Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: jerkash on March 09, 2012, 11:50:21 AM
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This was the first winter with a OWF. With spring coming, I should be shutting it down in the next 30 days or so. I need ideas on the water. Should I change it when I shut it down, leave it in until next fall or what?
All thoughts are appreciated.
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good questions I am in the same boat, I am not sure what to do, one guy told me to spray the inside with wd40 to keep it from getting too rusty.
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I have seen post on here where people mix diesel fuel and motor oil to wipe down the inside. I'm just not sure about the water.
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I leave it full, no need to replace it
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You change water every 3 years, book says to spray fire box with new motor oil, after cleaning of course
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You will have to drain to change anode rod.I just transfer water to one of those 280 gal. container's that are plastic with wire cage around it change rod then put that water back in with more chemicals top with fresh water don't know if its the right way just the way i do it.I spray firebox with diesel,motor oil mix after scraping it down real good then shop-vac it to get as much ash as possible out.Good luck!!
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You change water every 3 years
So basically as often as the hot dog vendors at sporting events change theirs?
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I was informed to use hudson sprayer(garden sprayer) filled with diesel fuel and spray the whole inside walls after scraping the creosote the best you can. That way it will prevent rust, and when you fire it back up it will take off more of the creosote too with the hot burn.
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Jerkash, your question seems to be on what to do with the water at end of season. Not sure about your brand, but with my Central Boiler a corrosion inhibitor water treatment was put into the furnace on the first fill. My furnace came with a water test kit, which we are to use by testing water at suggested 6 month intervals. It balances nitrite, protects and eliminates any rust in the water jacket. Owners manual recommends not draining furnace in off season as it it protected. If drained, it would lose that protection as air would then come in contact with the unprotected metal causing surface rust inside. In my Classic I never needed to add water or water treatment until after 4 years of use and the water was still crystal clear. Had evaporated just about 1 inch of water and added about 1/4 jug of treatment.
As far as firebox, scrape all creosote lose from firebox walls and bottom. I shop vac then wipe down with light coat of new motor oil. Thow a bucket over the chimney. I even scrub down furnace front with Simple Green. Furnace stays great looking for years of longevity and service.
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boilerman - Your idea of using Simple Green to clean outside of OWB is great one. I'll have to keep that in mind.
Also, thanks for the update on your water being in the OWB for 4 years without changing and testing every 6 months. I was going to ask the same question when the time came to "summerize" the OWB.
Roger
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Would it be a good practice to top the water off to the point of overflowing to eliminate all the air space at the top of the water jacket?
just a thought
Clyde
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I also put a timer on my pumps so they run about 30min a day just to keep things mixed up and keep the pumps from sitting all summer. I don't know if it is really necessary but for the little bit of electric it takes to run the pumps, it seems like a good idea to keep things mixed up and ready to go.
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Would it be a good practice to top the water off to the point of overflowing to eliminate all the air space at the top of the water jacket?
just a thought
Clyde
I would say yes to that
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I was just wondering about this very same subject this morning. Given the warm temps are here early this year, wondering if I can go ahead and shut this thing down for the season. Presently the pump is running along with the blower. I have no switch to turn off only one but not the other. The switch on the front of the unit shuts off the entire unit.
I know NOT to drain the water and I know about cleaning the inside of the unit and then spraying or wiping down with oil; and then of course running the pump once or twice a month to keep everything primed.
Just wondering if y'all think it's safe to shut down...I would think that the ground would be warm enough by now.
Lugnut
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Lug,
Do you have another heat source? I would think we will have some cold night still to come. I run mine til mid april. I'm burnin very little wood and relighting is a pain, so I keep mine going.
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Anyone have any good methods of getting a bucket on a high stack???
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Put the bucket on the end of a long stick of some kind and raise it up to the stack and slide over, then remove stick. Seen it done, but never did it (don't have a very high stack myself). It worked nicely. I think my buddy used a piece of metal conduit, as I recall.
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Last year I used a ladder and a shovel...and wedged the spade end onto the side of the bucket with the handle...it didn't go too smoothly. Guess I need to find a long extension pole of some kind.
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Lug,
Do you have another heat source? I would think we will have some cold night still to come. I run mine til mid april. I'm burnin very little wood and relighting is a pain, so I keep mine going.
tbone...I have my in house gas furnace. It's been relatively warm here at night these last couple weeks...maybe down to 42. I "thought" about keeping the fire going, but just like you...it's a pain in the butt to re-light....oh wait, you're talking about re-lighting it from the git-go...sorry. Mine is a pain if when I get out there in the morning and I just have a few hot embers glowing.
The other reason I'd rather shut down now is because folks have their windows open and although my closest neighbor is about 3000' from me, I'd rather them not have to smell my OWF.
If the temps do drop once again to remind us that it is STILL winter, then I'll turn the power back on and fire her up.
Lugnut
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Lugnut,
I take it you have learned the value of keeping dry split wood on hand at all times...
