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[Schaffner09]

Hello, I am new to both this forum and am going on my 1st year with a WoodMaster 4400. I absolutely love the way it has performed so far not to mention with the winter we've had not having to pay for natural gas.  My question is now that the day and night time temps are a bit warmer should I adjust my high and low temp settings?  It seems that during the day when it's warmer the fan doesn't run as much since the water temp doesn't drop as fast. This seems to leave a pile of ash/charcoal that doesn't really have any embers left in it, almost like the fire smoldered out.  When this happens won't it be harder and take longer for the fan, once it kicks on, to get the fire back burning?
Again, I'm new and not sure the best way to adjust my settings, IF they even need adjusting. Right now my high is 170 and low 160.
Also I am wondering what I should do after my 1st season of burning for spring maintenance? Should you drain all the water completely out? Are there any other tips or tasks to perform to prevent potential future problems?
Thanks in advance for any and all comments/info. Looking forward to being a part of this forum.
Thanks,
Dan

[slimjim]

Welcome aboard Dan, 1'st check with the dealer or manufacturer regarding temp settings, we at P+M like to run our units much hotter than your settings to promote a cleaner burn and reduce creasote but they may not want you to run that hot, as far as draining the boiler, again check with them but I don't think there is anybody that will tell you to do that, Keep it full and use manufacturer purchased boiler treatment so that they have a record for warranty reasons, I normally on shut down will clean out the boiler and spay a good coat of transmission oil over any steel surface not protected by paint, this includes the firebox, Hope it helps.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Welcome to the forum! Your temps that you are running right now for high/low are what most people run in the warmer temps anyway. Most including me run 180 or 185 high/ 170 or 175  low. Some bump it up to these temps when it gets cold, I run it at those temps all burning season. You can experiment and see what works best. The consensus is though that you want to keep those return temps back to the stove above 150 to prevent condensation from forming in the firebox and rusting it out. So you should make sure that you are above 150 on the return water temps. Bumping the high/low up will in turn bump up your return temps depending on your delta t at your heat exchangers. After the season is done your should remove all of the ashes from the firebox and brush the chimney if it has anything in it. Put a bucket or cap on the top of the flue to keep rain out. DO NOT drain the water out. Top it off and leave it full, if you drain it out it will begin to form surface rust inside immediately.

[ITO]

 Welcome Schaffner, seems many different setups will run a little differently, mine will slow way down in the warmer weather (above freezing versus -20's here), I usually tighten up the differential a little in warmer weather. Mine runs at 175 all season but I use 12 degree differential during cold temps and 8 during warmer weather. Dryness of wood will make a big difference too, in warmer temps greener wood will not smolder well because the idle times are so long, mine will require closer diff's if burning some wetter wood.

[wissel12]

Hey slim, what about the pump? I have heard of people not shutting off there pump.  Or running it every once and a while.
What do you do?

[LittleJohn]

I have found that I simply fire the OWB less, in the spring/fall when heating load is dimished. 

Wissel, I personnally only turn the main pump (between OWB and Water2water heat exchanger) on when there is a call for heat in the house.  It may take 1 to 5 minutes max to purge the lines of cold water and I am up to temperature at my heat exchanger.  System in house is in-slab and heat emission plates under floor, so I run a heat exchanger and mixing valves to limit the maximum temperature going to each application. 

[slimjim]

Hey slim, what about the pump? I have heard of people not shutting off there pump.  Or running it every once and a while.
What do you do?

  I shut down completely here as soon as my wife tells me to or it's hot enough for AC, when I re fire the unit the first thing I check is my circs to be sure they are not stuck, I run enough boilers at the show so it gives me my OWB fix for the summer months.