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[Roger2561]

Last evening after I topped off the OWB for the night, for giggles I checked the water level and it was where it's supposed to be.  But, the water in the site tube was rusty colored.  I'll be testing the water tomorrow when I have time but I know that at the beginning of the heating season it tested where CB says it should be (i.e. nitrites, nitrates and ph).  Should I be concerned about the rusty color of the water?  Would I be jumping the gun if I drained it and filled it with fresh water?  It has never been drained of water in the 3 plus years I've been operating it.  And no, I have never sent the water to an independent lab to test the water for impurities, I've only done what CB says to do in their operators manual.  Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.  Thanks, Roger 

[MattyNH]

Last evening after I topped off the OWB for the night, for giggles I checked the water level and it was where it's supposed to be.  But, the water in the site tube was rusty colored.  I'll be testing the water tomorrow when I have time but I know that at the beginning of the heating season it tested where CB says it should be (i.e. nitrites, nitrates and ph).  Should I be concerned about the rusty color of the water?  Would I be jumping the gun if I drained it and filled it with fresh water?  It has never been drained of water in the 3 plus years I've been operating it.  And no, I have never sent the water to an independent lab to test the water for impurities, I've only done what CB says to do in their operators manual.  Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.  Thanks, Roger

Rust color could be iron in your water?

[slimjim]

I would bet that if you drain off a few gallons from the bottom drain, it will clear right up Roger, I think all boilers will eventually get some rusty water, you might want to flush and re fill it after the heating season but I would not be concerned yet. Perhaps another sample is in order though?

[Roger2561]

MattyNH, Slimjim;  At the end of the heating season I plan on draining the system but refilling it with soft water.  I know we have hard water in our area of NH.  I believe there are inexpensive units that couple to the end of a water hose that filter the water and what comes out the other end is soft water; essentially it's a point of use water softener.   

You guys ready for another snow storm?  Tomorrow maybe around a foot by days end.  I better top off the green tractor with fuel; it runs better that way.  Roger 

[slimjim]

Dan spent most of the day yesterday on the YELLOW tractor just setting the banks back on the road out back as I would like to get in there EARLY this spring to set up the motor home as a camp site, lots of small stumps and grading to do after we had the back 9 acres logged off this past fall. 3800' back off the state highway, this will make a nice quiet camp site!

[MattyNH]

Yeah after work Ill be using my orange tractor plowing the driveway.. Snow can go now lol..I got too much to do around the yard including cutting up my grapple lol

[Roger2561]

I hear ya, MattNH.  I need to build a pole shed for the tractor and attachments (everything sits outside), cut up the logs, split it all and stack it, etc...  There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get things down these days.  Roger

[MattyNH]

I hear ya, MattNH.  I need to build a pole shed for the tractor and attachments (everything sits outside), cut up the logs, split it all and stack it, etc...  There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get things down these days.  Roger

You def will love the pole shed..Its nice to have everything under cover..What are you using for poles? I used telephone poles from my pole shed

[Roger2561]

If I could get some old telephone poles, I'd use them.  I may have to settle for pressure treated 6X6's.  I haven't decided how I'll sheathe it yet.  I'm thinking of using some cheapo metal roofing stuff from Home Depot or LaValley's.  This is the first season the tractor has been outside.  When my younger bro moved back home, I gave him the spot in the shop where I used to park my tractor for his car.  No matter where I park my tractor outside it gets the wind, no place to park it to spare it from the wind.  As cold as it was yesterday morning around 7:00am, after 10 to 15 seconds of glow plug use, it fired up without a hitch.  Thank God for the heated cab.  Roger   

[MattyNH]

If I could get some old telephone poles, I'd use them.  I may have to settle for pressure treated 6X6's.  I haven't decided how I'll sheathe it yet.  I'm thinking of using some cheapo metal roofing stuff from Home Depot or LaValley's.  This is the first season the tractor has been outside.  When my younger bro moved back home, I gave him the spot in the shop where I used to park my tractor for his car.  No matter where I park my tractor outside it gets the wind, no place to park it to spare it from the wind.  As cold as it was yesterday morning around 7:00am, after 10 to 15 seconds of glow plug use, it fired up without a hitch.  Thank God for the heated cab.  Roger

         I have seen telephone poles on Craigslist..Probably a good place to find some.. You could even put a wanted post for them..What I did for my shed, I bought rough cut hemlock lumber for the structure of the pole shed, Along with rough cut strapping for the metal roof..I bought my metal roof at Lowes..Heat cab nice!!

[woodywoodchucker]

Have you got any pics of your pole barn. im putting one up this summer

[slimjim]

Roger, had I known you were going to build a pole shed, I would have offered you up a bunch of Hemlock pecker poles for free off the land out back that we logged this past fall, we could not find a market for them so they went into fuel chips, to bad as Hemlock actually lasts a long time even underground.

[MattyNH]

Have you got any pics of your pole barn. im putting one up this summer

Yeah I do..Ill post some..Ive been having a hard time posting pics on this forum

[Corneroffice]

I tried to attach a pic but not able to - Upload full message comes back?
anyway
its 12x20.
bought 6x6 rough saw timbers from Goss Lumber in Henniker NH.
Used roofing tar on the bottom 3' before putting them into the ground.
Metal roofing from a box store
Siding is from a few trees I milled up.
Added lighting to the inside as well as a motion light on the front.
all in about 900 bucks.
I wish I built one more bay for the tractor, as where the tractor is now, its full of wood.
Position is key, I have the back of the barn pointing to the north (seeing this is the direction of most of the weather we get) really helps keep out the drifting snow and a nice little shelter when fill it on windy days.

if you want a pic, let me know your email address and I will send it directly.

[Roger2561]

Corneroffice, I just PM'd you my email address for a pic of your pole barn.  Thanks.  Roger