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481
Home Made / Re: First wood boiler build
« on: December 17, 2013, 08:30:26 AM »
Looking GOOD 
; only recommendation and I've said it before, on other posts, not necessarily the best idea to put pump right next to boiler like shown! Just think of the worse weather you can and then having to replace a put. I like to pumps inside a heated structure, so replacement in the middle of winter is a bit easier (without gloves, coat and the snowpile you have to sit in to complete the project).
Also, it looks like you are pulling water (heat) from middle of boiler and returning it to top; might want to think about reversing that! Hottest water will be towards top of tank and by dumping cold water onto the top of the fire box you might be setting yourself up for CONDENSATION on inside of firebox. Just a thought, please remember "I AM NOT AN EXPERT, AND DO NOT CLAIM TO KNOW EVERYTHING"; hell I am not even the smartest person in my house (have a wife)
; only recommendation and I've said it before, on other posts, not necessarily the best idea to put pump right next to boiler like shown! Just think of the worse weather you can and then having to replace a put. I like to pumps inside a heated structure, so replacement in the middle of winter is a bit easier (without gloves, coat and the snowpile you have to sit in to complete the project).Also, it looks like you are pulling water (heat) from middle of boiler and returning it to top; might want to think about reversing that! Hottest water will be towards top of tank and by dumping cold water onto the top of the fire box you might be setting yourself up for CONDENSATION on inside of firebox. Just a thought, please remember "I AM NOT AN EXPERT, AND DO NOT CLAIM TO KNOW EVERYTHING"; hell I am not even the smartest person in my house (have a wife)
482
Plumbing / Re: recirculating pump on domestic water side
« on: December 16, 2013, 11:42:30 AM »
According to the literature (WHY did I read the manual) 
that grundfos pump uses the cold water line as a return and uses a timer to control the pump. It should work as long as you can schedule the pump to turn on say 5-10 minutes before your morning shower. If I had mote time to invest in play around with my domestic Hot water and boiler I would try to work it out so that when I turn my alarm clock off in the mornign the pump comes on to "preheat" lines from water heater to shower, that way I dont waste 5 mintues of water before i shower; and of coarse for the weekend a push button so I can sleep in a little bit
that grundfos pump uses the cold water line as a return and uses a timer to control the pump. It should work as long as you can schedule the pump to turn on say 5-10 minutes before your morning shower. If I had mote time to invest in play around with my domestic Hot water and boiler I would try to work it out so that when I turn my alarm clock off in the mornign the pump comes on to "preheat" lines from water heater to shower, that way I dont waste 5 mintues of water before i shower; and of coarse for the weekend a push button so I can sleep in a little bit483
Fire Wood / Re: Block Wood or Slab Wood
« on: December 16, 2013, 11:20:27 AM »
I burn both slab and block, kinda helps when you got your own sawmill (moodmizer); I do notice a bit more ash with slab but I generally only burn them in the spring and fall when load on the boiler is light. Use bigber blocks, when winter gets cold (average of -12F last week) here in East Central MN.
3 years in and really liking the OWB, previous house had an indoor wood furnace; a lot cleaner with the beast outside
3 years in and really liking the OWB, previous house had an indoor wood furnace; a lot cleaner with the beast outside
484
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Picking up the pieces...
« on: December 13, 2013, 09:27:43 AM »
I currently like the Grundfos Alpha (stainless), typically no price difference between grundos 3 speed and Alpha - plus it gives you a little display on whats going on with your pump (GPM and power consumption)
Suggestion - place pump in the heated building not out by OWB; cause do you want to be swapping out a bad pump in the blowing frozen winter (when all pumps fail COLDEST, BITTEREST day possible). Also, depending which way you go on the pump - get a back up, reference previous comment about swapping out pump on coldest, crappiest day - cause that day will also happen to be a HOLIDAY or weekend when the store is closed
Also remember to keep pump operating in middle of pump curve to get the most out of it and let it be all it can be
Suggestion - place pump in the heated building not out by OWB; cause do you want to be swapping out a bad pump in the blowing frozen winter (when all pumps fail COLDEST, BITTEREST day possible). Also, depending which way you go on the pump - get a back up, reference previous comment about swapping out pump on coldest, crappiest day - cause that day will also happen to be a HOLIDAY or weekend when the store is closed
Also remember to keep pump operating in middle of pump curve to get the most out of it and let it be all it can be485
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: 3 speed circ pump- heat vs elec cost
« on: December 12, 2013, 01:40:24 PM »
After a dit of internet trolling/research and had a few lengthly discussions with a few pump guys with LOTS of experience; if you can figure out the required flow and head loss for your system - you want to keep the pump happy and run it in about the middle of its pump curve. By doing this you are not wasting energy overpumping the water and you are not causeing excessive temperature loss due to low flow rates.
486
Plumbing / Re: whats kind of underground piping should i use??????
« on: December 10, 2013, 12:32:44 PM »
I agree with ITO, unless all conditions are know hard to say what you can get by with minimal heat loss. I would say at a minimum try to get below the frost line, but above the water table; that will give you the best chance at keeping your lines dry and warm.
