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211
HeatMaster / Re: stove problems
« on: December 09, 2013, 08:46:45 PM »
C'mon Crow, we all want to hear the answer.
212
Shaver Furnace / Shaver top loader
« on: December 06, 2013, 04:47:22 PM »
Saw a top loading boiler by Shaver on Ebay. I know Shaver's reputation but that looks awesome. Open it with a remote control and load it with logs with the skid loader. come back in a couple days to do it again.
213
Plumbing / Re: Shell and Tube Sidearm Questions
« on: December 04, 2013, 07:18:30 PM »
mine is similar but not exactly the same.
Install is the same though.
Mine was built by a local guy that sells Nature's Comfort. He is a HVAC guy that is pretty handy. The one I bought from him actually divides into 5 smaller tubes inside the large outer shell for more surface area heat transfer.
When I installed it on my 40 gallon water heater, it took about an hour to get it up to 150 degrees. And it was cold water because the water heater had been shut off for a month just using the plate exchanger.
Install is the same though.
Mine was built by a local guy that sells Nature's Comfort. He is a HVAC guy that is pretty handy. The one I bought from him actually divides into 5 smaller tubes inside the large outer shell for more surface area heat transfer.
When I installed it on my 40 gallon water heater, it took about an hour to get it up to 150 degrees. And it was cold water because the water heater had been shut off for a month just using the plate exchanger.
214
Plumbing / Re: Shell and Tube Sidearm Questions
« on: December 04, 2013, 12:22:47 PM »
Mount is as close to the bottom of your water heater as possible. T off your drain valve. Then extend above the heat exchanger up to your popoff valve and T into that. Water will then thermosiphon from the bottom to the top. I went to the bottom of Heat exchanger first with boiler water and then on to Furnace from the top of the heat exchanger, but it will work either way, I just wanted the hottest water at the lowest point.
215
Plumbing / Re: where to buy thermo pex or logger in wisconsin /Minnesota area,
« on: December 04, 2013, 12:18:00 PM »
I know the P&M dealer in Mankato,MN sells thermopex pipe. I saw on CL that he has a couple lengths of used Thermopex for about 1/2 price of new.
216
Plumbing / Re: sidearm vs plate exchanger and can they used together
« on: December 04, 2013, 12:13:46 PM »
Yeah, copy that Countryboy.
I was using a plate exchanger solely before adding the side arm. So it was just easy to go from plate exchanger to sidearm to Furnace with the boiler water.
As far as going from a plate exchanger to the water heater with domestic water, that is OK but you are sending hot water into the water heater where it could actually cool down because of lack of movement for hours while family is at school/work. Whereas, if you are only using a plate exchanger, coming out of water heater on the way to faucets (with mixing valve for safety) is better because you are getting Hot water right off the plate exchanger.
I definitely agree with your point of storage and that's why I added a side arm also. Works great.
I bought the sidearm from local Nature's Comfort dealer with builds them himself. It has 3/4 in and divides into 5 small tubes inside the big tube for excellent heat transfer. Really good quality.
I was using a plate exchanger solely before adding the side arm. So it was just easy to go from plate exchanger to sidearm to Furnace with the boiler water.
As far as going from a plate exchanger to the water heater with domestic water, that is OK but you are sending hot water into the water heater where it could actually cool down because of lack of movement for hours while family is at school/work. Whereas, if you are only using a plate exchanger, coming out of water heater on the way to faucets (with mixing valve for safety) is better because you are getting Hot water right off the plate exchanger.
I definitely agree with your point of storage and that's why I added a side arm also. Works great.
I bought the sidearm from local Nature's Comfort dealer with builds them himself. It has 3/4 in and divides into 5 small tubes inside the big tube for excellent heat transfer. Really good quality.
217
Plumbing / Re: whats kind of underground piping should i use??????
« on: December 04, 2013, 12:02:28 PM »
my snow melts between my boiler and garage too. Luckily it is only about a 20 foot run.
I think the next time I put pipe underground I am going to put my insulated pex-in-black pipe INSIDE a 6 inch hard PVC pipe with the joints glued and elbowed up to above ground on both ends. That way the cold, damp earth can't even touch the black tile pipe.
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I think the next time I put pipe underground I am going to put my insulated pex-in-black pipe INSIDE a 6 inch hard PVC pipe with the joints glued and elbowed up to above ground on both ends. That way the cold, damp earth can't even touch the black tile pipe.
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218
Plumbing / Re: sidearm vs plate exchanger and can they used together
« on: December 03, 2013, 01:50:20 PM »
I have both in my application. And it works better that either alone!
I started with just a plate exchanger and it worked just fine. If you have a boiler with a lot of water, or one that can recover real fast, you will be OK. Because you are cooling the boiler water just as fast as you are heating your domestic water. Therefore, you are sending much cooler water back to the boiler when hot water is being used. My stove is a gasser with 250 gallons so it worked well for me.
But, it was bugging me that the water was returning so much cooler, and there sat my water heater with 40 gallons of COLD water in it that could already be HOT. So, this year I added a sidearm heat exchanger to my water heater. Now I have the best of both worlds: 40 gallons of preheated water which leaves the water heater and travels through the plate exchanger then on to the faucet.
Truly endless hot water now! My inlaws spent the weekend here last weekend. Saturday morning we took 5 showers and 1 bath nonstop without any loss of hot water.
CAUTION! A mixing valve (anti scald) is definitely required because the water gets HOT!
