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[uncle]

I finally got my Earth Wood furnace hooked up, one zone anyway. I will be heating my house off one loop and the shop off another.
I wanted to share a few things that I learned here and thank everyone for there shared knowledge:
  1- take the extra time to do the stove pipe the right way. I was going to run mine out the side wall. I boxed the roof beam to make way for a roof penetration and then took it out the corrugated roof. This is the way to do it!
  2- Do what you can to reduce 90's and other restrictions. I have not hooked up my fixed plate yet as I had to prove that the thing would work to my wife first. She doubted that there would be any real heat and wouldn't let me spend any more money until there was evidence. I have a total of 4 90's in the whole system.
  3- While your there, put in a connection by the pump to connect city water. I was able to shut off the top valve (pump supply) and push the air out with city water. Open the pump supply and prime the supply side.
 4- Bleed the air and bleed the air and bleed it again. It did take several attempts before I got most of the air out.
  5- I had a boil over- My stove did not have a damper and solenoid to block air from coming in through the blower at idle. Duct tape for now. Solenoid ordered from Grainger and pictures from members on the Shaver side for a retro fit.

My house is all electric and the heat from my heat pump in the winter is just above room temperature air. The air from this OWB is HOT air and when the blower kicks off, you can still feel a little warm air coming through the vents from convection. Wife is happy and I can spend a little more to finnish the hot water and her shop.

Why did it take 20 years to do something???

Thanks for all the great shared knowledge.
Brian

[moparevers]

Congrats on the new stove.

Is your stove new? Did it not come with a damper?

I just got a new Rancher. It doesn't use a solenoid, but has a damper that is blown open by the fan. I havent had any problems with my damper staying open.

Does you furnace have a metal box around the blower on the door? Mine does, which I think would keep direct wind from blowing the damper open...

[Scott7m]

Your furnace should already have a fan and stuff on it, no need to add anything, you should already have it

[baldwin racing]

I finally got my Earth Wood furnace hooked up, one zone anyway. I will be heating my house off one loop and the shop off another.
I wanted to share a few things that I learned here and thank everyone for there shared knowledge:
  1- take the extra time to do the stove pipe the right way. I was going to run mine out the side wall. I boxed the roof beam to make way for a roof penetration and then took it out the corrugated roof. This is the way to do it!
  2- Do what you can to reduce 90's and other restrictions. I have not hooked up my fixed plate yet as I had to prove that the thing would work to my wife first. She doubted that there would be any real heat and wouldn't let me spend any more money until there was evidence. I have a total of 4 90's in the whole system.
  3- While your there, put in a connection by the pump to connect city water. I was able to shut off the top valve (pump supply) and push the air out with city water. Open the pump supply and prime the supply side.
 4- Bleed the air and bleed the air and bleed it again. It did take several attempts before I got most of the air out.
  5- I had a boil over- My stove did not have a damper and solenoid to block air from coming in through the blower at idle. Duct tape for now. Solenoid ordered from Grainger and pictures from members on the Shaver side for a retro fit.

My house is all electric and the heat from my heat pump in the winter is just above room temperature air. The air from this OWB is HOT air and when the blower kicks off, you can still feel a little warm air coming through the vents from convection. Wife is happy and I can spend a little more to finnish the hot water and her shop.

Why did it take 20 years to do something???

Thanks for all the great shared knowledge.
Brian

Brian,
glad to see you have it all hooked up.....yes the straiter the pipe the better the draft....more bends you put in your pipe the less draft you will have......your blower should have something on it to top the draft of air when your blower not on.....a metal plate (door hooked on a actuator (can not spell) or a door that opens when the fan forces it open when it kicks on......if its brand new it should have that on it from factory.....glad to see you have it fire up.....let us know how it runs when you get it all fine tuned.....

kelly

[uncle]

I have one of the first Mountain man stoves. The blower is in the rear and not in the door. There is no flap or damper, when the motor quits you can place your hand on the opening and feel it sucking.

I bought it from a guy that bought it to heat a chicken house. He had a contract with Tysons and they nixed it. It sat unused for years before I could get it from him.

Brian

[Flyfishjt]

Yes it should have a flapper/damper already installed in door that opens when blower kicks on an closes with gravity when blower turns off. In fact I'm having issues with my woodsman not wanting to fire back up from a long idle time. I don't lose a fire it just doesn't want to fire hot unless I go out and stir things up. I'm sure it's just a learning curve for me because I just started the first fire in it 3 days ago and I don't have my thermostat hook up yet (still just running off manual fan). I did call Earth and they said if it becomes more of a problem I'm suppose to try and slip a paper clip onto flapper/damper and that will let just enough air into firebox to keep everything were it should be. My only concern with doing the paper clip thing is boil overs. Kinda funny to invest so much time and money into something and then rely on a simple paper clip to resolve a problem. But like I said I'm still learning and my stats aren't were they are suppose to be. Oh and as far as your plate exchanger look out! I installed a 20 plate with no mixer and man is it ever and endless supply of hot hot hot water! I will post a full review with pics of install as soon as I get the bugs worked out and everything working as it should. Good luck!

[Scott7m]

I have one of the first Mountain man stoves. The blower is in the rear and not in the door. There is no flap or damper, when the motor quits you can place your hand on the opening and feel it sucking.

I bought it from a guy that bought it to heat a chicken house. He had a contract with Tysons and they nixed it. It sat unused for years before I could get it from him.

Brian

Well there is no way for it to ever work in its current configuration

[Scott7m]

Yes it should have a flapper/damper already installed in door that opens when blower kicks on an closes with gravity when blower turns off. In fact I'm having issues with my woodsman not wanting to fire back up from a long idle time. I don't lose a fire it just doesn't want to fire hot unless I go out and stir things up. I'm sure it's just a learning curve for me because I just started the first fire in it 3 days ago and I don't have my thermostat hook up yet (still just running off manual fan). I did call Earth and they said if it becomes more of a problem I'm suppose to try and slip a paper clip onto flapper/damper and that will let just enough air into firebox to keep everything were it should be. My only concern with doing the paper clip thing is boil overs. Kinda funny to invest so much time and money into something and then rely on a simple paper clip to resolve a problem. But like I said I'm still learning and my stats aren't were they are suppose to be. Oh and as far as your plate exchanger look out! I installed a 20 plate with no mixer and man is it ever and endless supply of hot hot hot water! I will post a full review with pics of install as soon as I get the bugs worked out and everything working as it should. Good luck!

Your coal bed is likely not developed enough, don't be afraid to put in more wood than you need til u develop a coal bed

[moparevers]

My Earth Rancher 365 is doing great. On these warm days, i put in a bunch of little pieces of wood with 1 or 2 big ones (6-8 inch dia.)

The little wood turns to coals faster... and keeps the bottom of the big ones burning slowly.

I've also tried turning my differential down to 5 or 6 degrees. It seems to help reduce idle times... and keeps some coals alive... and reduces the condensation on the inside of the door.

[uncle]

I will look at the air tube that the blower attaches to and see if there is a swinging damper. I know that with the blower OFF there is enough neg presure going through the blower that it will hold a piece of cardboard in place to trace the shape out.

Brian