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Lugnut,
I take it you have learned the value of keeping dry split wood on hand at all times...
Yes I have. I ordered up some wood back before Christmas...4 full cords. I just ordered up a half face cord and got it on Saturday...it's all dry and most of it split, but there are a few pieces I need to split. Will be getting a NEW wood splitter at the end of the month, at least my wife says she thinks we can afford one then. Looking at the Ariens 27 ton.
Much easier to start a new fire with really nice dry wood...the older the better. :-)
Lugnut
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Anyone have any good methods of getting a bucket on a high stack???
High stack OWB owner here.. What I do I stand on the roof of my OWB..Yes it can hold you.. I take a empty sheet rock mud bucket..Then i take a 16 foot conduct pole..Put the bucket on the end of the pole..Then lift the bucket up.. Then set the bucket..Works slick
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I only have 2 sections of stack I plan on takeing them off for the summer, then the unit will blend in I just went on top of to instal them I did not screw them together incase I had creosote issues
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I only have 2 sections of stack I plan on takeing them off for the summer, then the unit will blend in I just went on top of to instal them I did not screw them together incase I had creosote issues
Johnybcold - I'm thinking of doing the samething with my e-classic 1400. Simply remove the 2 stacks, clean them thoroughly (if they need cleaning) and store them until they are needed again. I then can cover over the opening without having to climb on anything (I can't climb anyway - deathly afraid of heights).
Last week I performed a thorough cleaning of the owb and I took a mirror to look up the chimney. It was as clean as the day it way installed. Having the winter (If you want to call it that) to learn the ins and outs of the 1400, I have learned that there is no way the creosote can migrate to the chimney. It stays in the firebox where it burns (heck, free heat) unless it gets in the air holes...that's the only downside to the design of the 1400 - the welded in place side panels make it difficult to remove any creosote that may make its way inside the air holes. I understand the E-classic 1450's design is better. Some of the side panels inside the firebox can be removed to aid in cleaning.
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In Boyscouts they sent me for a skyhook. Evidently it is a very useful device and they get loaned out a lot.
Then there was the bucket of team and the left handed tent stretcher which are also hard to get your hands on :o
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I just shut down for the season. (Well, until I setup the above ground pool.) I decided to take off the top of the two stacks to check creosote build up. The amount was next to nothing. I'll leave this stack off and put the cover that came on the original opening on the top of the one stack.
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I also put a timer on my pumps so they run about 30min a day just to keep things mixed up and keep the pumps from sitting all summer. I don't know if it is really necessary but for the little bit of electric it takes to run the pumps, it seems like a good idea to keep things mixed up and ready to go.
This is a very good idea, but 10 minutes once a month is fine. There are boiler controls that do this specifically, to prevent corrosion from locking up the impeller. I am very surprised there aren't more posts and advise from installers/sales to this topic. I would follow manufacturers I&O manual to the tee, to maintain your warranty. It helps to have a log book of this, so there are no questions if something ever arises. Air & steel don't play well together.
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My oil tank was empty so I ordered 100 gallons to make hot water for the summer and in case I ever have a problem with my owf, my wife left a blank check near the oil fill pipe, I get home check the tank and it is full,, wtf!! So I call the oil company and ask why my slip says 100 gallons which is crossed off and now the bill is 680 more then double he says well the check was blank, and he knows I have the owf my cb dealer is in the same building ,
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Sometime in the very near future I'll be borrowing a design I found on the web for a solar collector to heat my potable hotwater during the summer months and use my owb to heat it during the time the owb is in service. After sweating in the water tank and no leaks were found, I'm have more confidence in my abilities to sweat the copper together for the collector part of the unit and the building of the structure to hold it all together is a snap with a little common sense and common power tools. I already have the circ pump. All I need now is a 4ftx8ft sheet of marine grade plywood, pressure treated 2x4's, some stainless steel screws and I have nearly everything to make this thing. I'll take pics as I progress and post for others to see. Roger
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Well today (5-21-12) my OWB went out for the season..Been running since Oct 1, 2011..Total cord burned a little over nine cord...Hate hearing the oil furnace running lol..But Ill clean the OWB up get is ready for the fall..Gotta replace a grate as i saw today..Already ordered up! Pole shed being built this summer..Ill be posting pics of that..
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I cleaned out all the ash and capped the flue so I am officially done for the year as well.
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I've shut down my CB 5036. I scraped as best I could but there is still a good coating of black shinny creosote. Is this normal? The only part of the chamber where you can see steel is the bottom. This is my first shutdown.
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Yes the glazed shiney creosote is normal. You want to remove/scrape off any crusty creosote build up on the walls, corners, ceiling baffles, etc.
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::)not to be contradictory...i had shut my boiler down a month ago...night before last 3 deg C....last night -1 deg C...this is in the summer vacation capital of canada...fired her back up...will likely be running her for another couple weeks as cold and rain predicted...lmao...now gotta go cut some more WOOD...vs