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1

Empyre / Re: How are the Empyre boilers running?

« on: March 14, 2015, 12:31:26 PM »

I installed my first WBF in October 1992 and my present Empyre Pro 200 is my fourth WBF.I won't go into that history because I may be able to help some of you fellas from my recent experience.What I'm going to tell you may be worthless information because I'm still experimenting and can't say for sure exactly what is fact and what is fiction.I just shut down my Pro-200 after my second heating season and went to propane for two reasons.From now to warm weather we will have 60 or 70 degree days and then it will drop to near freezing for a few nights with 50 degree days.My WBF can handle that but not as efficiently as it handles consistently cold weather.My second reason for shutting down is I'm out of wood.I wanted to burn some old wood to get my wood pile back to the best quality possible and this seemed to be a good time to do that.------The first year I used this furnace was a perfect heating season and we were comfortable.During the 2nd heating season,the blower failed in late December and my supplier botched my order for a blower and it took 10 days to get one which was finally shipped from the factory in Tennesee.The bearings in the old blower failed and this could have been from a leak in the gasket around the big ,heavy cover over the 32 boiler pipes.If fly ash could get into the fan's bearings,that could create the problem.The new fan was $150 since it was outside the 12 month warranty by a few months. Experiment #1-----For 2 years I've been adding powdered lime to my fire box to neutralize the corrosive effects of wood ash on all metal.It does have some desirable effects.The 32 boiler pipes show little rust and are easier to clean.I believe a cup of powdered lime thrown into the fire box every second day may be the proper amount.I clean the 32 pipes sometime between the 1st and 10th of each month depending on weather and any other factors.I started out cleaning pipes weekly,then twice a month and then monthly.A 40LB. bag of powdered lime costs me $4.00.Experiment#2------After trying several settings for starting the blower,I finally decided that starting at 169 degrees and stopping at 180 degrees was best for my situation.I seldom see any vapor rising from the boiler water gauge and seldom add any boiler water.Also,keeping the boiler water level at least one mark below full will not waste boiler water in vapor at my temperature setting.Experiment #3--------Each month when I clean the 32 pipes,I first remove the blower and take it into my shop for cleaning with 100#pressure air.After cleaning the pipes,I take my leaf blower and blow out all the dust from the back pump compartment of the furnace.Then I reinstall the blower and wire it up again.Experiment#4--------Before I reinstall the blower,I clean as much crud as I can from the air box.On the last cleaning,I got a quart of black hard and soft crud and there was more I couldn't reach.Also,I put about 1/4" of lime on the floor of the air box to try to neutralize the crud so it won't rust out the air box.Unless I see a reason not to put lime in the air box,I'll continue to do it each time I clean the stove.-------------I bought a spare flapper valve thinking I would keep a clean flapper to make the change quicker.My old flapper was all steel and the new one was stainless.It is such an improvement over the old valve I won't use the old one again.No more clapper noise when I load the stove.------------I hope someone benefits from the above.Feel free to ask if you have a question.-------shorman

2

Testing / ProFab Industries

« on: October 23, 2014, 12:40:52 PM »

       Has anyone tried to contact ProFab lately? I was curious to see if they had a new site since they moved from Canada to USA.------Imagine my surprise when I got a blank page with just a heading that says,"Account Suspended".Anyone have an idea what is going on?----------shorman

3

Empyre / Re: Pro series 200 flapper clanging?

