Tarm Tunnel

..........as good an excuse as any, I suppose........

-Soupy1957

sure, Eric, you can just put the piece back in. The crack won't matter for function as long as the halves stay together. The tunnel stone is really only to generate some high temps and turbulence and doesn't need to be pristine to work just fine. Replace when it is falling apart and will no longer stay in place. The insert stone (slot) certainly has some wear too, but I would not rush to replace it either. Replace it when secondary combustion is effected and/or too many coals are falling through from above. Stones should last about five years, sounds like you are right on schedule.

If you've gotten any rough prices for ceramics, I'd be curious as to what these pieces cost. I'm on my 9th season with my Excel (about 5 cords per season), and it's still holding together pretty well. I'm just holding my breath for the day it just falls to pieces like the car at the end of the Blues Brothers movie

It's still a good bit of money, but as you say, not bad for all the years of service. Thanks for the reply and good luck with your replacement.

No different than having to change out the combustion chamber on a CI oil fired boiler. Its called maintainence. Better to be preventative on it.
Will

Eric
I went down and cleaned my boiler this morning and the tunnel cracked and came out in pieces. It looks exactly like the photos in your posting. I am calling to order the parts today if they are open. I was hoping to wait till warmer weather before I change it. How does it run with the pieces missing and how easy is it to replace the tunnel? Did you order or receive the new parts yet?

Remember these parts are gauranteed through tarm. Although pro-rated.

Eric, this is my first season with a Tarm solo 60. A couple days ago I was cleaning and slid the tunnel out of the bottom of the boiler and noticed the tunnel was cracked all the way from the front to the start of the bowl. How long was your ceramic cracked before it fell apart? Is there a warranty on the ceramic?

My tunnel broke right where yours did, it looks exactly like your photos only the piece is broken in half so it will not stay in place. I still have about 2/3 of the tunnel in place so it will have to do till I get the replacement parts. I called today but they were closed so I will order the parts tomorrow, hopefully they have what I need in stock

The ceramic firebox parts have a pro-rated guarantee. If your parts are damaged, demand new ones. The longer you wait, the more they will cost you.

I ordered the tunnel today, they are giving it to me for 1/2 the cost of a new one. While I was at it I ordered the slot piece in the floor as well. The slot is starting to were out but still has plenty of life left in it. I hope the tunnel is an easy install.

I bought it in the spring of 08 and fired it up in Sept. 08. I run mine year round with no real backup so it has never shut down for more than a couple of days at a time. That is why I was a bit nervous when the tunnel broke but is is still burning just fine. I burn about 10 full cords per year so I figure i have burned around 25 cords so far.

Just for comparison in case anyone is interested, I purchased and installed my Excel in the fall of 03. In Summer, I burn about 1 fire per week. In Winter it runs pretty much non-stop. I go through about 5 cords per winter, so somewhere around 40 cords have passed through the boiler so far. The ceramics are all original. They are in good shape, but are showing some slight wear around the edges. The only thing I've had to replace to date is the seal on the firebox door, as well as the gasket between the door frame and the boiler body.