Just talked with Fred Seton ..

[NNYorker]

Good idea with the board. How about a mod on your idea -- use a screw drive similar to a garage door type to move an aggressive scraper/cleaner back and forth with a stop at the end of the vessel (where it starts to 90). Drive it with your 1/2" drill or ratchet..... Probably never hold up to the heat--just throwing ideas out there.

 

[Jesse-M]

I have a homemade Seton. Instead of insulation I used 2" hi-temp refractory board. It works great. The top is a little warm but you can put your hands on the steel. When I made the water vessel, I made an extra plate that the water tubes weld to. The holes are slightly bigger so it can slide back and forth to clean the tubes. Unfortunately, I changed my mind and left it off before I welded it. I should have left it on.

Cut it in half and weld a handle on it you'll have a custom fit scraper.

 

[Jesse-M]

I agree with Webmaster Craig, I have a mixing valve that does not let my return water go below 140. I have ash, soot and some creosote but nothing like the pictures some are posting. Has anyone tried some of the creosote removal products? I have been using Rutlands creosote remover. You sprinkle a scoop full over hot coals maybe once a week. Seems to work. I run a round brush over the tubes in the top and were I can reach in the back and everything just seems to powder and fall off. I often thought about throwing a Chimney sweeping log in their once a week but they are expensive. Rutlands powder was about $6 for a pint size container at ACE hardware. Anybody else tried chemical warfare?

Two aluminum cans a week.

 

[NNYorker]

I agree with Webmaster Craig, I have a mixing valve that does not let my return water go below 140. I have ash, soot and some creosote but nothing like the pictures some are posting. Has anyone tried some of the creosote removal products? I have been using Rutlands creosote remover. You sprinkle a scoop full over hot coals maybe once a week. Seems to work. I run a round brush over the tubes in the top and were I can reach in the back and everything just seems to powder and fall off. I often thought about throwing a Chimney sweeping log in their once a week but they are expensive. Rutlands powder was about $6 for a pint size container at ACE hardware. Anybody else tried chemical warfare?

I used the Rutlands too with results similar to yours. I did not have a mixing valve but a temp gauge in a well directly behind the unit. Not as foolproof as the mixer but I could monitor my return temps. I still use it with my Econo in the same location. Never tried the the Chimney sweep. The Rutlands is not that expensive--I've seen where Tractor Supply and Home Depot will drastically reduce prices on this at the end of the season

 

[Gooserider]

A mixing valve can assure relatively hot water returning to the boiler - say 160 degree or so - instead of 120 degrees. However, the jury is out as to whether either of those temps would discourage creosote formation. After all, both are relatively cool compared to the smoke and fire.

My understanding has always been that the mixing valve or loading units, etc. were never really intended as a creosote prevention method, that any benefit of that sort was just a good news side effect... The reason I've always seen given for doing return water protection was to prevent condensation of corrosive combustion gases on the boiler interior, especially right near the return water connection... If condensation was allowed, it would cause the steel in the area to corrode, the corrosion would flake off exposing fresh steel, repeating until the HX rusted out from the firebox side in... By getting the boiler HX up to temperature as rapidly as possible, the condensation would be kept to a minimum, and driven off before it could do a lot of damage...

Gooserider