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[Jwood]

I'm new to the site but plan on buying the Bl 34-44, very nice job posting your progress

[slimjim]

Very nice, 12-2 or 12-3 direct burial wire? I will usually try to get the customer to drop that extra conductor into the conduit for a dedicated 12 gauge circuit, possible outlets at the boiler on a separate breaker, How do you like that seal, please post the name of it again!

[Sloppy_Snood]

Very nice, 12-2 or 12-3 direct burial wire? I will usually try to get the customer to drop that extra conductor into the conduit for a dedicated 12 gauge circuit, possible outlets at the boiler on a separate breaker, How do you like that seal, please post the name of it again!

I intend on pulling wire for three two circuits:

1.  one run of underground-rated 12/2 w/grnd for the 100+ feet run for the boiler’s aqua stat and blower;
2.  one run of underground-rated 12/2 w/grnd for the 100+ feet run for the a backup for the boiler electronics
3.  one run of underground-rated 12/3 w/grnd OR 10/3 w/grnd for enough power to supply a MIG or TIG welder with power (didn't happen)

All three runs will be pulled through 1-inch PVC Scehdule 40 underground (gray) conduit.  That should cover my needs and allow for power adjacent to the BL 34-44 if welding were ever needed (let's hope not )

The seal again....lots of guys asking about that one via PM and e-mail (that's fine too guys, thank you; I always reply to e-mails and PMs).

The product is called a Link Seal.  It is similar to a bicycle chain in design style.  A Link Seal is wrapped around the pipe and carefully slid back into the recess of a core drilled hole housing said pipe.  Link Seals are "size specific" but due to design, variation in pipe o.d.'s is no problem.  The bolt heads squeeze an EDPM rubber "link" until it bulges outward to fill the void between the pipe and the wall of the hole itself.  Simple ratchet with hex head socket used to tighten.  Instructions tell you to tighten each bolt a couple of turns then move clockwise around the Link Seal until all have been tightened and the rubber has sealed the hole (look "through the seal with a light on the other side of the hole and look for any light that may be able to be seem).  If no light is visible, you are pretty much one.  This product DOES NOT require strong man torqueing for 100% waterproof sealing.  Company says it should last 15-30 years.... I believe them.


LINK:  Link Seal Modular Seals (Click Here)





I may have stated this somewhere else but I will try to break down the Link Seals I used and cost:

• Two $33 Modular Links Seals (each) for both the interior and exterior of the 6" core drilled hole housing Logstor 1" Dual PEX-Flex piping with o.d. of 4.3"
• Two $16 Modular Links Seals (each) for both the interior and exterior of the 3" core drilled hole housing 1" Lowes Schedule 40 conduit with an actual o.d. of 1 5/16" inches

The Link Seals are fantastic.  I direct sprayed my outer seal with a garden hose from 12 inches away for 5 minutes and absolutely no water on the other side of the seal.    Like Logstor, it is "expensive" for just a seal but I would wager that I won't be fiddling with the seals in the future either.  For me, it is "worth it." 

[Jwood]

How's the install coming along sloppy!? Keep posting pictures

[Sloppy_Snood]

How's the install coming along sloppy!? Keep posting pictures

April 3, 2014:  Some progress but rain delay,,, 

Nine (9) tons of flume sand arrived yesterday on my driveway.  Managed to get about half of the Logstor buried in the flume sand but heavy rains forced me to quit around 9PM.  Logstor pipe is resting on heavy clay with flume sand hand tamped to the sides of the pipe.  Another 6-inches of flume sand over the top of the pipe and gently hand-tamped in the rain.  Highly recommend flume sand for back filling as it packs very well.  Flume sand will serve as the main support under the 90° bend in my Logstor piping as it turns up under the BL-34-44 concrete pad's to the furnace. 

David Kruckeberg at Classic Comfort in Greenville, Ohio stressed several times that the bend in the Logstor piping that will connect to the furnace's water ports MUST have proper backfill support at this particular point.  Back fill material must not "fall away" (i.e. settle) and compromise piping support.  (If backfill material were to fall away, the Logstor piping would "pull" on the water jacket's connections and stress them.... possibly to the point where the connection could severe or in a severe case, crack the weld for the water port on the jacket itself!    Don't do that!)


Note:  For those that may not know.... "flume sand" is basically very fine limestone powder and "sand" from limesone pulverization at the stone quarry and looks like the following picture (golf ball in flume sand for size reference):





Flinging mud everywhere and tracking the heck out of my hill where the furnace will be set. 


