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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Persistent chimney fires, even after cleaning

« on: January 27, 2011, 05:43:28 PM »

The 120 in 120/160 is awful low.  If your boiler temp is at 120 than you can bet the flue gas is even lower which combined with other factors like wood species and moisture content is a recipe for big time creosote formation.  Good luck.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: smoke roll out

« on: January 27, 2011, 05:28:03 PM »

I have a 6048 and agree with a previous poster...catch it after its been idle for at least half an hour and you won't have any smoke.  For me it's the luck of the draw and that's why I keep an old sweat shirt that I thrown on, my wife calls me a smoked sausage.  About the only permanent solution would be to install blower in the stack the you can turn on after you open the door which would provide a forced chimney draft.  The problem is magnified by the dropped heat baffle in these stoves.  You could crack the door for 5 minutes and it would not make a difference.  I have become very good at holding my breath and loading wood at the same time.  BTW, I'd still by this stove again.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: going on vacation

« on: January 23, 2011, 03:23:06 PM »

Good idea...I've effectively done that for my summer hot water needs by installing valves that allow me to shut off the flow to the heat exchanger above the blower.  If you reduce your back-up/emergency heat thermostat to 55 degrees it's about the same as the ground temp.  With no hot water demand you are neither heating or cooling the loop.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: going on vacation

« on: January 23, 2011, 05:00:47 AM »

My stove will only go down to 140.  At that temp your fire wont go out.  By the time your wood goes out (runs out) you will be on your way home.  Again, you will want to keep your house a minimum temperature anyway and the cost the oil to heat your water circulating through for a few hours at best will be insignificant.  Antifreeze will work, I just think it's unnecessary given the situation.  My .02, there is always many ways to skin a cat.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: LP withdrawl

« on: January 22, 2011, 03:16:08 PM »

Greatest feeling in the world...well almost.  The neat thing is it never goes away.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: going on vacation

« on: January 22, 2011, 03:14:38 PM »

How long are you going to be on vacation?  A week or less I would fill the stove to capacity, turn the aqua stat down, turn your house thermostat down and set your backup to keep the house at 50.  The house heat will keep the water in the boiler from freezing.  You are going to have to keep the heat on on the house anyway to keep the domestic water from freezing.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Persistent chimney fires, even after cleaning

« on: January 22, 2011, 04:04:37 AM »

What temperature range are you operating your stove at?  I know my stove produces more creosote in the summer when I have it set lower.  Maybe a higher temp setting will help keep the flue gasses hot enough to keep the creosote formation down. 

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Going to get cold tonight. How high can I set my boiler?

« on: January 12, 2011, 02:38:57 PM »

I measured my temps also.  Right below the pump a read 10 degrees cooler than what the aqua stat said.  I believe part of difference is where the aqua-stat is located which is near the top, obviously heat rises.  There is no way the temperature dropped 10 degree's in 10 inches of pipe.

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Central Boiler / Re: New CB 6048

« on: December 14, 2010, 03:55:33 PM »

You are not doing anything wrong.  I heat my 5000 sq ft well insulated house with a 6048 also (3 years now) and my temp range is similar to yours.  Whole logs definitely help some but the bottom line is you are pulling a lot of heat and probably have the stove close to capacity.  Your stove won't burn any more wood than it has to.   Pine, oak, split or whole it ultimately boils down to the btu potential of the wood.  Split wood will allow your stove to recover more quickly (especially with no forced draft) but won't give you any less heat.  Make sure you stir or roll the coals once a day, that will help some.   What is your temp range set at?  I bump mine up to 180 during the winter and have found the stove cycles more efficiently.  Summer setting is at 160.   Over all I wouldn't change a thing, married to wood & free of oil with 70 degree house...priceless.

10

Electronics / Re: Honeywell Multi stage stats

« on: September 19, 2010, 05:07:46 AM »

I called Honeywell with that exact question and they said it can't be done.  I ended up with a separate thermostat and a relay.  I still think it could be done just don't know how.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Spray Insulation

« on: September 19, 2010, 04:48:56 AM »

Interesting discussion, I would question whether or not to put the plastic sheeting under your pipes.  Seems like water would pool there instead of draining away.  Maybe a bed of gravel instead?  Just a thought.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: If you could do it all over agian, which boiler would you get?

« on: September 15, 2010, 04:02:20 PM »

Cb 6048 but it had nothing to do with the location of the dealer.  Actually there are several Taylor and Hardy dealers closer.  Again, I looked at stoves and researched the internet for months and bought the CB based on that alone.  Price was not a concern based on the life expectancy of the stove I bought.  Yes CB's are more than most but if you spread that cost out over 2 or more decades it's not material (for me a least). 

Ash...if you roll the coals everyday ash will be minimal.  I would estimate after burning 12 cords (1 year) I had about 15 5 gallon buckets full (more or less).

I too would stay away from stainless.

I would not bash anyone's stove... not qualified.  But, my experience with Shaver's customer service made me realize I'd be on my own if I had a problem.

Do your home work.  Be warm.  Say goodbye to the propane guy!

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Closed or Open?

« on: September 13, 2010, 04:32:21 PM »

I second the open system, never any concerns nor loss of water.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: If you could do it all over agian, which boiler would you get?

« on: September 13, 2010, 04:28:39 PM »

Bottom line is do your research and buy the best you can afford.  I looked for 6 months and visited several dealers and eventually gained enough knowledge to weed through the BS and figure out what was important and what wasn't.   Simplicity is the key...and 2 years later I've yet to add one drop of water either.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: If you could do it all over agian, which boiler would you get?

« on: September 10, 2010, 03:12:29 AM »

Looked at Shaver when I started researching stoves.  Called several times could not get in touch with anyone.  Left messages and never received a call back.  Needless to say didn't buy one.  I ended up with a CB 6048 and couldn't be happier.  Label me what you want but I would tell any prospective buyer to stay away from Shaver.