« on: March 23, 2014, 01:59:09 PM »

d-man,    Your problem may have been already solved by slim and Scott but don't get upset if it starts unexpectedly again.I had that problem on my new Pro Series 200 too but with a slightly different cause.In my case,the two slots in the bottom of the fire box where the hot gasses are blown up under the wood in the firebox would get plugged.The reason the slots would get plugged is the fact that I seldom burn round logs.My wood man is a tree surgeon and at least 95% of the logs he brings me must be split because they are so big.Most trees he takes down are old and huge.I have pictures of a 46" diameter Pecan tree that I had to split.What happens with such fire wood is it makes a perfect cover for the two gas slots and stops the flow of air from the fan.To avoid this problem,I use my garden hoe to first loosen all the ashes in the fire box.Then I pull 1/2 of the ashes to the front of the fire box and push the other 1/2 to the rear.I make a "bridge" of fire wood over the slots and then pile wood to the top of the firebox.By the time the "bridge"burns the fire is so hot it burns the slot plugs as fast as they occur and they can't plug the slots.-------Above where I said "ashes," hot coals is a more accurate description.-------Almost forgot to tell you this important tip.Take a 1/4" mild steel rod two feet long and bend it at a 90 degree angle so that you have 12" of rod on each side of the bend.Connect this to a 4 foot long 3/4" diameter pipe and you have a nice slot cleaner.I call it my Dingle Dangle.If you have a clogged slot and cover it with firewood it won't be long before you see your boiler temp. dropping and realize that you have got to pull all that hot wood out and clean the slots.That is real "outdoors sport".---------Hope someone benefits from this.A flapping clapper is an ominous sound when you don't know what is happening and why.----------shorman

4

Empyre / Suggestions for Pro 200 Users

« on: February 03, 2014, 01:58:22 PM »

         I have had my Empyre Pro 200 for only this heating season so I haven't had enough experience with it to comment on its operation.What I do want to mention to all you owners of this stove is the fragile nature of the ash clean out chamber; especially when it is red hot.The ash poker is better suited to jousting from horseback than pulling ash out of this tiny passage.I bought a 1/4" diameter rod 4 feet long and threaded one end of it.I put a nut on the thread,then a 2" diameter fender washer with a second nut to tighten against the washer and the first nut.This makes it easy and safer to drag out the ashes with less chance of breaking any fire brick and it reaches to the back of the stove so you can tell when you have an open passage.
         Secondly (this is minor but convenient) I dump the ashes into an old aluminum cooking pot that holds about 2 gallons.I picked up a galvanized wash tub at the farm store that is about 16" wide and 30" long.I set this on the ground under the ash door and put the pot inside of it to catch the bulk of the ashes and the wash tub catches any spillage and keeps the hot coals off the ground or floor as the case may be.I don't sleep well knowing I spilled hot coals on the floor.
          Almost forgot this.I've been using a garden hoe to stir the ashes and position the wood chunks in the fire box for at least 10 years.It is perfect for this job and it is not apt to damage the fire brick in the fire box. It has served two stoves and the wood handle is still intact.-------Shorman

5

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Just wondering what everybody out there is running for a system

« on: January 11, 2014, 01:32:25 PM »

    Answer to Poll:---------My situation does not fit the format of the Poll so I'll try to make it understandable this way.

      1.The house we live in has water pumped from the WBF to it into a water to water heat exchanger in the basement.The house piping picks up hot water from the exchanger and sends it to a side arm HWH and then on to 10 cast iron radiators that heat the house.
       2.What used to be the garage is now a 2 br.house with a 60kBTU.water to air fan heat exchanger.
        3.My shop is heated with a 60K BTU water to air fan and heat exchanger similar to the one in #2 above. All heated with an Empyre Pro-200.
                             Hope that explanation passes muster.------------shorman

6

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: owf insurance

« on: January 09, 2014, 08:49:51 AM »

willowbk----------I had a fire in my furnace last winter that damaged it beyond reasonable repair.I knew I would get no help from the manufacturer because they wouldn't even take back a circulator that I bought from them and didn't use.I called my home owner insurance company and they handled the whole deal with no problems.I had an out of pocket loss of about $400 and I installed a new Empyre Pro-200 with the insurance money.-------Best of luck to you.----shorman

7

General Discussion / A simple tip to make gas engines always start

« on: November 27, 2013, 09:53:30 AM »

