Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers with NON EPA-Certified Models Only => RidgeWood Stoves, defunct, support only => Topic started by: njohnson on February 09, 2016, 01:24:53 PM

Title: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: njohnson on February 09, 2016, 01:24:53 PM
I got to thinking last night about my small draft door and got to wonder what size draft door the people had that are burning up solenoids this may help people out I'm thinking about making a linkage to open my door a little more my stove take for ever to recover my Friend has the big draft door and his takes less than 1/2 time
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: ridgeman on February 09, 2016, 02:13:48 PM
How long does your drove take to warm up? I have a 2 year old 6000 and I think mine works fine but maybe it actually isnt
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: njohnson on February 09, 2016, 06:59:54 PM
My draft door is 6x6in my stove will take 1 to 2 hour with a 10° diff and maybe that's normal but the boilers I've been around recover faster than that
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: ridgeman on February 09, 2016, 08:10:45 PM
Just measured mine tonight. Its 6 x6 also. My recovery times are way faster I'd say 20 minutes to half hr tops with good dry wood. My first year running stove a few months in I started going through solenoids like crazy. I ended up putting a paper clip on bottom of door to keepbit from gluing shut with creosote. I try to keep door lubed up with pb blaster as well. Another issue I was having was their aquastat burning up. The only thing I could come up with that was voltage drop or something voltage related. I ended up running a copper 8 foot ground rod in and ran a heavy wire to frame of boiler and it immediately stop burning up solenoids and aquastats. This year knock on wood I haven't had anymore issues besides the spring pivoting on door and sticking open which overheated stove and cracking the firebox
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: Banna on February 10, 2016, 05:38:09 AM
I made a adaptor for lack of a better term that opens my draft door wider, I have a 5ft stack on top. My 10 degree recovery time is 15 to 20 minutes.

I keep my fire close to the door, mixing dry and semi seasoned wood. Very little creosote in the draft door. Original solenoid, second year.
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: njohnson on February 10, 2016, 08:54:41 AM
I am runing 2 pumps one to garage with 12x12 exchanger and one to house with side arm on hot water heater and heat exchanger for the house don't remember the size I got to wondering if I mite have water in my tile under ground so i used a fish tape with a rag hooked to it and put in down there it came out dry the snow over the lines never melts I have alway bitch ed about recovery time last spring longer I kept it runing so my wife could have the extra hot water it still took over a hour to go up 10° with just the hot water heating I bypassed ever thing else
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: njohnson on February 14, 2016, 07:26:19 AM
I stoped at the local central boiler dealer to see about a solenoid I picked one up for $25 look a tape checked the pull stroke it's the same the coil part is bigger looked it up its rated for more pull I haven't had to use it yet but tough I would pass the info along mite help the people burning them up
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: Roscoe on February 14, 2016, 07:41:02 PM
I stoped at the local central boiler dealer to see about a solenoid I picked one up for $25 look a tape checked the pull stroke it's the same the coil part is bigger looked it up its rated for more pull I haven't had to use it yet but tough I would pass the info along mite help the people burning them up

What's the part number on it?
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: Vincent Paul on February 15, 2016, 04:22:09 PM
Are your guys stoves open to the weather or in a building/lean to?  Just curious.
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: njohnson on February 17, 2016, 06:25:00 PM
My stove is out in the weather

http://store.myheatingoptions.com/solenoid/

This is what a got I can not find the spec sheet I looked at the other day
I tryed to up load photos showing them side by side and couldn't get it to go they are bolth 1in stroke
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: Vincent Paul on February 19, 2016, 05:22:47 PM
Thanks for the reply, my Ridgewood 7500 is 2 years old, have not yet had any solenoid problems but both Craig & Tim recommended that I buy a back up which I did.  My stove is under a lean too at one end and all the firewood occupies the rest of the space ( approx. 30' long x 14' wide ).  Most of my friends own either a Hardy or Central Boiler.  The CB guys have also had solenoid problems ( some stoves under cover - some not ).  As always, I appreciate this thread with fellow outdoor furnace guys..............vpm
Title: Re: solenoid problems / draft door size
Post by: U.P. Doug on February 20, 2016, 05:13:26 PM
My 7500 is 2 years old as well and is outside in the weather. I am still on the original solenoid and the only issues I had were with the solenoid wires coming off the solenoid. I crimped new ends on and used high temp electric tape to wrap around the wires, no problems since. Mine came adjusted so the door is not fully shut, about a 1/16 open on one side. I believe I read where some guys were putting paper clips on the bottom to keep the door from "glueing" shut.