Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: MD20/20 on August 16, 2015, 05:57:19 PM

Title: idle owb
Post by: MD20/20 on August 16, 2015, 05:57:19 PM
I won't be using my boiler this winter. How can should I store it?
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: juddspaintballs on August 16, 2015, 09:14:40 PM
your owner's manual should give instructions.  if not, generally you'll want to empty it unless you're going to circulate the water all winter and let your normal heat source keep the water in the boiler from freezing.

you'll want to clean it out well, coat metal parts in light oil, cover the chimney, turn off the breaker, make sure mice can't get in and ruin it, etc.
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: slimjim on August 17, 2015, 02:09:54 AM
Is everything OK  MD20/20 ? Why won't you be running it?
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: RSI on August 17, 2015, 04:45:39 PM
When do you plan on using it again? It would be best if you could get it completely dry inside the water jacket but that may not be possible. I doubt it will rust much during the winter since the residual water will be frozen.

If you are going to use it again next year, maybe just wait till the temps are getting down into the 20 and drain it, then refill it in the spring and add treatment as soon as there in no danger of freezing.

If it will be longer till it is used again, I would just drain it now. Also, I would flush it out so there isn't any sludge in the bottom holding moisture.

The lines you will want to fill with RV antifreeze. Either fill the pump full of RV antifreeze and make sure it comes out the bleeder screw or take it off and store in a heating building.
If you take the pump off, I would try getting all the water out of it. If it just dries up in the pump, it will leave all the minerals behind and might seize it up. Maybe take it apart and clean and dry the rotor and rest of the insides.  If you have a Broeder pump, maybe just buy a new cartridge for it instead, especially if yours is a few years old.

As far as the rest of the boiler, just the recommended summer maintenance should be fine.
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: MD20/20 on August 18, 2015, 10:45:51 AM
Thanks for the advice. I wont be using it this year because I am going to have a full shoulder replacement this winter and don't want to burden the wife and kids with stove duty all winter. I'm hoping I'll be able to get back online next year, but will certainly need to modify how I collect and split wood.
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: atvalaska on August 18, 2015, 10:19:59 PM
its training time ...  burden hell ....get them on the it .......if u lived in a dammmm cave u would not talk like this !! time to break out the movies to keep u in charge of YOUR life >  the mountain men ..Mc clintlock, ...boy I  better stop !!!!!
Title: Re: idle owb
Post by: yotehunter66 on August 20, 2015, 07:04:20 PM
its training time ...  burden hell ....get them on the it .......if u lived in a dammmm cave u would not talk like this !! time to break out the movies to keep u in charge of YOUR life >  the mountain men ..Mc clintlock, ...boy I  better stop !!!!!
Lol!