Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: woodburner85 on January 15, 2015, 05:54:02 PM

Title: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: woodburner85 on January 15, 2015, 05:54:02 PM: I have been burning through about 3 solenoids per year with my heatmaster. Has anyone else had solenoid troubles and found a good, reliable, non China made solenoid replacement? DORMEYER 4184 is the stock solenoid.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: BoilerHouse on January 15, 2015, 06:35:18 PM: Asco are common in industry
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: ffbare on January 15, 2015, 07:09:43 PM: I have had the same problems. This is my first year with my boiler I'm on my 3rd solenoid as well. Luckily the supply store down the road has them in stock. I think I have dormeyer as well.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: mlappin on January 16, 2015, 05:07:17 AM: Thats too bad, I have Dormeyers on mine, but its almost 15 years old, still have the original solenoids on it but I'm also sure they were made in the good ole USA. Made in CHINA, Crap Here In North America
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: ffbare on January 16, 2015, 05:41:22 AM: Someone brought this up not long ago but I sill haven't checked myself. Has anyone checked voltage is you are getting voltage drop it could be hard on your solenoid. I will check mine soon.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: RSI on January 16, 2015, 03:46:09 PM: Quote from: ffbare on January 16, 2015, 05:41:22 AM
Someone brought this up not long ago but I sill haven't checked myself. Has anyone checked voltage is you are getting voltage drop it could be hard on your solenoid. I will check mine soon.
Unless the low voltage is causing the solenoid to not pull in properly, lower voltage is better for it. The power draw increases on these with voltage.

What kills them is not fully seating when energized or taking too long to fully seat. Getting stuck in the open position will kill them pretty quick.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: willieG on January 16, 2015, 03:49:28 PM: make sure you have a wee bit of slack in the linkage so when it comes on it can seat fully open.
Like RSI stated you want that puppy to hit home when energised
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: woodburner85 on January 16, 2015, 05:21:29 PM: Thanks guys, I have checked thsee things over multiple times and did so once again. Also I did not mention that there are times the solenoil will keep the plate up even when stove is not calling for heat. It is not hung up on anything, I have kept whole back side open. I did not have a voltmeter handy last time it happen to see if there was voltage at solenoid, but wii check for sure next time. When I take solenoid out of stove they have all moved very freely and drop easily, so with the plate on also it should definitely be dropping back I would think. Could controller or wiring be messed up and has anyone heard of this before? Maybe at times solenoid is being told to open when it shouldn't be and that is causing them to burn out too. I have had multiple boil overs because of this and without my alarm system the stove would pry be shot.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: RSI on January 16, 2015, 05:26:35 PM: If it is staying in then something is not right. If it hangs up for even a couple seconds it is not good for the solenoid. The farther out they are, the less strength they have so if it is adjustable, shorten the stroke.
Title: Re: is there a reliable solenoid
Post by: smitty33 on January 16, 2015, 08:28:44 PM: I've had my selonoid hang up before. One did burn up too. I sprayed some of that white lithium grease on it and never had any more problems.