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1

Central Boiler / CB CL5036 display

« on: November 14, 2017, 09:39:46 AM »

I have a Central Boiler 5036 that has a dot in the display.  So, last night I loaded it up and there were coals in there before I closed the door.  The temp reading at the time was 177.  This morning I go out and the solenoid is open and drafting, but when I open the door, there was never a fire from last night.  I looked at the display and it is reading 1.12 (except the dot is at the top of the display).  I turned everything off and restarted and the dot is still in the display and the solenoid opened again.  I started a fire in it and it is currently burning with the display now showing 1.49 or 149 degrees.  Wondering if anyone else has had this problem and what is the issue with the dot in the display.
Thanks,

2

Central Boiler / Re: Overheating problem

« on: December 31, 2016, 07:18:03 PM »

I checked everything and everything is good.  It seems this is only happening when we have strong winds.  If the wind is not blowing, everything works as it should.   When the wind is blowing, I see temps overshoot the 185 set point up to 190.  Again, this only occurs when the wind is over 25mph.  In the mountains, 25 is low wind.

3

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Snow fell today ..its a coming folks !

« on: October 08, 2016, 01:56:48 PM »

We've had snow at higher elevations for the past month.  I fired up our CB5036 Friday.  Unfortunately, it's overheating and I've not figure out the issue.  The draft is clean and so is the door rope.

4

Central Boiler / Overheating problem

« on: October 08, 2016, 08:37:13 AM »

Well, I fired up my CB 5036 this week and have an overheating problem.  The temp goes up to 185, but when I go back out an check it, it's up as high as 194.  I noticed this at the end of the season this past May, but it was windy here at the time and just thought it might be over drafting.  I've check the door and damper and both seem to be sealing good.  Any ideas?

5

Central Boiler / Re: Heat exchangers not exchanging heat much

« on: April 24, 2016, 01:49:54 PM »

Which pipe though? You have a boiler water pipe and a domestic water pipe out of the heat exchanger. I am looking for the temp of the boiler water out of the plate heat exchanger.

The boiler water out of the plate is 165 degrees. 
It's definitely the flat plate that's the problem.  My water pressure coming out is about half of what it is going into it.  It's not enough water pressure coming out to turn on my Rinnai, though it passes through.  I tried flushing the flat plate  yesterday with vinegar and I could barely get anything through.  The return line would trickle, then squirt a bit, but it was the same after an hour.  Thinking of going back with a solution of muriatic acid.  Anybody got any suggestions?

6

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Rinnai and plate exchange cleaning problem

« on: April 23, 2016, 05:03:38 PM »

I have a Rinnai R75LSi that I've had up and running for 7 years. I've descaled four times. Four years ago, I put a plate exchanger in front of it that is in front of my outdoor wood furnace. Everything has worked fine for four years. About three weeks ago, I notice the water was not as hot and the flow was about 60% of my cold water flow. Even though the Rinnai hadn't signaled me to descale, I thought I would descale both the Rinnai and the plate exchanger....separately. I did the plate exchange, then went to the Rinnai. I flushed the Rinnai for about 45 minutes and then I think I messed up. I decided to swap the hoses around on the Rinnai to make sure it was flushed well. The flush pump wouldn't pump through the Rinnai after about 10 seconds, I shut the pump off and disconnected. However, I think I may have messed up a check value or something on the inside of the Rinnai as now the external check value is leaking water when I plugged it back in and I have virtually no water pressure. In fact, the Rinnai won't even come on when I hope a hot water spigot in the house and will only come on when I open the check value located under the Rinnai. On the Rinnai troubleshooting it shows the following: "Nothing happens when water flow is activated.
Check for cold to hot cross over. Isolate circulating system if present. Turn off cold water to the unit, open pressure relief valve; if water continues to flow, there is bleed over in your plumbing."
Mine is doing that, but it doesn't tell you what to do if that is the case.

Does anybody have any ideas? 
Rinnai is closed for the weekend.

By the way, does anybody know what to expect on cleaning a 50plate HX?  The return water line was very slow for the full hour of flushing.  Does that sound right?

7

Central Boiler / Re: Heat exchangers not exchanging heat much

« on: April 09, 2016, 09:40:19 PM »

Is the 135 degrees the DHW or the boiler water coming out of the heat exchanger? If it is the DHW, what is the boiler water after the plate heat exchanger?

the 135 is after the plate and before the DHW so it is after the plate heat exchanger

8

Central Boiler / Re: Heat exchangers not exchanging heat much

« on: April 09, 2016, 12:25:51 PM »

First check boiler water temp after the heat exchangers while running hot water. If it is a huge temp drop then you likely have a flow problem with the boiler water. If it is almost the same temp as before the heat exchangers then the plate heat exchanger probably needs cleaning.

