. Sometimes it drips from the door. Burning 3 year old oak and hickory. Some silver maple too, but not much.