STUCK TURBULATORS, any help much appreciated

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frolingdual

Member
Jul 27, 2015
25
Norfolk UK
On my Froling Biomass log boiler I had noticed that the turbulator handle hadnt felt right for some time, I decided to check the tubes this morning and found 3 of the turbulators are stuck solid , some broken.

I can still get grips on to them but im not sure im going to be able to get them out.
 
Call woodboilers.com or your Froling dealer and ask for advice. And I have an idea that might work. I suspect, and you probably know, they are stuck because of creosote in the firetubes. More about that in a moment. Are you able to remove the not stuck tubes? If so, or otherwise if possible, you might try blocking the unstuck tubes with a piece of brick, or some other fireproof substance, with the idea of forcing the burned gases through the stuck tubes. Then build a short, hot fire (kindling type material) in the boiler using the bypass damper process, and I mean hot, up to 600-700F flue temp. Then close the bypass and move the boiler into intense gasification and maintain that for awhile, but trying not to get over about 900-1000F flue temp. Just maybe that will burn off the creosote and allow you to remove the stuck tubes. I don't know if the Froling has sensors other than temperature in the exhaust stream from the firetubes. If it does, it is possible that extremely high flue temp could damage those.

As to creosote in the firetubes, even a sophisticated boiler is not immune to creosote from poor burning habits: too wet wood, too cool fire, smoldering wood, delayed gasification, etc. I'm familiar with creosote in a Froling from such burning practices. It is important to improve your burning habits.
 
Call woodboilers.com or your Froling dealer and ask for advice. And I have an idea that might work. I suspect, and you probably know, they are stuck because of creosote in the firetubes. More about that in a moment. Are you able to remove the not stuck tubes? If so, or otherwise if possible, you might try blocking the unstuck tubes with a piece of brick, or some other fireproof substance, with the idea of forcing the burned gases through the stuck tubes. Then build a short, hot fire (kindling type material) in the boiler using the bypass damper process, and I mean hot, up to 600-700F flue temp. Then close the bypass and move the boiler into intense gasification and maintain that for awhile, but trying not to get over about 900-1000F flue temp. Just maybe that will burn off the creosote and allow you to remove the stuck tubes. I don't know if the Froling has sensors other than temperature in the exhaust stream from the firetubes. If it does, it is possible that extremely high flue temp could damage those.

As to creosote in the firetubes, even a sophisticated boiler is not immune to creosote from poor burning habits: too wet wood, too cool fire, smoldering wood, delayed gasification, etc. I'm familiar with creosote in a Froling from such burning practices. It is important to improve your burning habits.
Before attempting a burn, he should carefully check the clogged heat exchanger tubes. If they are clogged severely, most likely it will not allow sufficient gasses to pass through to the chimney and it might cause a smokey mess! Years ago, I was told of this situation by an Eko Dealer. He said it was an all-day-job to get the turbulators free.
Experiment #1 - get two small chunks of creosote out of the heat exchanger tubes. Apply WD-40 to one sample and Coca-Cola to the second sample. Check back from time-to-time to see if one or both have been softened or dissolved.
Experiment #2 - apply a SMALL amount of WD-40 in ONE clogged heat exchanger tube and let it soak for a few minutes. Using a torch, see if you can get it to ignite (hope you have a draft inducer) and burn the crap out.
Good luck! Be SAFE with the experiments! JT
 
My used EKO had several stuck turbulators when I got it. I ended up pulling them out with a ratchet strap to the rafters. I sucked pretty bad. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the comments. I've managed to get them out, wasn't easy though. Wiggled for a long time with mole grips then unscrewed them.

The design of them seems rubbish. The handle raises and lowers them via a cam and they have just bent the end of the spring to fit into the cam which then shifts positions if even slightly bent differently and no longer lifts straight up ,then the turbulator jams & doesn't move in the tube and/ or breaks the spring off attached to the cam. Will raise a new post about putting chains instead.
 
I took the whole "cleaning" mechanism out and pluged the hole. Then I rehung the turbulators on rings at the right hight. Not sure if that's an option with yours.
 
I have never had totally stuck turbulators but I did have sticky ones before I put storage in. I followed Econoburns recommendation and put a few raw potatoes under the nozzle in the secondary chamber. It freed them like new.

gg
 
Potatoes? Is this steam cleaning?
I think it must. It was amazing how well it freed them to move with the handle.

Since installing storage my second year it is never a problem.

gg
 
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