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16

Portage & Main / Re: BL 28-40 blower fan making some noise and float level float.

« on: May 31, 2019, 07:03:23 AM »

I will ask to make sure I am getting the updated one.  Thanks!

17

Portage & Main / Re: BL 28-40 blower fan making some noise.

« on: May 23, 2019, 06:02:22 PM »

I will put this here because it is the same boiler, different issue.  The float for the water level after 4 years is needing to be replaced.  Is this normal and I should get a couple just to have a spare??

18

General DIY remodeling without Hydronics / Re: Question about Lumber

« on: May 23, 2019, 05:58:12 PM »

Sun, moisture and what part of the log it came from all influence how straight it is.

19

Portage & Main / Re: water treatment

« on: April 15, 2019, 06:38:35 AM »

I get mine from the guy that sold me the boiler.

20

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Calling it good for the season

« on: March 16, 2019, 07:07:35 AM »

14 degrees here this morning so we will be burning for a few more weeks.

21

Portage & Main / Re: PUTTING A STRUCTURE AROUND A PORTAGE AND MAIN 2840

« on: December 06, 2018, 08:57:14 PM »

I am on my 3rd winter with mine.  As far as smoking, timing is very important.  I have an inline temp gauge inside my shop so I can watch the burn cycle on the temp gauge from inside.  I go out after it has come up to temp and the fan is not running.  Much less smoke to deal with.  It also shows me when fuel is short because it will not get up to the fan shut off temp so I know it needs wood.  Less smoke then also as it is just coals.  I hope to put a roof over it next summer but only to keep the rain and snow off it and the wood around it. Not likely any sides.

22

Portage & Main / Re: P & M Summer show schedule

« on: March 27, 2018, 06:25:22 PM »

Wonder what the schedule is this year??

23

Portage & Main / Re: BL 28 40 fire brick spacing

« on: November 15, 2017, 09:04:22 PM »

It seems that keeping the correct spacing between the fire bricks has gained me 2 degrees on the incoming line and a LOT less ash issues.

24

Portage & Main / Re: bl34-44 supply line?????

« on: November 15, 2017, 09:02:25 PM »

I have been pulling from the bottom for 3 seasons now with my BL28-40 with no issues.

25

Portage & Main / BL 28 40 fire brick spacing

« on: November 02, 2017, 10:51:03 AM »

On our 3rd season now and I may have figured out an easy way to keep the fire bricks where they belong.  They tend to move when stirring the ashes and last season ended with them close together in the center and a large openings at the ends. This made getting the ashes to drop out the bottom something of a challenge.  For this season I used 1/2 inch X 2.5 inch or longer bolts with large washers placed in the gaps after I cleaned the boiler.  The longer bolts will help them stay put.  So far this season ( still pretty early ) it seem to be getting a better burn and the ashes are not pilling up like the first 2 seasons.  It is a fairly simple and cheap fix.

26

Portage & Main / Re: bl 28-40 front air chamber plugging

« on: October 26, 2017, 06:45:26 AM »

Some of the Shark bites that leaked were due to side ways strain.  When I did the install I did not realize how much PEX grows when warmed. The run from the boiler to the house is "about" 130 feet.  The pipe that enters the house grew 6 inches and put a lot of strain on the fitting.  That one leaked a little and was replaced and the pipe shortened enough that when warm, things will only be a little out of alignment. Several of the Shark bits did not have strain issues but may have taken apart and refit more than once or the outside of the pipe was less than perfect.  It was kind of an expensive lesson with the fittings.  Today will be the first fire of the season so I will know which fittings to replace next summer.

Boiler is up and running but had to replace one more Shark bite due to a gallon per minute leak.

27

Portage & Main / Re: bl 28-40 front air chamber plugging

« on: October 25, 2017, 05:47:26 PM »

My BL 28-40 also had the bottom fire bricks spacing out of whack. Some tight , some wide so this season as an experiment I am using 1/2 in bolts with washers tight to one side to try and keep the bricks close to where they should be.  I've had no trouble with the front air vent plugging.  When I first started using the stove 2 years ago I was letting the ash get too high and it seemed like I was burning more wood than I should. It seems if I let it burn down to just a nice bed of coals, stir it well and put in enough wood till next time it works just fine and I have no complaints so far.  Oh, except I used shark bites to plumb it all together. Today I replaced 13 of them with the crimp style because the Shark bites would leak at start up and shut down.  About half of the shark bites are still OK but I expect them to leak in the next few seasons also. It seems the pipe must be perfect size and no damage to the OD and you insert the pipe once only for them to work good?

28

Portage & Main / Re: BL 28-40 blower fan making some noise.

« on: February 14, 2017, 09:23:00 AM »

So I ordered the exact replacement motor from Grainger a few weeks ago.  Today I get an email from Grainger saying they canceled the order claiming the manufacturer has discontinued the motor due to government regulations.  This make no sense to me on a blower motor??

29

Portage & Main / Re: Should I drain water out of my boiler at the end of burning season???

« on: February 10, 2017, 07:25:38 AM »

What kind of filter set up are you thinking of?  I have wondered about doing the same thing.

30

Portage & Main / Re: bl 28-40 front air chamber plugging

« on: February 06, 2017, 07:56:17 PM »

On another note, lately it seemed the boiler was having some trouble staying up to temp.  Tonight I cleaned out the ash pan and shined a light in to see if I had an air obstruction and sure enough the elbow just before the ash pan was half full of ash blocking the air flow.  Now to see in the next few days if that was the issue.