Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Username: Password:

Author Topic: Sticking blower door  (Read 25048 times)

ms1780

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 26
    • View Profile
Sticking blower door
« on: October 30, 2014, 07:53:32 AM »

I know several people on here have had this issue and used a paper clip to create a small space between the trap door and the tube the air comes out of.  I was curious if after doing this you noticed and increase in wood consumption or if it let enough air in when the fan was not blowing to allow water temps to continue to rise.

Also, has anyone wired in an alarm of any kind when water temps get too low?  I thought about wiring in a PID with a high and low alarm and set the low at 140 and the high at 190 and put an audible alarm on it and maybe a flashing light to warn me if something is wrong.  I'm just not real sure how to wire it in.   I suppose a thermocouple in a sump off my second line and pull 110v off the power coming in.

Thanks,

Mike
Logged

atvalaska

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1281
  • OWF Brand: aqua-therm
  • OWF Model: coal one 275
  • 907, no vacancy !
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2014, 10:25:53 AM »

kc

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 44
  • OWF Brand: Earth
  • OWF Model: Mountain Man 505
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2014, 12:08:53 PM »

I have been burning a Mountain Man 505 for the last 2 winters and have had some issue with the fire going out at night.   We have grown accustomed to having the temp drop at night using a programmable thermostat which when you do that no heat gets pulled from the stove for hours and the fire can go out.   I don't have any fast and easy answers but a few observations.   First is the quality of your wood is everything.   After struggling my first winter with wet, unseasoned wood I built a wood shed next to the stove and my goal now is to have it full by summer's end so that the wood is seasoned and dry by winter.   My wood shed holds approximately 6 cords which is close to what I would burn for a winter.  So far this season after burning for a month the fire has only gone out once and it was my fault for not loading it properly.   Next is you have to build up and keep a good bed of coals.   That can be hard to do when the weather is not so cold and the stove doesn't burn as much.   In those times I have used the paper clip trick and it does help keep the fire going when not much heat is being pulled from the stove.   Lastly, after suffering through many cold showers in the morning what I did on my thermostat was set it to heat up the house about 30 minutes from the time we get up.    Before I had it set a couple of hours prior (trying to shorten the time calling for heat) and if the fire is out it would pull most of the heat out of the stove (hence cold shower).   At 30 minutes there is still decent heat in the stove so I can shut the furnace off and use the remaining heat for the shower while the stove heats back up.   

On the blower door sticking I have had that happen a few times and what is going on is a thing layer of creosote will build up on the door and can "glue" the edges shut.   I now have the habit of checking and when I see it building up I knock it off with the poker.  Haven't had the blower door glued shut for quite a while now.

You just have to live and learn and always keep adjusting until it works well most always...

kc
Logged
Earth Mountain Man 505
Stihl MS361 - 25"
Stihl MS280 - 20"
Stihl 028 Wood Boss - 18"
Sthil MS170 - 16"
Echo CS-305 - 14"

Roscoe

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 189
  • OWF Brand: Hawken
  • OWF Model: HE2100
  • Southeast Michigan
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2014, 05:34:07 PM »

You will be fine with paper clip(s) as long as you don't exceed 1/16 inch gap.
Logged
JD 7775
Kioti DK35
Bobcat S250
All Wood Oak Series
Stihl 036pro, 362c, 064
Husk 385,570
Shindiawa 416
Griffin 14' Dump
Owned: WD14000 / Ridgewood 7500

Drivebymashing

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 100
  • OWF Brand: Earth Outdoor
  • OWF Model: 305 Bear Cub
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2014, 06:08:23 PM »

I have a earth 305 big bear
I had to relight mine alomost everyday. THen I added a paper clip works great doesnt burn anymore wood than before no more matches or lighters. Paper clip trick works great!!!
Logged
Husqvarna 445
Husqvarna 262xp
Husqvarna 55
2004 Corvette Z06
1971 Deuce and a half 10x10

Farmer85

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 42
  • OWF Brand: Earth
  • OWF Model: Rancher 365
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2014, 08:57:38 PM »

I have tried both a clip and no clip. No noticeable difference either way. I burn really dead wood in warm weather and get a good bed of coals going. Usually have trouble keeping fire going for the first 3 days of warm weather when first lighting stove. After that I never really need a paper clip. My door seal is leaking slightly but not bad enough to change yet. I also flip my trap door every day to knock off any buildup and keep it free. Works good for me
Logged
Sullivan Mo
Earth rancher 365
Stihl ms250,ms260pro,ms290,ms034,ms460
Skidsplitter,gas powered splitter and shiny mall

ms1780

  • Training Wheels
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 26
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2014, 09:05:52 AM »

I am sick of this sticking door.  I am going to change the set up to use a solenoid and door on the outside this summer. Has anyone retrofit an Earth door to do this.  You would think with so many people having issues they could fix this.
Logged

Drivebymashing

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 100
  • OWF Brand: Earth Outdoor
  • OWF Model: 305 Bear Cub
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2015, 07:14:52 AM »

I prefer the blower paper clip is where its at.
Logged
Husqvarna 445
Husqvarna 262xp
Husqvarna 55
2004 Corvette Z06
1971 Deuce and a half 10x10

mlappin

  • Fabricator Extraordinaire
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4140
  • OWF Brand: homebuilt, now HeatmasterSS
  • OWF Model: Martin Steel Works Gen 1 then, now a G200.
  • North Liberty, Indiana
    • View Profile
    • Altheatsolutions
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2015, 07:28:03 AM »

try spraying the door and its mating surface with some Fluid Film. That stuff is great, like WD40, PBlaster, Never Seize and cosmoline all in one can.
Logged
Stihl 023
Stihl 362
Stihl 460
Sachs Dolmar 112 and 120
Homemade skid steer mounted splitter, 30" throat, 5" cylinder
Wood-Eze model 8100 firewood processor

HeatmasterSS dealer for Northern Indiana

WoodMOJoe

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 312
  • OWF Brand: Homemade Tank-in-Tank Furnace
  • OWF Model: Ol' Fireball #0002
    • View Profile
Re: Sticking blower door
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2015, 06:23:54 AM »

I have an Earth 20x20 door on my homebuilt furnace and have been  using a paper clip, works well.

Also have a switch where I can control the blower so every time I load I will smack the blower door shut a few times with the blower on, that keeps any creosote buildup under control.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2016, 07:39:33 AM by WoodMOJoe »
Logged
Southwest Missouri Ozarks...USA