Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: PhinPhan on January 29, 2009, 02:37:03 PM

Title: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: PhinPhan on January 29, 2009, 02:37:03 PM

We lost our electric due to the ice and snow for almost 24 hours and my fittings leaked around both my exchangers, but once the water is back hot again in the lines they stop leaking.  I have noticed this briefly when the water in the OWB gets lower than normal.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: R W Ohio on January 29, 2009, 02:55:05 PM

I went back and looked at the pictures that you posted under Woodmaster new install.I have a question,what type of a fitting are you using from the copper elbow to where the pex crimp ring is located?
Ron

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: PhinPhan on January 30, 2009, 01:41:59 PM

There is the typical pex crimp ring then a screw on fitting that screws onto the domestic hot water exchanger.  The fittings on the furnace exchanger are just the crimp fittings.

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: R W Ohio on January 30, 2009, 01:57:04 PM

I have not seen any of these leak,but have only used a few.I wonder in the Spring after you are finished heating,you could cut off the old crimp rings and re-crimp them.Just a thought.

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: PhinPhan on January 30, 2009, 02:04:00 PM

Quote from: R W Ohio on January 30, 2009, 01:57:04 PM

I have not seen any of these leak,but have only used a few.I wonder in the Spring after you are finished heating,you could cut off the old crimp rings and re-crimp them.Just a thought.

This is what I was thinking on doing.  I will probably have to do something, I don't really want them leaking all summer.  Just wondering if anyone else has this problem.   :bash:

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: 603doug on January 30, 2009, 02:38:05 PM

I have a leak on my tube exchanger and of course it is the fitting first used so the whole project needs to be disassembled. Going to be a summer project. Brass to pvc sucks with temp changes.

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: R W Ohio on January 30, 2009, 03:27:24 PM

PhinPhan,

What did you do for heat during that 24hr. power outage,did you have some kind of back up power? 

Title: Re: Leaking Fittings When Water Cools
Post by: ckbetz on January 30, 2009, 04:23:30 PM

PhinPhan,

If it's just the pex leaking I have had success tightening the clamps when they are good and hot and it kinda squeezes the band into the pex if you will...anyway, that seems to work well.  Also, your furnace with just the pump running uses less power than a 100 watt bulb if you have a taco 007.  You could take a $15 inverter and run it off of one of your deep cycle  batteries for a good long time.  Then your water would at least stay hot and you may get a little radiation into your ducts.   Just a thought.  BTW, I have a generator, you should have yelled.