TARM SOLO PLUS 60

swlpt · Dec 8, 2013

Well - this is clearly the place to bounce a few newbie questions around. Just started using a TARM solo plus 60 system (purchased a home that was built in 2008 that had this system installed). I have really no experience - what I have learned is through the manual (which I've read and reviewed quite a few times)

I cleaned the boiler from the firebox to the tubes to the flue prior to firing it up - I manually fixed the issue w the damper (not closing completely) - my fuel is BONE dry hard wood

I can see myself having so many questions in the next few weeks

First Question - Is it normal to have flue temperature in the 800-900 F range during the initial (first ~5 minutes) after loading the firebox?

At the end of my 8-10 hour burn, there is a nice bed of coals - the boiler temp is slightly under 170F - I load the firebox up and after I close the door - start the fan and close the damper, that flue temp steadily works up and up until it is SLAMMIN (800-900F) for like 3-5 minutes and then the combustion fan stops (after ~ 3-5 minutes) and the flue temp drops to 300F and stays there (no combustion fan running)

Is this normal?

I have a ton of questions!

mustash29 · Dec 9, 2013

Welcome, you came to the right place to learn. Tons of very knowledgable folks around here.

Those flue temps seem very high for a gasser. It seems most guys are running more like 300-400 during a burn.

If you are completing an 8-10 hr burn @ 170 deg, have lots of coals & fully reload the firebox with extremely dry wood, where is the heat going? Does the system have thermal storage? Or does the boiler fire for a short time and then go into idle?

jebatty · Dec 9, 2013

The 60 is a big boiler with lots of heating capacity (200,000 btuh). Although it may take some time, I strongly recommend that you search this forum for answers. You will find lots of information and good, experienced advice.

Following up on mustash29 comments, you will find that hot water storage, if not mandatory, is strongly recommended with a gasification boiler. Your answer to that question, plus a much more detailed description of your heating system, will be necessary to provide you with good information.

First Question - Is it normal to have flue temperature in the 800-900 F range during the initial (first ~5 minutes) after loading the firebox?

With "bone dry" wood, this is high but not wholly out of line. I experienced that with my Solo Plus 40 initially when I burned very dry pine, which I still burn almost exclusively, and then I learned that the damper on the draft fan can be adjusted to reduce air flow, plus I made and added turburlators to the 40. My flue temps, as measured by an internal K-type probe in the stack about 1 foot up the stack from the boiler, now will run in the 400-450F range during the high burn period. I could damper this down further, but I found that I need this temp range to produce rated output for the 40. I have storage, so my system has the capacity to absorb 100% of the output of the 40 without idling (draft fan off and slow fire fed by natural draft continuing). Everyone likely will advise against letting your boiler idle if at all possible. Idling can lead to lots of and some potentially serious problems.

I recommend adjusting the draft fan damper to reduce air flow and aim for a stack temp in the 5-600F range for bone dry wood, assuming you do not have turbulators, and in the 400F range if you have turburlators. Also, mixing in some less than bone dry wood (not green!) will help, and in the future using wood at about 20% moisture content will result in better burns and lower stack temps.

What kind of temperature measuring device are you using? If a magnetic surface or probe thermometer, then these can be very inaccurate. If calibrated and adjusted against a known high temperature, then their accuracy may be tolerable.

swlpt · Dec 9, 2013

jebatty said:
The 60 is a big boiler with lots of heating capacity (200,000 btuh). Although it may take some time, I strongly recommend that you search this forum for answers. You will find lots of information and good, experienced advice.

Following up on mustash29 comments, you will find that hot water storage, if not mandatory, is strongly recommended with a gasification boiler. Your answer to that question, plus a much more detailed description of your heating system, will be necessary to provide you with good information.

With "bone dry" wood, this is high but not wholly out of line. I experienced that with my Solo Plus 40 initially when I burned very dry pine, which I still burn almost exclusively, and then I learned that the damper on the draft fan can be adjusted to reduce air flow, plus I made and added turburlators to the 40. My flue temps, as measured by an internal K-type probe in the stack about 1 foot up the stack from the boiler, now will run in the 400-450F range during the high burn period. I could damper this down further, but I found that I need this temp range to produce rated output for the 40. I have storage, so my system has the capacity to absorb 100% of the output of the 40 without idling (draft fan off and slow fire fed by natural draft continuing). Everyone likely will advise against letting your boiler idle if at all possible. Idling can lead to lots of and some potentially serious problems.

I recommend adjusting the draft fan damper to reduce air flow and aim for a stack temp in the 5-600F range for bone dry wood, assuming you do not have turbulators, and in the 400F range if you have turburlators. Also, mixing in some less than bone dry wood (not green!) will help, and in the future using wood at about 20% moisture content will result in better burns and lower stack temps.