When i installed my distribution lines I used the high dollar stuff, Uponor Ecoflex (sorry had to name drop cause family member works for Uponor) , and buried it 6' down to get below footing.
487
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Snow melting sidewalks
« on: December 09, 2013, 07:21:01 AM »
At least I am not trying to do snowmelt like this: http://www.warmzone.com/site/page/cz-snowmelt
Probably have to call power company before you turn it on; also can you imagine how the electric meter just hums
Probably have to call power company before you turn it on; also can you imagine how the electric meter just hums
488
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Snow melting sidewalks
« on: December 03, 2013, 02:32:00 PM »
I was wondering if anyone here uses heat from their OWB to purposely melt snow from sidewalks, aprons or patios.
Reason I ask is that I recently built a house heated by CB e-Classic 2400 and I was thinking about running pipe in the concrete before sidewalks and aprons are poured?? I was just wondeirng how hard it is on the boiler and how often do you have to refill fire box?? Will definately seperate snowmelt from boiler with a HX and mixing valve, so I can run glycol and not shock OWB.
Reason I ask is that I recently built a house heated by CB e-Classic 2400 and I was thinking about running pipe in the concrete before sidewalks and aprons are poured?? I was just wondeirng how hard it is on the boiler and how often do you have to refill fire box?? Will definately seperate snowmelt from boiler with a HX and mixing valve, so I can run glycol and not shock OWB.
489
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Heat gun on pex?
« on: December 03, 2013, 07:08:28 AM »
Right on SMITTY, pex definately loses some rigidity when you pump 180f water thru it. It gets easier to work with but you have to work faster 180f hurt hands
490
Central Boiler / Re: Story of trouble shooting house heat
« on: December 03, 2013, 07:04:18 AM »
Was thinking about putting windows in to help with draft! hehe
Pictures are a few months old, house actually has windows, siding and sheetrock inside. By the way the perfa-taper absolutely loved the fact the house has radiant, cause everything is nice and cozy.
Pictures are a few months old, house actually has windows, siding and sheetrock inside. By the way the perfa-taper absolutely loved the fact the house has radiant, cause everything is nice and cozy.
491
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Looking cold
« on: December 02, 2013, 02:26:17 PM »
Guess that mean I have to REALLY fire up the boiler now.
492
Central Boiler / Story of trouble shooting house heat
« on: December 02, 2013, 11:51:27 AM »
Have been running my 2400 for 3rd year now, heating a 4000 sf "Garage"/living area; all inslab radiant
Over the coarse of the summer built house, about 3500 sf; mix of inslab and under floor. Went to fire up house a couple of weeks back and everything worked great, accept very little to no flow in slab. Wasn't too concerned at this point cause it wasnt cold. Well 3 weeks later its getting cold and I had to get serious about finding problem, cause it dodnt fix itself; so here is how I proceeded:
1) Checked each loop top make sure I had not crossed between manifolds (Check, hooked up right)
2) Checked supply/return lines to ensure they did not get crossed (Check, hooked up right)
3) Check plumbing in Mech room (Everything good except 3-way mixing valve installed backwards - resolved)
4) Though pump was under sized (dropped in a Grundfos 26-99, WAY OVERKILL)
STILL NOTHING
5) Finally, starting tearing everything apart, to replumb again
WALA - found a check valve that had fallen out of original pump, got flipped around and fell down supply pipe - so here I was trying trying to pump again a check valve.
Removed stupid *%&^ check valve and it works, heat.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
Over the coarse of the summer built house, about 3500 sf; mix of inslab and under floor. Went to fire up house a couple of weeks back and everything worked great, accept very little to no flow in slab. Wasn't too concerned at this point cause it wasnt cold. Well 3 weeks later its getting cold and I had to get serious about finding problem, cause it dodnt fix itself; so here is how I proceeded:
1) Checked each loop top make sure I had not crossed between manifolds (Check, hooked up right)
2) Checked supply/return lines to ensure they did not get crossed (Check, hooked up right)
3) Check plumbing in Mech room (Everything good except 3-way mixing valve installed backwards - resolved)
4) Though pump was under sized (dropped in a Grundfos 26-99, WAY OVERKILL)
STILL NOTHING
5) Finally, starting tearing everything apart, to replumb again
WALA - found a check valve that had fallen out of original pump, got flipped around and fell down supply pipe - so here I was trying trying to pump again a check valve.
Removed stupid *%&^ check valve and it works, heat.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
493
Plumbing / Re: battle with pex
« on: December 02, 2013, 10:23:32 AM »
So, why not use a pex bend support or just a couple of street elbows; or just wait run some 180F water thru those pipes and BAM they get flexible real fast.
494
Plumbing / Re: 3/4" vs. 1"
« on: December 02, 2013, 10:15:16 AM »
Not sure if I missed it or just didn't read it; another major difference between 3/4" and 1" is head loss. Some applications where house is a long distacne from OWB, pipe is up-sized to lessen head loss and reduce load on pump.