    Doesn't that just tick you off when you want to split wood or cut grass and your engine won't start.I;m a retired small engine mechanic and I know how to eliminate most no start problems after 20 years of repairing other people's problems.I have been using a new fuel preservative called "Star-Brite".It is the best I've ever used but how I use it makes the difference.I buy two five gallon cans of regular grade gasoline and put one ounce of Star-Brite in each can.Each gas can has a tag on which I put the date I filled the can and I note the 1 ounce of stabilizer I put in the can.No matter what I put gas in,it always has stabilizer in it and I know I'm not going to have old fuel problems.Old fuel was the cause of about 75% of all my engine problems from my customers at my repair shop.Another potential problem is an emergency generator.My generator is 15 years old and starts in one to three pulls---every time.The tank has a tag on it where I note the day I bought the gas for it and put the Star-Brite in it.I also start it every month and run it under load for an hour.When the gas is 1year old,I pour the contents of the tank into my mower or any engine that will use it within a week or so and refill the can with fresh gas and Star-Brite.This is the surest way I know to end old gas problems.Relying on memory does not get the job done.If you can't find Star-Brite locally,check with Stens.com in Indiana.------shorman

8

Shaver Furnace / Re: End of season

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:48:44 AM »

                I'm considering a different approach this year.I have a Shaver 250 and had a real good heating season.Since the fire box is round,I may put a wire brush in an old electric drill and fasten it to a piece of plastic pipe so it will easily reach the back of the box and wire brush everything in sight.Step 2 will be to vacuum the fire box with an old shop Vacuum I keep for dirty jobs.Step3 will be to spray the fire box with WD-40.You may know,WD stands for water displacement and moisture makes rust.I buy it by the gallon for about $16 or $18.
                As for the chimney,it is 5" diameter and insulated and screws together.If I can get the rain deflector off the top of it,I'll buy a 5" wire brush and brush it down as far as possible..My stove sits under the roof of my 25'x100' open sided wood shed.I'm doubtful my old 8" wire brush will squish down enough to fit inside the 5" pipe.
                  If none of the above works,I have no" plan B" yet but one way or another it shall be done.----------------------Shorman

9

Shaver Furnace / Re: Filter on pumps

« on: February 12, 2012, 01:06:52 PM »

TPM-------------Check out "Alternative Heating & Supplies" at(1-888-881-1602) and <AltHeatSupply.com>.
                       Page 13 of their 32 page catalog lists brass 1" and 3/4" "Y" STRAINER Part #YS34 and YS01.
                          These people are in Connecticut. As a suggestion, I like teflon tape put on threads versus pipe dope. Another tip that works well is buy local when the end of the job is in site You can take back the unused products and get your money back with no freight involved.
                                     shorman.

10

Shaver Furnace / Re: Direction and Location of Circulator

« on: February 05, 2012, 02:19:55 PM »

tshepler----My present Shaver 250 is my third ODF.The first one was a Hardy,all stainless and came with the pumps on the bottom.My second was a Central Boiler and also came with pumps on the bottom.I phoned the Shaver plant and asked them this question and he said put pumps on top.I put them on the bottom and have had no problems.I couldn't sleep at night if those 009 Taco circulators were on top and about 12" under the water.A loss of water and they would burn up since they depend on being under water for lubrication.I also put a brass strainer on the suction side of each pump in case there is some rust or other trash on the bottom of the boiler.With a ball valve on each side of each pump,it should be fairly simple to isolate and check the strainers for trash when I shut down after the heating season.------------I started with my first boiler in 1993 and had 10 good years of service.My MIL moved into our little house and liked the heat at 95* so I sold the Hardy and bought a CB with more output..It rusted out in 7 years and totally failed the next year so it couldn't be welded.I like the Shaver round boiler but only time will tell if it is quality or junk.------Hope my experience helps you----shorman































































































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11

Central Boiler / Re: How long has your boiler been operating. Long term

« on: January 26, 2012, 02:17:08 PM »

