Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers with NON EPA-Certified Models Only => Empyre => Topic started by: harley96cube on October 07, 2011, 07:08:06 AM

Title: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: harley96cube on October 07, 2011, 07:08:06 AM

I am just about done installing my new Empyre Pro 200 and am glad to find this site for information.
This is my first OWB, so I have a lot to learn.

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Ridgekid on October 07, 2011, 07:09:48 AM

Welcome to the site!

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Airgap on October 07, 2011, 08:55:48 AM

Welcome....I wish I had found this forum about 6 months before I did... :bash:

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: harley96cube on October 07, 2011, 03:27:11 PM

I have started searching and reading, but the first thing that comes to mind is what to do in the case where I will be on vacation for a week and outdoor temps could get below zero.
I don't have antifreeze in the system.
I have force air propane furnace, so house will stay warm enough not to freeze, but how do people keep the water in the lines and owb from freezing?
Will the circulating pumps moving the water keep it from freezing?
I read that someone put a small heater in the firebox and had it running to keep the water 40+.
What if electricity goes out?
Thanks!

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Firechaser on October 07, 2011, 06:33:55 PM

The water circulating through the house should keep it from freezing. I also use tv antifreeze in mine at the recomendation of Portage and Main

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: skyking on October 10, 2011, 11:17:33 AM

Do you mean rv anifreeze?  Did you use a 50/50 mix (water to antifreeze)?

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Firechaser on October 10, 2011, 03:20:52 PM

No I used a 20 % mix as per P&M

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Firechaser on October 10, 2011, 03:22:12 PM

Sorry yes I meant RV antifreeze

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: skyking on October 10, 2011, 04:26:57 PM

Was it the 50 degree below or the 100 degree below antifreeze?  I guess you can buy both.  Been thinking of putting it in my P&M gasifier.  Thanks

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: RSI on October 10, 2011, 06:01:00 PM

Putting RV antifreeze in an OWB is a complete waste of money. RV antifreeze is just alcohol and the boiling point of alcohol is quite a bit lower than water It will all just evaporate very fast and you will have nothing but expensive water.   

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Firechaser on October 10, 2011, 06:49:53 PM

I'm not sure if it was the 50 or 100 below. It may be a waste I'm not sure. P&M recommended it so I added it. I figured I wasn't giving them a reason to not honor any warranty issues. They said it would work as an antifreeze and rust inhibitor.

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: willieG on October 10, 2011, 07:52:06 PM

according to info found on the net, RV antifreeze does not boil till between 214 and 218 F. at what temp it evaperates i do not know but  if you had to add a two gallon jug every year that would be cheap insurance if you were a travler or had long power outages?

i have never used anything but water, but i rarely stay out overnight. if i was going away i would consider RV antifreeze. to lose a little by evaporation is quite cheap compared to the enviromental dissaster you would be in if you sprung a leak and lost 50 gallons of regular antifreeze into the sewer system or a nearby stream and they traced it back to your property

Title: Re: New Empyre Pro 200 install
Post by: Firechaser on October 10, 2011, 08:01:25 PM

With regular antifreeze there is the possibility that it could poison  your drinking water in your plate exchanger through a leak.