Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers with NON EPA-Certified Models Only => RidgeWood Stoves, defunct, support only => Topic started by: Vincent Paul on December 08, 2014, 07:38:23 AM

Title: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: Vincent Paul on December 08, 2014, 07:38:23 AM

Hi guys, in anticipation of getting the furnace heat exchanger installed this week, any suggestions on water fill up?  Since we are water poor on our farm, I was considering hauling water in to fill it.  My problem would be to get enough pressure to go through the back of the stove.  Craig at Ridgewood did not recommend going through the overflow on the top but said it could be done as a last resort.  Any suggestions?  Thanks as always,          vpm

Title: Re: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: Chas on December 08, 2014, 08:03:16 AM

I hauled city water due to the hardness of our well water. I used 55 gallon drums and used a submersible sump pump to fill through the back of the stove. It worked great.

Title: Re: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: fsuftball on December 08, 2014, 02:52:32 PM

Mine was hooked up off my water softener with a valve and a check valve hooked to the return line. Works great.

Title: Re: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: Stihl_Hammer on December 08, 2014, 03:25:29 PM

I ran about 150' of garden hose from a faucet in my house (wanted the water to be softened) to the return line in my boiler. I didn't seem to have enough pressure to completely fill the tank from the return line so after I couldn't hear any gurgling I threw the end of the hose into the top of the vent. One word of caution, I filled mine till the water came out the vent, then ran water through the lines, then refilled it again. BEFORE you put your chemicals in I think it would be good to run the boiler because a lot of water comes out of the sight glass when it gets hot. It will find it's own level. I added the chemicals and then ran my boiler but I'm concerned I may have lost some chemicals out the sight glass. Planning on getting a test kit so I can find out.

Title: Re: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: Chicken farmer on December 08, 2014, 04:31:01 PM

I have mine connected to the house softened water. I just purged my system today. I shut off the return valve at the boiler until I get water at the supply side at the boiler then close the supply side valve and open the return valve until I get water there. Done, purged in both directions. I can stop my pump while filling if the need be, so no check valve needed. Also I connected mine to the hot water in the house, so if I have to fill, I won't cool the system.

Title: Re: Water Fill Up on Ridgewood
Post by: automan77 on December 08, 2014, 04:49:11 PM

Wood boiler solutions has the test kits  and the. Treatment  .