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1

Equipment / Re: Chainsaw oils both bar and 2cycle

« on: November 18, 2017, 02:45:28 PM »

I've got a stihl 390 that's not oiling. Blew it out with air. The plastic screw that runs the oiler looks OK... I'm stumped.

I would check that filter on the end of the hose in the oil tank then take the bar off and make sure the driver groove and oiler orifice are spic and span.

Then next culprit to me would be actual oiler assembly itself.

2

Equipment / Re: Chainsaw oils both bar and 2cycle

« on: November 18, 2017, 02:40:05 PM »

I primarily run Save a Chain 30wt bar oil all year. Sometimes Cenex bar oil when I can get it. I really like that stuff.

Saw gas is Amsoil Sabre 32/1 in 110 race fuel because all of the saws except 1 are far from stock. The 510 Dolmar (stock) eats anything.

3

Fire Wood / Re: Softwood vs hardwood

« on: November 18, 2017, 02:30:19 PM »

I will take good pine any day of the week. Favorite of the pine family is Tamarack. I burn the heck out of it.

I had one day a few weeks ago where the stove put up big reaction chamber numbers on primarily a Tamarack, some sugar maple, some red maple, and 2 pieces of black ash load.

Pine is great wood.

What I would really love to try in this stove is Hedge Apple (Osage Orange).

4

Central Boiler / Re: Wifi Module erratic?

« on: November 18, 2017, 11:42:35 AM »

I had go to a high horse power router that looks like a spider due to the antenna array and I changed out the antenna on the wifi module for a high db one.

Zero issues since I have done that.

ETA - I have the router setup so it is a direct line of sight to the stove through a window.

5

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 07, 2017, 12:16:33 PM »

To me this is the most important part of that program that you learn the most.  The history page.

I can tell if cold equipment was brought in the shop, if the wood is bridging or needs tamped down, if the heat exchangers need cleaned, or ahem if someone left the bypass open.

6

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 07, 2017, 11:17:09 AM »

benp, That's so cool.  Can you monitor it from the comfort of being inside your home too?  I wish CB had that available for my E-Classic 1400.  My CB dealer said the ones made for today's units are not compatible with the older ones like mine.  Roger

Roger,

That’s a screen shot from my phone. 

You can monitor from anywhere as long as cell phone signal or Wi-Fi access. 

That’s too bad.  I find it to be an invaluable tool.  You really learn a lot about the stove and how it functions.

7

Central Boiler / Re: Stupid move

« on: November 07, 2017, 08:28:08 AM »

I just root the poker around in the firbox to lower the level and run it under the stainless air tube to make sure that's not plugged.

I've done that before. Flame out before not long.

8

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 07, 2017, 07:46:01 AM »

Stove is putting up big numbers today!!!!

9

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 03, 2017, 05:53:16 AM »

One of the things I saw on 750, there's a spring where one end connects to one edge of the plate, wraps under the elbow and then connects to the other edge of the plate (I'm referencing the primary elbow and plate that goes over the opening).  I wonder, what's the purpose of this spring (my guess is it holds the plate down) and what would happen if the spring was to be removed, would it be detrimental to the operation?  Roger

My guess is to hold the plate down tight to eliminate risk of an air leak. I want that sucker locked down tight when it's off so personally, I would not remove it.

Also on our stove I have the air pulse set down to every 15 minutes for 50 seconds.

In my head I head have 2 reasons for this.
 
1. It really doesn't give the stove a chance to sit and fester. There is always something going on. Especially during warmer times.

2. It kind of keeps a little life in the coals.


I also dropped the water temp differential to 7 degrees. That has made a huge difference. When the stove was kicking on at 175 the water temp was getting crushed due to the heat load being greater than the stove's heat output at the time.

I would see maybe low 160's before it would start to recover. Coming on at 178 I may see high 160's before it starts climbing.

If I am home during the day I'll go out and just poke the stove at 180-181 to get the process going.

