Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Electronics => Topic started by: Timberwolf5000 on April 15, 2013, 07:30:05 AM
-
Good morning all. Let me start by saying thank you for have a place full of information about OWBs.
Here's the scoop.
Bought a Timberwolf5000 second hand from a couple that moved into home (now they are using geothermal).
After spending my sweet a$$ time hooking it up over the past couple months. I finally have a system that I
believe should produce comfortable heat for years to come.
Here's the dilemma, I'm now facing.
No heat is coming through my vents, only cool air :o
The water at the boiler is about 180 degrees.
The pump seems to be working properly.
I have a tstat that controls both the OWB, and a propane back-up.
Any help or tips on getting this thing rolling would be excellent.
Thank you in advance.
-
sounds like an air lock in the pipeing . pump may sound like it is running but is it moving water?
if water at boiler is hot...start feeling pipes to see where they feel cooler. Many folks install a hose bib at the feed line at the boiler and force water through the system to chase air out.
-
Hi willieG (harley reference?)
Thanks for the reply. Checked the pump yesterday(undid the line going into the house, turned pump on
and had water flow.) I can take a few pictures of the set up, and post here if that would help, get this
problem figured out.
Here's another thing I found. Pipes are warm at the OWB and at the HX, but cool in between (thinking
they are warm at the HX because the back up propane heat is blowing on the HX.)
-
There is always a possibility the HX is getting clogged, but I just had it installed about 2 weeks ago,
everything seemed to be flowing through it before it was installed, this is a new start up, So I'm going
to check for air lock in the lines. I'll keep everyone update.
Thanks for the help all.
-
Sounds like an air lock or maybe you just have a valve off inline somewhere. Push the air out of the line using the method WillieG described and it should start working for you. If you were moving water all the lines would feel warm including the return.
-
He said he was using ONE Thermostat to control the OWB and the propane backup.
Could this be his problem??
-
He said he was using ONE Thermostat to control the OWB and the propane backup.
Could this be his problem??
If it is a 2 stage thermostat it can be made to work. If cold air is coming out the vents then probably water flow problem.
-
Where is the pump located and was it a used pump? If the pump was used, the first place to start is make sure it is working.
If the pump is located in the basement, it is most likely airlocked. If you have a drain valve after the pump, open it and let a water run out and see if the pump sound changes.
Also, be careful how long you run the pump if it is airlocked. They can get destroyed pretty fast if run dry.
-
One more thing, if you open a valve after the pump and doesn't start working, it could be flowing backwards from the return. If it is doing that, closing a valve on the return at the boiler while doing it would prevent that.
-
Ran out of time yesterday to try and fix 'er up, so I'll be out today in between bouts of heavy rain.
Here's a picture of the set-up that is running in the back of the OWB.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
-
Hook a water hose to the green valve and close the blue valve. Turn on the water for a few minutes until you hear no more air coming back into the furnace. If that don't solve the problem we can start brainstorming on some other causes. Which way is that pump pumping?
-
Hook a water hose to the green valve and close the blue valve. Turn on the water for a few minutes until you hear no more air coming back into the furnace. If that don't solve the problem we can start brainstorming on some other causes. Which way is that pump pumping?
The pump is on the correct way in the picture.
Stupid question but are you sure the valve before the pump is open?
-
Well gentlemen, all the information certainly did help to get all
the air out of the lines, but something was a miss I still wasn't getting any
water to move past the flange on the outlet of the pump.
Here's the scoop apparently what I thought was the pump running was truly
that the pump MOTOR running, but the shaft on the impeller was snapped. See attached pic.
So off to Grainger in the morning I go. This I believe should be the last step in the process.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
-
Don't skimp on pump sizing... :thumbup:
-
Hi Scott7m,
was just going to get the exact same pump that was in there. I don't think the previous owners had problems
moving water.
Is there a good way to measure which one may be best?
-
Well.. Yea but it's not something easily done. One problem we see a lot on here is folks saying my pump works because the house is warm, they don't realize how important return temps are. If the system was properly designed the first time a copy will likely work for u
-
Good call, I'll have to do that just to double check, Grainger didn't have one in stock at my local, so I'm in limbo as of right now.
Stay tuned.
Again, I appreciate all the help here, you folks kick a$$!
-
There has to be heating supply houses in your neighborhood that can hook you up. Around here it'd be Sid Harvey or R. E. Michaels, and a few other local businesses. I'll bet they won't cost you anymore than Grainger would.
-
Local Grainger is about an hour away. Decided to double check to make sure I have enough "pump" 8).
From the looks of it I will have plenty if I go with the exact same pump. Did some searching around and found
the pump almost $60 bucks cheaper from an on-line place that looked pretty reputable.
Just glad that all the issues I'm having are in the spring and not the dead of winter.
Stay tuned.
-
Well folks got the new B&G pump today, got'er all hook up. Bam! Pump HOT water as I type this
See attached shot of new pump.
Big props to the folks that helped me out on this especially ITO, Twilson1152, Scott7M, Willie G (yoder heating), RSI.
I'll be hanging around the site, just to see what else is here, but as of now I'm heating.
[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]
-
Single thermostats can be used to control hot air gas or oil burners without going through all the trouble of running another tt wire but you will need to use and understand a switching relay but by doing so the burner can be controlled seperatly from the blower using just the one thermostat.