Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: Bluegrass Wood Burner on November 15, 2017, 03:06:33 PM
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Folks I'm having all it'll trouble with my boiler just not blazing up right. It takes forever to get it from 170 to 180 and it just isn't blazing up. I open the door and it's a low flame and the longer the door is open the more it blazes up. Shouldn't it be blazing more with door closed and blower on than blower off and door open. My wood is hardwoods oak hickory and locust that have been cut couple years. Most is dry with some getting wet when it rains. I checked the flu stack and it's clear. I always thought if blower goes out it just quits. Could it be getting weak?
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I would quicker guess that it's not getting good air flow from creosote buildup someplace blocking the flow, perhaps the fins on your blower?
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I never thought of that. So should I take them off and soak in my acetone and ATF mixture? That would cut that creosote I'm sure.
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If they are clogged then They definatey should be cleaned
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I took a small wire brush and brushed each fin and I didn't see any creosote to amount to anything. You are talking about the little squirrel cage fan on the comustion blower on the door?
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I think your stove is somewhat of a copy of a Taylor. They had a flap in the door that was supposed to swing open when the fan came on. Is that the way yours is?
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Yes it is
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Taylor was bad about the flap sticking open or shut from ash or creosote in there. may want to check that.
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The flap on my Heatmor got creosote on it and stuck open one year, causing a boil over. I cleaned it up, oiled the hinge area, and keep it clean religiously now. If mine could stick open, yours could stick closed. I'd put my money on either a blocked air passage or stuck closed flapper. Any mice build a nest in the space between the blower and the fire box?
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I'm gonna check some of these things tomorrow. Flap door not sticking, I put the acetone ATF mixture on it and it keeps it free from sticking. I'm wandering if I just got some wet wood. The blower seems a little weak to me.
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What's your opinions of the spark arrestor in back of firebox before smoke goes through the exhaust chamber and up the stack? I wander if that blocks the draft quite a bit. Would that many sparks go out stack of that wasn't on?
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There's a round cover on outside of fan that you can turn to let more air in, however with the cover over the whole assembly it will only open about half or less. If I took that all the way off it wouldn't hurt anything would it? That would give me extra air flow. I tool my air hose and blew out all that combustion fan housing and the channel going to the fire box and it seem to be clear.
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depending on the size of the firebox and BTU desired I would definitely run the blower wide open, especially if burning wet wood.
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I will take that cover off. I guess I could put it back on in summer to keep critters out. My wood is a little wet. I had a little to start off with that was not covered and been out in the rain. I should be out of it by the weekend and then seasoned red oak that has been covered.
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I believe that solved my problem. Thanks everyone!
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:thumbup:
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:post: :post: :post: :post:
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My boiler is performing like a champ now with the extra air flow it gets much hotter during the burn cycle. Keeping creosote out much better. Another thing that's better is the flapper door isn't clapping when it's burning hot like it was. Much quieter. I should have figured all this out sooner. Between the new pump with better flow and the better air flow ole "Buford The Dragon" is working like a well oiled machine. :)
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Sweet , it's amazing what a little air will do. :)
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Got another little dilemma. If I bring the wood too close to the door when I fill it the flap draft door goes crazy flapping open and close. I guess the only alternative is to move the stack back in the firebox a bit. Everyone has always told me to stack it as close to the door as you can. Anyone else that still uses the conventional boiler deal with this?
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I had that happen with my old Coze 250 if I had a lot of really dry softwood or cardboard in it. Plywood or dimensional lumber scraps would do it every time, but regular block wood was fine
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What I'm burning right now is dry red oak been cut 2 years