I took some pictures of my home made boiler up and running today. You can only see steam escaping from the stack, no visible smoke. Also, I took a picture of the fire burning and the exhaust temperature after the 4th pass out of 5 of the heat exchanger. So far I'm very pleased with the performance. I generally get 20 degrees water temperature rise per hour when firing hard. My boiler is 3000 gallons (well maybe 2900 gallons removing the firebox and piping). when you add the startup time and the end of the fire when there is just coals, my overall water temp rise is more like 15 degrees per hour. Right now I'm relighting fire anywhere between 36 and 48 hours. If I get the water temperature in the boiler to approximately 200 degrees, I can still heat the house and DHW with water temperatures down to 135 degrees. The outside temperatures has been in the teens during the day and hovering between 0 to 10 F during the nights and I have been able to go 48 hours between start to start of fire (started a fire Saturday at 16:00 raised water to 200 degrees and let fire go out by 22:00 Sat, relight today (Monday) at 15:40 last small load of logs by 19:30 and fire will be out by 21:30-22:00. I figure I'm using less then half a face cord (20-inches wide x 48-inches high x 96-inches long). I have been burning for about 6 weeks now and operating the boiler is extremely easy. I really think that the more water storage the better. I really like only having to worry about the fire every second day.
Home Brew Boiler Operating Pictures
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Mid Michigan
Member
Very nice!
What do you think the temp is on the fifth pass? Are you getting close to condensing?
Now we just have to wait and see who comes up with the 5000 gal. boiler.
I went through Pickford a few weeks ago. Was I close? Giving any tours?
What do you think the temp is on the fifth pass? Are you getting close to condensing?
Now we just have to wait and see who comes up with the 5000 gal. boiler.
I went through Pickford a few weeks ago. Was I close? Giving any tours?
Mid Michigan said:
Well, Pickford is less then 30 minutes from my place so if you want to see the "beast" I'd be glad to give a tour.
EUP of MI said:
Half a face cord? Thats 53.33 cu ft of wood. Thats just less than 1/2 a FULL cord!
If your heating season is 4 months (120 days) and you load that sucker with .4166 cords of wood every other day.....that tuns out to 25 full cords a season!
Face cord is 4'high 8' long with 16" logs. With 20" logs you are burning 1.25 face cords, not that it matters to me, 25% less cutting and stacking though.
Jim K in PA
Minister of Fire
Nice job EUP. It looks like you executed the design very nicely.
With last pass flue temps starting out at 500+, you could probably have gotten another pass in that tank to pull more heat out of the flue gas. I have hit 525 from time to time in my GARN, but usually I am in the 400-425 range. I have not measured my outlet flue gas temps, but I have heard that the last pass usually grabs another 60-70 degrees. That would give me an outlet temp in the range of 325-375 degrees.
With last pass flue temps starting out at 500+, you could probably have gotten another pass in that tank to pull more heat out of the flue gas. I have hit 525 from time to time in my GARN, but usually I am in the 400-425 range. I have not measured my outlet flue gas temps, but I have heard that the last pass usually grabs another 60-70 degrees. That would give me an outlet temp in the range of 325-375 degrees.
Jim K in PA said:
Jim
I can control the exhaust temp by putting in a bit larger splits and not loading it so heavy. Generally I'm burning at at 400-450. I have not measured the outlet flue gass temp yet either, but I probably will once I have time to mess with it. When I'm burning at close to 500 degrees, I know my water in my tank is increasing at greater then 20 degrees an hour. I really love the simplicity of the "beast" and not having to worry about it very much. Lighting a fire every 36 to 48 hours is not much of a burden.
TomTCaldwell said:
I may add the tubulator in the future, but I'd rather error on the side of not condensing then to rust out the pipes. I'm running over 50 feet of pipe in the heat exchanger and have a small exhaust wheel (1500 model). If I load a lot of small splits, I ca get some "chugging" as it is slightly starved for air. Most of the time, I just have wood a little too close to the air inlet.
Blizzard said:
We must have a least a good foot. The temp was -6 this morning. Over 70 in the house, though.
sorethumbs said:
I cut 12 pulp cords up and I don't think I will come close to using that much this winter. I'm figuring maybe 8-9 cords Time will tell. Last year on my other system, I burned 10 pulp cords from mid Jan to Early April and the stove could not quite keep up. The gas boiler had to kickin at times. I have not burned any gas since starting up the "beast". It sure is a good feeling. The gas man is friendly, but now I can be friendly when I tell him I don't need any gas at this time.
if the last pass thermometer is 400degf , the turbulator drops the exit flue temp to 260/280 depending on the water temp
TomTCaldwell said:
What did you use to make your tubulator? I was thinking about something like the flighting on a grain auger that had a small rod in the center to hold the flighting. I'm not sure this will do to my air flow, but it should help make the air turbulent which would increase the heat transfer.
Eup
Your boiler looks very nice. I am in the first season with my 2000 Garn. Your right I wish I had more storage they tried to talk me in to a 1500 model I am glad I got the 2000 model . When our temps were like yours are know I was loading twice before work and usually three times at night. I burned about a full cord in two weeks of that temp your having know. Sounds like we have more of that temp coming back. It is sure nice having our three story farm house at 75 degree's and the shop warm all the time. Take care and have a great holiday.
Your boiler looks very nice. I am in the first season with my 2000 Garn. Your right I wish I had more storage they tried to talk me in to a 1500 model I am glad I got the 2000 model . When our temps were like yours are know I was loading twice before work and usually three times at night. I burned about a full cord in two weeks of that temp your having know. Sounds like we have more of that temp coming back. It is sure nice having our three story farm house at 75 degree's and the shop warm all the time. Take care and have a great holiday.
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
ihookem said:
Actually that is not right IH - A face cord is 4' x 8' x split length - no matter if it's 6" or 96", although most people do use 16" or 24" because it divides evenly into a full cord... This is why a lot of people will strongly object to the use of the term "Face Cord" - it doesn't actually have a defined size... (Note that the people that object include the Weights & Measures officials in most states - it is technically ILLEGAL to sell wood by the "face cord" or any other related terms like "ricks" and the like. Wood is supposed to be sold by the full cord, or fraction of a full cord...)
Gooserider
eup, the turbulator was made by fuel efficiency llc, 1 800 448 9794, google the name for the website
TCaldwell said:
Tom, I must say that you must have the most efficient Garn out there! Variable speed exhaust fan, Lambda Sensor, turbulator.... What else are you working on? Can can be the regular test site for Garn.
Merry Christmas and thanks for all your input.
eup, you and garnification have talents beyond my capabilities, actually i am simplifing my ''works'' for o2 control. i am not sure how much progress i am actually making at the end of the day, but it sure makes you think!
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