10

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 02, 2017, 08:43:34 AM »

Have you had any problems with the solenoids prematurely dying?  I visit another site where someone purchased one of the Edge 750's and he was going through them left and right until he found the problem.  There's a plate which sits on a elbow.  When the OWB calls for air, the plate is lifted from the elbow opening via the solenoid allowing air to enter into the firebox.  The problem was a film of creosote was collecting on the ridge of the elbow opening so that when it cooled, it hold the plate down, not allowing it to open, this causing them to burn out.  I believe his solution to the problem was to affix a film of high temperature grease to the ridge and I believe he no longer has the problem.  Roger

I've had no issues with that.

That being said I do take the main intake elbow off once a month and clean it out.

I can see how that would be an issue because that elbow does get some build up in it.

Next time I have it out I will do the grease trick. Sounds like good insurance.

11

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 01, 2017, 02:00:22 PM »

benp - Where you located?  Is the Edge 750 the titanium unit they're selling?  How long have you had it and do you like it?  Sorry for the questions, I'm seriously thinking of changing to something like the Edge 750.  I have the E-Classic 1400.  It's a pretty good unit but a pain in the neck (and I mean that literally, I have degenerative disk disease) to keep the air channel open, they'e non-removable.  Roger

Hi Roger,

Northern Minnesota.

This is the model. Click on the 750.

https://centralboiler.com/products/classic-edge/

Going on it's first year of service. I like it a lot. We are heating 10000 sq feet with a high, very high, and extremely high heat load, which i feel is bouncing off the upper capabilities of the stove. Heat load is determined what frozen, snow covered piece of equipment is brought into the shop.

Extremely high heat load is when we pull in a frozen dump truck with trac hoe and trailer that all have a foot of snow on them.....when it's -15 out. I watched the shop temp dump 15 degrees in 20 minutes because of that.

That being said, I can get a full 8-10 hrs out of a fill at heavy sub zero temps. Normally it's 12 hours from zero on up.

Weekly cleaning of the reaction chamber and heat exchangers takes under 10 minutes even in sub zero. Every 2 weeks I include popping off the back chimney cap, cleaning that and running the chains on the heat exchangers.

I pull 3-4 gallons of ash at the 2 week cleaning and 2.5 at just reaction chamber cleaning.

I guess I am not familiar with what you mean by the air channel on the E classic.

Everything on the Edge is accessible from the front of the stove. Firebox, air intake and reaction chamber.

12

Central Boiler / Re: Gonna fire her up

« on: November 01, 2017, 12:49:30 PM »

Ya, gasifiers can be a little slow to get going without a coal bed. This year i thought I'd try something to get the stove up and gasifying quickly.  Last spring, I saved the remaining charred logs and charcoal chunks from when the fire went out. Tossed them in the ash can and they kept dry over the summer. I used them as a coal bed "starter", and the stove was up and gassing in about 10 minutes.  Reaction chamber temps were still on the low side for 1\2 hour or so til the wood load got up and burning good. 200 gallons went from 50 to 185 in about 1 3\4 hours.

Still, it seems as though it just takes a couple days to get a good coal bed established. Started it up Thursday pm and temps are still climbing but becoming more consistent.  Now getting consistent reaction chamber temps over 1000.

With the Edge 750 I leave the bypass open for a while when first firing up and on a totally fresh fill. This way the fire is burning up through the wood and gets burning well. When I shut the bypass handle down to now go through the reaction chamber, the fire is blazing.

The reaction chamber temps fly this way.

I feel Central did a real disservice to the smaller models by not having that addition.

13

Portage & Main / Re: Minnesota Dealers

« on: October 03, 2014, 06:30:00 AM »

Alternative Energy Systems in Rice, MN
Mike Hoheisel is the owner/ dealer. 1-320-267-8481

Hey thanks!!!!

14

Portage & Main / Re: Minnesota Dealers

« on: October 02, 2014, 02:01:48 PM »

Thank you!!

15

Portage & Main / Minnesota Dealers

« on: October 02, 2014, 12:41:52 PM »

Hi, new guy and first post here.

Landlord is looking into getting a P&M Ultimizer series boiler.

We are located in Northern MN in the Bemidji area (56601).

I have searched high and low and cannot find a list of MN portage and main dealers.

I also could not find an area on their website to contact them regarding a dealer list.

Thanks,

Ben