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[skorpyd]

I'm hoping to fire it up tomorrow,   the plumbing is done.   I've never used pex before so I sure hope all those connections hold.   I am heading to HD for a few more electrical connections and a second thermostat.

I think I understand what I need to do electrically but may need some help on that end.

Will try to get up a few more pics.

[skorpyd]

A week later I am finally heating my home with wood and not propane. 

Early today I started filling with water and soon noticed a few leaks.  These were where we had welded cast iron black pipe fittings to the steel water jacket.  My main welder had been concerned about these connections.  We obtained some nickel rod and made the repairs.  So far so good.  My partners build will only use black pipe and black pipe nipples for outlets from the tank.

I still have to finish wrapping the insulation around it and complete the roofing and siding but it feels great to finally be heating with wood.

[WoodMOJoe]

Congrats, hope I can say the same soon. 

I used Sch80 black coupling, cut in half, for my bungs.  Did you pressure test your firebox/water jacket?

[skorpyd]

WoodMOJoe,  I used the Black iron pipe couplings just not cut in half.   They were stick welded with 7018 and my partner whom is a better welder than I said that he didn't fell good about the welds.   The repairs with the nickel rod and pre and post heat is holding water.

We did pressure test the  firebox to the front plate welds and were ok.  We figured any leaks in the water jacket could be taken care of from the exterior.   The leaks we had were with the cast iron fittings.


I wrapped the unit with insulation today and got the roof on and one side.   

last night it was down to the high teens and I loaded it at 9:30pm and went out at 5:00 am the temp was starting to go down but still at 150.  There was enough coals to light the new load of wood without help other than from the fan in the door.  That was with very little insulation on the unit.

[lawrencep]

Go on mcmaster carr or surplus center they sell weld in bungs
1" NPT FORGED WELD-IN TANK FLANGE

Item Number: 9-7843-16
245 In Stock QTY:
$2.75
This is at surpluss center

[skorpyd]

Go on mcmaster carr or surplus center they sell weld in bungs
1" NPT FORGED WELD-IN TANK FLANGE

Item Number: 9-7843-16
245 In Stock QTY:
$2.75
This is at surpluss center

Thanks for the info.   Looks like a good idea to finish my friends unit.   Mine is  holding water now.

[skorpyd]

Iv'e been Heating with wood for almost a week now and it's been very cold.

I still have to enclose the front and back of the unit so I'm sure that it will be more efficient when that is done. I am still learning how to load and use this thing.

here's some pics of progress.

First fire.



partial insulation and siding


Pump and inlet to basement


Heat exchanger at furnace

[ms1780]

Very nice build. I am going to build one this spring and had a couple of questions.

Did you insulate the front plate at all? What did that door cost and did it include the frame? Where did you place your bungs for exit/return and did you baffle your tank or run your lines into the boiler tank at all? Where did you place your aquastat sensor?

I am chomping at the bit to get started. I just want to make sure I have a design that will work well.

Thanks for any advice.

[ben burnin awhile]

nice build looks great  i also am in planning stage and just have one question are there any legs or supports under firebox or does door and flu pipe hold in in place inside the water tank thx

[skorpyd]

ms1780,

I did insulate the front plate with fiberglass insulation before I covered the front with pole barn siding.  The door cost me $600 if I figure the cost of fuel to go to Mt Pleasant, MI to pick them up.   That is with frame and blower assembly included.  So it was basically a weld in unit.

I placed bungs about 6" below the top of water jacket and about 10" above the bottom of water jacket.

Ranco aquastat sensor is taped to exit line from boiler to house with foil tape and insulation around it.

Return line runs about 4' into water jacket via 1" black iron pipe.


ben burnin awhile,

 I did weld a couple of 3" angle irons to the back potion of firebox to support the firebox at about 2" between fire box and water jacket.   Just in case it needed a bit of support.  I don't know if it needed it or not but I did put it there.

[ben burnin awhile]

thanks it kinda would make me feel better about it too once again nice builds and love the pics

[skorpyd]

Well, I thought I would post up some finished pics.  There's still a couple of small things to do but it is basically done and heating the house.




If doing another I would not go through the time and effort of putting in the ash door.  It was an idea that sounded good but doesn't seem to be that practical.

I would definitely get the weld in steel bungs instead of welding on the cast iron fittings.

Next time around I would build my door as I now have a pattern to go off of.

I still may get a higher cfm fan.

I would think about running the air in from pipes or square tubing below the door and remote the blower to under the unit somewhere.

I would make my frame around it a little bigger to allow for more insulation.

I would try to get square tubing for the legs instead of the 6" I beams I used. (they were free though) Just a bit easier to fabricate and work around the square tubing.

[wissel12]

Looks good!  Wish I had that kind of skill.

[dave_dj1]

Looks nice and it's a nice feeling knowing that you built it yourself isn't it?
dave

[mlappin]

Looks good, you'll get a rush of self satisfaction when the first person asks what brand it is and where you bought it.