What kind of temperature measuring device are you using? If a magnetic surface or probe thermometer, then these can be very inaccurate. If calibrated and adjusted against a known high temperature, then their accuracy may be tolerable.

swlpt · Dec 9, 2013

Well - the system has 600 gallons of water storage with circulators / heat exchangers - I fired the TARM up (after spending time reading and cleaning - and re-reading) 2 days ago and obviously, the oil boiler has been on stand-by.

I did read in the manual how you could adjust the primary combustion by unscrewing a lock nut and then screwing inward to close the damper slightly - I did that last night and my temps went down to the 600F range - like you said, that wood is DRYDRYDRY and this will likely cause higher burn temps anyway. I have a magnetic probe thermometer (339N) ~12 inches outside of the rear of the boiler

I have only been using the wood boiler for 2 days

SECOND QUESTION - I have been filling the firebox every 8-10 hours - ONLY because there is remaining hot ash on the bottom - this morning (11 hours into a burn) - I go down and the TARM is still sitting at 175-180F (I did not open the firebox) - I assume that my wood is burned out HOWEVER, can I just let that burn out and allow my storage system heat the house for a full 24 hour period?

DO I need to re-fill the firebox every 8-10 hours? The manual reads that with storage -

"On most days in the winter, you will be able to load the boiler when it is convenient - once every 24 hours"

12-14 sticks of wood in 24 hours would be a whole lot better than 36-42

thanks guys

maple1 · Dec 9, 2013

Are you measuring storage temps? If not, you need to. You should be burning only when your storage cools down to where it needs heated up again to give useable heat, and not just to keep your boiler going or up to temp.

I've got 660 gallons of storage - right now I'm lighting a fire just before supper, burning about a load and a half, then doing the same thing the next day. Batch buring is how you burn with storage - that means light a fire every day, and the fire will go out every day.

Those are some high stack temps, indeed. Mine runs about 200-225°c internal.

swlpt · Dec 9, 2013

yesterday - the first full day of use, my TARM was below 170 and my water temps were low (in the morning) - THIS morning my TARM is maintaining ~180F and my water temps are @ 180F - I think that it probably just took a full day to get my storage water up and now hopefully I can just load every day, or "batch burn" like you stated

WOW - I hope, that would be really efficient

maple1 · Dec 9, 2013

Yes, it would take a few loads of wood to get your storage up to temp.

It will take you a little bit of run-time to get your routine ironed out. I'm not sure what you have for heat distribution - I usually let my storage go down to around 140 or so (top of storage), maybe 130, before I start a burn. I have baseboard rads, if you have in-floor or low temp radiation you could let yours go lower. But there is flexibility in that, I start a burn earlier if I will be going out for a while and my house will be calling for heat while I'm gone, but I also don't worry a whole lot if it might get lower than that if I wait until I get back to burn. Depends on the current weather too.

Does your boiler have turbulators? I would add some if not, per jebatty's post above - in trying to get your stack temps down some while finding your routine. I think he made some out of chain that worked pretty good. The more heat you can capture before it hits the flue, the less wood you'll burn.

swlpt · Dec 9, 2013

Thanks for replying - I do not have turbulators

I have all radiant heat - last night when I started the burn and the combustion fans kicked in, the flue went to 800-900F - I adjusted the combustion fan WAY BACK at that time but I have NOT rely gotten a new reading since

My combustion fan seems to cycle on and off - it doesn't run constantly - can this cause problems - if so, how do I address this?

NHFarmer · Dec 9, 2013

Those flue temps still seem a little high to me. Two things I would look at. I know you said you fixed the damper problem but are you sure that you have the damper fully closed. you usually can feel it latch into place. Are you getting a nice burn when you open the lower door and look into the tunnel? Also, do you have a barometric damper in the system and do you know what you are running for a draft? Too much draft will give you higher stack temps. I agree that trying some wood with a bit higher moisture content might help as well. Just my 2 cents

jebatty · Dec 9, 2013

My combustion fan seems to cycle on and off - it doesn't run constantly - can this cause problems - if so, how do I address this?

This is often caused "idling" and if you search that terms you will find lots of discussion that will address your question. It often get rehashed, and there may be some reluctance to rehash this again because there has been so much discussion on this issue. Good luck, keep at it, and you will be very pleased with your 60.

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TARM SOLO PLUS 60

swlpt

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mustash29

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jebatty

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swlpt

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swlpt

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maple1

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swlpt

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maple1

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swlpt

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NHFarmer

Feeling the Heat

jebatty

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