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Mother Nature's rain forced me to move inside so I added antoher Link Seal to the inside of the 6-inch core drilled hole through the 10-inch poured concrete wall.  The Logstor "snugged up" nicely and the seal "countersunk" itself where the 6mm Hex bolt heads were flush with the face of the wall.


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Additional pictures and commments are forthcoming this evening of Thursday April 3rd. 

[Jwood]

Your install is very informative to those of us newbies what kind of setup do you have inside maybe some nice pictures that when you get to it

[Sloppy_Snood]

Your install is very informative to those of us newbies what kind of setup do you have inside maybe some nice pictures that when you get to it

...now wait a minute.... I am an OWB nOObie!    ...but Thank You very much for your kind words.  Much appreciated. 

Once the exterior portion is complete, then I will start posting the interior set up (predominantly designed by my P&M dealer Brian Cooper but I am a particular individual when it comes to certain system design, components, etc.).   

[Jwood]

I am like you, do it once, do it right! It may cost more to have the good stuff but well worth it IMO

[Jwood]

Hope you are having good progress with your install!

[Sloppy_Snood]

April 5, 2014:  Delivery of my Portage & Main BL 34-44 stove from Cooper's Wood Heating Supply and my dealer Brian Cooper.

Muddy hill and lack of a poured concrete pad required my temporary furnace location to be a couple 4" x 4"s off the driveway.





I wonder what this metal handle is?  Rumor has it there are shaker grates inside. 





Easy BL 34-44 back panel access and back chimney exit.  Plumbing and access is protected from the elements with a lockable access panel.

[Jwood]

She's a beauty

[Sloppy_Snood]

April 6, 2014:  Back to life in the trench... 

After 34" (top of the pipe) Logstor burial in flume sand, I added additional flume sand to create a 6-inch space (vertical) between the buried Logstor and the 1-inch electrical conduit riding directly above. The sides of the trench and flume sand bed were treated gratuitously with Drexel 41% glyophosphate and surfactant as a weed and tree root infiltration preventative measure.





Copper wire was spiral-wrapped around the Logstor piping and the electrical conduit in order to discourage/prevent root intrusion after burial.





A Wally World green ratchet strap and shovel were utilized for scooting the Logstor over just enough to be able to install and countersink the Link Seal into the poured concrete wall.  Countersinking the Link Seal slightly allows the unit to seal but avoids damage from shovels in the unfortunate event of needing to dig up the line.  ....an ounce of prevention goes a long, long way I hear.





You can observe the Link Seal around the electrical conduit countersunk into the wall for protection.  Note how flume sand was not used at the pipe and conduit entry into the wall (suggestion from a building contractor and LinkSeal company).  Because my backfill is some of the world's thickest, heavy clay, I used its natural ability to shed water away from my basement wall. 

Also of note, note the tight packing of backfilled heavy clay around the Logstor for a "stress free" and supported install.  This is of high importance when supporting pipes making 90 degree turns entering a structure.  Shifting could cause outer casing damage and was intentionally avoided using thought and care during the backfill operation.





More pictures and text to come once the rain stops again and I can take additional photos and note any installation ideas / lessons learned. 
Stay tuned. - Slopster

[mlappin]

Two suggestions:

1: If a person wants a heavy enough circuit to run a wire or tig machine at their boiler, run a gauge heavier yet than the charts might suggest. I have a 120 amp portable wire welder, is only supposed to take 25amps input to get full rated output, if your run of 10 gauge wire has any length to it at all it won't be enough. Go a full 8 gauge instead. Don't ask me how I know about crappy welds from lack of juice.

2: Sloppy, if your clay is anything like we have up here in the arctic part of the state, don't completely back fill at the house. If its wet at all you won't be able to pack that clay under the pipe by the wall worth a crap. If you completely fill the trench then when it all settles it will have a shearing effect on the logstor. We've dug trenches here at the farm for various reasons and have it take years for them to quit settling. Same when we install drainage tiles, may take a couple of years before they stay leveled off and you can't see right where they run.

[slimjim]

Both great suggestions mlappin, nice looking job and stove sloppy, how about a picture of the inside of that beast!

[Sloppy_Snood]

Thanks for the suggestions and feed back mlappin!   

I nixed the whole idea of having a heavy gauge wire in the trench to run a welder.  Why?  I do not know how to weld and would not be performing the work anyway.  I suppose I can always trench a line in at a later date if I change my mind.  But yes, I will run 8/3 or larger for a welder power supply if I install one.

Backfill,,, yep I was thinking more about that. Your point about sheer force on the Logstor and conduit are well-received. I can leave it exposed for a while at the wall but I honestly do not like a pit exposed for that amount of time.  Preference thing.  Is there a better material to use for the backfill at this spot (that won't be a problem with sheering as the ground settles)?