New to Gasification OWB, Eko 40 model, previously used a Aqua therm. I have some questions on best operating practices I am sure some of you with more years under the belt can answer.
1) what is the best settings of fan time delay for keeping a coal bed between firing so I do not need to start a fire from scratch? With late fall milder weather i only need one firing per day, maybe less. (500G water storage) Am i expecting too much? I am used to the old smolder pot that had hot coals in the ash pile for days.
2) what is the best practice for minimizing creosote in the upper chamber other than a hot burn with the damper open ? sometimes creosote will "glue" the damper when closed and some persuassion is need (like a LFH; smaller brother to BFH) to open the damper. Using wood stored under roof 1.5 years.
3) I have been fighting leaks in the black iron piping between tank, mixing valve, air seperator, check valve, pump, ball valves, unions, etc in my outside installation. Cold pressure test was tight, but upon firing, leaks showed up. Tank is 3 ' away from stove so pipe runs are anywhere from 6" to 2.5 feet, both vertical and hoizontal. It seems like the expansion/contraction stresses a joint and a leak starts. I fix one leak and then another appears. I have used pro-grade dope (and sometimes tape as well) on threaded fittings and all are gorilla tight (about 3 threads exposed). finally thought i fixed them all and insulated pipes today only to find a ball valve leaking (ball valve joint- not threads). Leaks are very slow drips but a nuscense. have changed the length of some nipples thinking there was stress because lengths were a bit off, and this has helped but i am not done with them yet.
4) I sometimes have issues with fuel out when there is plenty in the fire box. Could this be because longer pieces do not drop down on the coal bed?
5) What are folks finding as the best balance between water storage temp versus heat loss on outdoor storage ? Obviously the heat loss is greater with a greater delta T between water and ambient. (Using a 500G Vertical LP tank with 4" of spray foam.) At this time of year i only need 140 F max temp for our radiant system (using mixing valve with outdoor reset), but run the boiler at 165-175 F . Using tank thermal stratification; boiler feeds mid tank, supply to house at top, returns at bottom. I hate heating the great outdoors. !
1) what is the best settings of fan time delay for keeping a coal bed between firing so I do not need to start a fire from scratch? With late fall milder weather i only need one firing per day, maybe less. (500G water storage) Am i expecting too much? I am used to the old smolder pot that had hot coals in the ash pile for days.
2) what is the best practice for minimizing creosote in the upper chamber other than a hot burn with the damper open ? sometimes creosote will "glue" the damper when closed and some persuassion is need (like a LFH; smaller brother to BFH) to open the damper. Using wood stored under roof 1.5 years.
3) I have been fighting leaks in the black iron piping between tank, mixing valve, air seperator, check valve, pump, ball valves, unions, etc in my outside installation. Cold pressure test was tight, but upon firing, leaks showed up. Tank is 3 ' away from stove so pipe runs are anywhere from 6" to 2.5 feet, both vertical and hoizontal. It seems like the expansion/contraction stresses a joint and a leak starts. I fix one leak and then another appears. I have used pro-grade dope (and sometimes tape as well) on threaded fittings and all are gorilla tight (about 3 threads exposed). finally thought i fixed them all and insulated pipes today only to find a ball valve leaking (ball valve joint- not threads). Leaks are very slow drips but a nuscense. have changed the length of some nipples thinking there was stress because lengths were a bit off, and this has helped but i am not done with them yet.
4) I sometimes have issues with fuel out when there is plenty in the fire box. Could this be because longer pieces do not drop down on the coal bed?
5) What are folks finding as the best balance between water storage temp versus heat loss on outdoor storage ? Obviously the heat loss is greater with a greater delta T between water and ambient. (Using a 500G Vertical LP tank with 4" of spray foam.) At this time of year i only need 140 F max temp for our radiant system (using mixing valve with outdoor reset), but run the boiler at 165-175 F . Using tank thermal stratification; boiler feeds mid tank, supply to house at top, returns at bottom. I hate heating the great outdoors. !
