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1

Portage & Main / Re: Ash depth on BL

« on: March 22, 2015, 11:26:42 PM »

Hello I have wanted to thank all of you who have been helping answer and share what you think works best in your system.. I will try to explain how important it is to keep the preheated under fire air inlets open ,I often compare the burner combustion system to a machine that needs to inhale and exhale at the right location and proportion. If the refractory grates are restricted more air is going to be forced to go above the fire. ..you will lose out on the benefits of air coming up under the fire think of the camp fire we know that if the air isn't coming from under the fire in just doesn't burn well at all. You will still get heat with air above the fire but it will likely burn more wood. You will likely blow more heat towards the heat exchanger on its way to the stack out let .Primary preheated air from under and secondary air to help burn the gases.I have experienced this gas burning when I have opened the fire door it seems to escape out the top few inches of the door, very hot and can be dangerous be careful. ..the gases are burning almost invisible because of the refractory and air another reason to keep the ashes to a minimum.

2

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Using OWB as a meat smoker

« on: March 22, 2015, 08:48:22 PM »

Two of my favorite things great food and staying warm .At the shows when ever we could burn our boilers ,we would never hesitate. Well at times I lived in a camper for extended periods. Needed to eat so it wasn't long and I was cooking up almost anything I could wrap up in foil. I would pick up corn roast unhusked in a wrap of foil lots of butter it sure does taste good just picked that morning done just nice. Also have cooked lots of sausages most likely farmers market typically. Ribs, roasts,baked potatoes in the skin or one of my favorite was chopped onions potatoes and lots of butter even more butter once I met Richard. I also know that some very good cornbread has come out of the chip burner. As far as using as a smoker I have only cooked food pretty much protected from smoke. Mostly cooked in the last pass of the 250 gasification or the chip burner  it would give quite a nice low temperature oven superior flavor. The heat exchanger on ultimizer will also work with the right placement and fire. I have also taken coals out to cook with, nothing like meat cooked on wood coals. Which brings up another very interesting cooking method .Recently I  attended the hearth  ,patio and barbecue show in Nashville, l am thinking by the excitement the Big Green egg type of charcoal cooking, many different brands mostly all made with ceramic to hold the heat. Thinking about getting one ,any one own any brand of these kamado charcoal cookers? And how do you like it ?Any way happy cooking and stay warm .

3

Central Boiler / Re: Dealer in Central Ohio

« on: February 28, 2015, 05:00:17 PM »

Hello the issue of fire side corrosion has been a issue for all hydronic heater manufacturers .None of them want to hear of premature failure, there have been different ways to try and prevent this corrosion problem, some use stainless steel with good and bad results, others have went with refractory cement surrounding the fire which totally eliminate the possibility of ash line corrosion ,with several additional benefits including hotter cleaner burning ,better heat transfer due to less creosote ,another huge advantage of refractory in any fire is the ability to absorb a tremendous amount of heat,much more than water alone, this heat helps dispatch the moisture which is a byproduct of the combustion process, resulting in  a drier fire box less likely to have corrosion .The hotter burn also makes a conventional burner as close to a gasification unit as possible and still be able to burn less  than desirable wood with good results . No matter what you purchase size it to your heat load and fill according to the weather . All wood burners are going to save you money and put you one step closer to independent. They are all a considerable investment, so do your research.

4

Regulations / Re: Non EPA phase 2 boilers from Canada

« on: February 28, 2015, 08:52:59 AM »

Hello I'm on a cruise ship and writing this and able to send with high speed Internet as good as at home. Just completed a ship tour found very interesting the kitchen galleries, the laundry control room ,the waste disposal was very interesting, we were shown the glass recycling, the cans compressed, but they burn the food waste card board, toilet waste is dried and burned, the chief sanitation guy told us that was the cleanest thing to do. Another told us they can dump once they are 14 notical mile out ,I suppose  whatever is the most convenient . After wards my family and I were at the  rock climbing wall area ,I noticed some soot then after a little closer look incredibe amount of black soot balls on chairs and deck I was shocked. .. .you need to know that the waste being burned is from 5000 people, its very windy a storm was coming in in fact its raining now, very small percentage was landing on the deck. I just want to agree with previous posts and ask the question why are they picking on my heat source that keeps me warm, some thing very important to us who live in colder climates, we are gathering up carbon nutral wood from our land, or supporting the local economy purchasing a very renewable resource. As posted earlier we are only using our hydronic heaters from October to may, compared to the millions of cars ,thousands of cruise ship, yachts, jets, all going to and froe ,most not of great importance ,Yet some are after your right to burn wood we realize we need to burn smart and with consideration of  neighbors ,were is the common sense in this? Where is the fareness,is it we are easy targets? ??When you think about it the two to five thousand the average guy saves and the independent is very important to his family.

5

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Fire brick or no fire brick

« on: February 22, 2015, 07:31:12 PM »

Hello everyone
I wanted to get on here to thank all the posters for some time .Well I finally have found the time and a post related to something I am very passionate about ..fire brick and its benefits .I have to admit that I didn't fully understand all the benefits of refractory till I was wowed by the first down Draft I saw burning ,the flame was incredible. I later remembered  a fellow who ran a small foundry who specialized in making bronze statues anyway I had sold him a regular water  totally surrounding the fire  pot type of hydronic furnace. He fit the bottom half of the fire pot with refractory what a difference in the amount of smoke and creosote . Good combustion requires three things one being heat . I know you will be pleased with the many benefits already mentioned by others on your  post .Put in as much as you can. It will benefit updraft or downdraft hydronic heaters or any fire even a camp fire.