           My Central Boiler was a CL4436.It was installed 10/01/02 and performed well for 7 years.It began to leak from the water jacket into the fire box.I had an excellent welder (he welds nuclear plants) come weld it and it worked until Nov.2010.At that time he tried every trick he knew but he couldn't get the leaks stopped.I finally gave up and turned on the propane at $300/month.
            I noticed a year or so earlier that the new Nitrite test kit I ordered suggested a much higher Nitrite level which I adhered to. The original kit that came with the furnace suggested 1000 to 1500 PPM and the new kit suggested up to 3000 PPM.My PH stays about 8.5 right from the well.I had been maintaining the Nitrite levels at 1200 ppm for about 6 or 7 years and this may have been the root cause of the problem.
             I called Nevin Eiker,my dealer two times and he was going to talk to his factory rep.and get back to me with a discount on a new furnace.When neither Nevin nor the sales dept. returned my calls,I decided I was being avoided and decided to bite the bullet and heat with propane for the remainder of the winter.
              Nevin told me he had sold 40 furnaces in his territory the past winter and I suspect I was not the only one having trouble since so many had been sold.The thought also crossed my mind that Central Boiler may have bought some Chinese steel in an effort to boost profits but I doubt that will ever be known.
               The prorated warranty of CB is 8 years and that would not leave much money to make a customer whole again;not that they would care enough to do it.--------shorman

12

Shaver Furnace / Burning coal in a Shaver 250 furnace

« on: January 23, 2012, 01:08:45 PM »

                   The Shaver manual suggests coal burns best when covered with wood but yet they don't warranty claims made by coal burners.If any of you burn coal,I'd like to have your thoughts on the matter.My 250 is set up to burn wood only but the supply of wood is not certain enough for the long run.
                   Thanks in advance.---------Shorman----------Salisbury,Md.

13

Plumbing / Re: Taco Pumps

« on: December 31, 2011, 12:45:13 PM »

              009 Taco pumps
              I have 4  009 Taco pumps.I run three on a start and stop basis with 120volt power controlled by relays that the thermostats open and close.The other pump is my spare for quick change.They have been in service since 1993 and each has had a new motor/impellar assembly in that time.They run from October to June each year and sit idle during the warm months.My pipes are all 3/4" and the only failure I recall was caused by crud in the impellar that jammed the pump.In my opinion,it is important to put their suction on the bottom of the boiler and have them return to the top of the boiler.In the new Shaver 250 I just installed,I put brass traps in the suction between the boiler and the pump.One system pumps about 260 feet round trip.One pumps about 250' and the third one about 150' round trip.-----shorman.

14

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Wood Splitter to Handle 48" long log

« on: December 15, 2011, 09:42:02 AM »

             Newbie,meet Newbie.I just signed on recently.----------I bought my first wood furnace in 1993 and used a vertical log splitter for several years.If you don't know about TimberWolf log splitters,Google them and look at what they offer.They show a splitter that splits 10' logs on their display page.
              I have a Timber Wolf splitter that is 4 or 5 years old (TW2-HD) and I am crazy over it.You can see it in their display.I bought this splitter with a 4" cylinder as a HD 20 ton splitter.After using it awhile I found myself getting chunks stuck on the wedge and had to beat them off with a 30# sledge all too frequently.That aroused my curiosity and I began doing some math using several pressure numbers off the top of my head.I discovered that a 4" cylinder took a tremendous amount of pressure to develop a 20 ton splitting pressure.Much more than possible with this pump.When I contacted the company,they sent me a pressure gauge and told me to check the setting of the relief valve and raise it if necessary.It was set where it was supposed to be.Long story short,the 20 ton splitter was putting out a little over 13 tons force.They sent me a 5" cylinder,I installed it and it worked great.They never did pay me for my aggravation but at least they guided me toward solving the problem.I still see this splitter listed as 20 tons splitting force with a 4" cylinder.Apparently they don't fear lawsuits.----------shorman