If it is a problem on the boiler side, it could still be the plate that needs cleaning but it would be the boiler side that is clogged. It could also be other things such as the pump, thermostatic valve, etc that is causing the problem.

Thanks to all for responding. First, I've never cleaned the plates in the four years since install, but it does have non-corrosive in the system.  Second, the temperature variation I just checked is as follows.  From the OWF, 175, 165.3 going into the exchanger and then 135.1 coming out of the exchanger going into my Rinnii.

9

Central Boiler / Heat exchangers not exchanging heat much

« on: April 04, 2016, 09:48:25 PM »

I've got a CB5036 installed about four years ago and it has been great.  About two weeks ago, I noticed the DHW wasn't as hot as it had been.  It used to be, you couldn't hold your hand under the hot water for more than a couple of seconds.  Now, the water is about what it is when it comes out of my tankless..about 135 degrees.  Any ideas of what may be the issue?

10

Central Boiler / Re: CB 6048 Water temp way too low!

« on: January 05, 2015, 07:11:54 PM »

MT it was that bad how often do u brush it out?

I cleaned out the vent tube regularly, but had never cleaned out the stack...in over three years.  I took my cell phone and stuck it in the clean out and took a picture.  It was about half way closed.  Bought a brush and used it, but it took me putting a joint of conduit to bust off the creosote in chunks to get it mostly clear. At this point it is mostly open, but I will need to take it down this summer and finish the job.  I can tell you this, it is burning like it was brand new. I struggled with it for about three weeks with it never getting to temperature range (175-185) if the outside temperature was in the teens or lower. 

11

Central Boiler / Re: CB 6048 Water temp way too low!

« on: January 05, 2015, 07:03:38 PM »

New to running a OWB, so still trying to learn the art (or science) of getting it right.

We have a 2007 6048.  Had it set around 175 I think, and temps dropped below zero overnight.  Woke up to a freezing house, checked the burner, and it was at 116, but with nearly a full load of wood still in there, burning and smoking.  Pushed wood around a bit, added a bit more, and cranked it up to 185.  Temp is back on the rise, up to 150 in 2 hours, but what could have caused this...?  We are burning oak, some of which is green I would imagine.

Our boiler line runs into the house through a gas forced exchanger in a traditional furnace, water heater exchanger, and also radiant heat throughout an addition to the house. 

thanks in advance!

check your smoke stack and make certain it is not clogged at the top.  Even if it is partially closed, your draft won't work and your wood will smolder all night and never reach temp

12

Central Boiler / Re: Out with the lamb in with BEAST!

« on: January 03, 2015, 06:41:30 PM »

I guess I'll just see how she burns and keeps up on the colder days Thanks ..

I have a 5036 and as long as you keep your chimney cleaned out, it will draft fine.  I heat my house (2100 sqft and a 16' greenhouse) in sub zero temps here at 8600' elevation.  Good units.

13

Central Boiler / Re: Coal bed question on Central B!

« on: January 03, 2015, 06:34:03 PM »

those pieces beyond the coals in front don't burn well, but they pre-heat/dry out nicely.  Once the pieces on the coals burn out, and after I clean out the ash dust, I pull those pieces back to the front.  On especially cold nights, those pieces up in front burn as well.  It just depends on how much fuel is needed for the temperature.

14

Central Boiler / Re: Coal bed question on Central B!

« on: January 02, 2015, 09:58:14 PM »

I take my rake and push the large coals to the rear, then shovel out three shovels of coal dust.  Then I take my rake and pull the coals back to the front.  I then take my hoe and scrap down the back of the floor and walls as much as possible.  I then push the coals back about 10" from the door.  Then I cross hatch my wood on top of the coals.  On a really cold night like we've had here recently with temps -teens, I place a few pieces behind the coals, then cross hatch on top of the coals, and place two pieces on either side at the door.  My burn last night lasted for 7.5 hours with -12 degrees but had dropped below 170 by the time I got out there.

15

Central Boiler / Re: 5036 Model; regarding ash.

« on: January 02, 2015, 09:51:32 PM »

I've had a 5036 going on four years and my ash is dependent on how cold it is outside and how well my unit is drafting.  I've never cleaned my chimney out until this year and it got to where it would not hold temp or burn effectively.  I have an extra joint in my stack (3 four foot joints instead of the 2 it came with) and to my surprise, it was over 1/2 blocked at the top.  I broke it up and brushed it down, now it burns like it was new.  Now, I take out about three shovels of the dust each morning and that usually works.