I started with just a plate exchanger and it worked just fine. If you have a boiler with a lot of water, or one that can recover real fast, you will be OK. Because you are cooling the boiler water just as fast as you are heating your domestic water. Therefore, you are sending much cooler water back to the boiler when hot water is being used. My stove is a gasser with 250 gallons so it worked well for me.
But, it was bugging me that the water was returning so much cooler, and there sat my water heater with 40 gallons of COLD water in it that could already be HOT. So, this year I added a sidearm heat exchanger to my water heater. Now I have the best of both worlds: 40 gallons of preheated water which leaves the water heater and travels through the plate exchanger then on to the faucet.
Truly endless hot water now! My inlaws spent the weekend here last weekend. Saturday morning we took 5 showers and 1 bath nonstop without any loss of hot water.
CAUTION! A mixing valve (anti scald) is definitely required because the water gets HOT!
219
HeatMaster / Re: Got my new MF5000E hooked up and burning!
« on: November 29, 2013, 02:05:34 PM »
that is really cool. Where do you live?
220
Empyre / Re: Empyre adds a new line "stainless gasification"
« on: November 29, 2013, 01:34:00 PM »
In the whole stainless vs. mild steel discussion, stainless is said to have less expansion capability. Is that true? And if so, wouldn't a gasser have even more extreme temperature swings due to intense gassification temps?
Many buyers fear the cracking of stainless.
Many buyers fear the cracking of stainless.
221
Central Boiler / Re: looking to buy a E 1450
« on: November 28, 2013, 09:26:44 AM »
holy smokes that's a lot of money.
I deliver wood to a guy with an E1450. He says he wishes he would have installed a classic style boiler instead of the gasser. He used to have a classic (non gasser) before buying this E1450 so he has a good comparison. It uses almost as much wood and is a PITA to clean.
I realize that a non gasser may not be an option for you so I would definitely shop around. Portage and Main and Empyre have gassers that have more heat exchange area than a E1450 and less complicated controls. Plus how could an install cost that much? Its pretty easy to do.
I deliver wood to a guy with an E1450. He says he wishes he would have installed a classic style boiler instead of the gasser. He used to have a classic (non gasser) before buying this E1450 so he has a good comparison. It uses almost as much wood and is a PITA to clean.
I realize that a non gasser may not be an option for you so I would definitely shop around. Portage and Main and Empyre have gassers that have more heat exchange area than a E1450 and less complicated controls. Plus how could an install cost that much? Its pretty easy to do.
222
Equipment / Re: Gas to oil ratios
« on: November 28, 2013, 09:11:37 AM »I have to agree with that statement too. I own and operate a tree service for over 16 years now. I buy Castrol Snowmobile oil a case at a time. It is just conventional 2 stroke oil that we mix about 40:1. Probably not exactly measured on the job site.
The only engine failure in 16 years was a saw that got a tank of pure gas! Whoops.
At a conservative estimate 5 gallons of premix per week, times 16 years, equals 4,160 GALLONS OF PREMIX! As I've said before, I wish saws had hour meters.
Keep it simple.
223
Equipment / Re: dump trailer
« on: November 28, 2013, 08:57:06 AM »
I have a low profile Travalong dump trailer. 16 feet long, 15,500 lb rated. Torsion axles. It has 7 gauge sides AND floor. I have never seen another dump trailer with 7 gauge sides. They actually bend the steel to form the floor and sides from just 2 pieces of steel with a seam down the middle instead of in the corners. I used to have the 14 footer same trailer. Before that I had a H&H 14 footer-what a pile of junk that was.
Low profile is nice for loading over the side and low center of gravity. Ramps are less steep for loading skid loader too. Only trade off is some ground clearance. I go with low profile for those benefits.
Travalong costs a little more but well worth it. Like the guy at the factory in Kansas told me; People who buy their trailers are people who have already owned another brand. You can't see the value until you buy something cheaper and realize its limitations.
Low profile is nice for loading over the side and low center of gravity. Ramps are less steep for loading skid loader too. Only trade off is some ground clearance. I go with low profile for those benefits.
Travalong costs a little more but well worth it. Like the guy at the factory in Kansas told me; People who buy their trailers are people who have already owned another brand. You can't see the value until you buy something cheaper and realize its limitations.
224
Natures Comfort / Updates on Nature's Comfort GT-220
« on: October 20, 2013, 09:30:27 PM »
Well, I purchased all of Nature's Comfort "upgrades" for my GT 220 this year.
New Floor plates, new fire brick, new draft actuator door, new refractory door liner, new turbulators for 6 upright tubes.
Stove is up and running again. Basically it is the same stove with more standard fire brick that can be replaced with store bought bricks instead of needing any custom shaped brick.
Pros: easier to replace fire brick if needed. Stainless refractory door liner that won't disintegrate.
New Floor plates, new fire brick, new draft actuator door, new refractory door liner, new turbulators for 6 upright tubes.
Stove is up and running again. Basically it is the same stove with more standard fire brick that can be replaced with store bought bricks instead of needing any custom shaped brick.
Pros: easier to replace fire brick if needed. Stainless refractory door liner that won't disintegrate.
225
Portage & Main / Re: Creosote condensating in the stack opt. 250
« on: October 15, 2013, 05:37:06 PM »
yeah, terrible problem, can't get stack temps over 220!
That is how efficient your stove is, enjoy it. My stack temps are around 500 degrees, think how much less wood I would have to process if my stack temps were 220.
Natures Comfort GT220 gasser.
That is how efficient your stove is, enjoy it. My stack temps are around 500 degrees, think how much less wood I would have to process if my stack temps were 220.
Natures Comfort GT220 gasser.