BUY factory controls or make my own please advise

[infinitymike]

I have a Wood Gun E100.

I will be starting the final piping on tuesday and should be ready to burn wed/thurs the latest.

AHS offers, at the time of purchase a low-temp shut off control and a cycle timer.
Which I, not being informed enough, did not purchase.

After reading alot more threads since my purchase I realized I should have bought them .

I called them and they said the could sell me the controller and I could wire it up.
They want around $250+/-

Could I do it cheaper.

The same goes for a cycle timer. Another $250 that I could spend (unless there is a cheaper way) Which is for heating DHW in the summer and possibly for the shoulder seasons when the heat loads are not too frequent.

What it does is cycle on the unit by turning on the draft fan and opening the air valve every couple of hours for 10 minutes or so to keep the unit up to temp so when the demand for heat is needed the unit will fire up.

Remember a WG “shuts off†by cutting off all oxygen to the fire box. and “turns on†or re-lights the wood by the introduction of O2 to a hot refractory.

So if the refractory is cold because the fire has been “off†for a while because there has been no demand for heat it won’t re-light.

I say all this with ABSOLUTELY NO experience. Just what I was told from the guys at AHS.

What should I do? Bite the bullet and drop $500 or find a way to do it on my own with some aqua stats/relays and timers. None of which I have the intelligence/experience to design on my own.

 

[ewdudley]

[Edit: I agree with Fred, and his analysis is better, see the other thread.]

Plan A: Yes, you should buy the factory controls. The AHS components are turn-key solutions engineered to stand up to the electrical loads, and (hopefully) they'll do the right thing in all cases, some of which you might have to discover the hard way if you were to do it yourself. $500 is nothing considering what it takes to engineer, qualify, approve, archive, deliver, inventory, and support the units.

Plan B: Yes you should make your own. These are some pretty rudimentary controls we're talking about here. Assuming all the control logic manipulates only small control currents you wouldn't have to spring for any big expensive relays. All you need is a plan, $120 or so in parts, a plan, $100 for spare components in inventory, someplace to mount everything, some wire, probably some flex conduit, code compliance knowledge, and a plan. Your time doesn't count because the things you learn in the process become valuable additions to your 'toolbox'.

Plan A does not sound all that expensive to me, and it doesn't need to be improved upon. For many of us there is no Plan A because there exist no factory control options that work correctly with storage, so for having something that works right, Plan B is the only option. At least you have a good choice.

It depends on how much time you're willing to invest.

--ewd

 

[Fred61]

I agree with Eliot. Read my post in Gasser Function Differences thread.

 

[infinitymike]

I agree with Eliot. Read my post in Gasser Function Differences thread.

I did. Thank you. That is actually where I posted this originally.
Then I thought I would get more responses if I made it a thread.

Looks like I'll bust out the wallet and buy them.

 

[infinitymike]

[Edit: I agree with Fred, and his analysis is better, see the other thread.]

Plan A: Yes, you should buy the factory controls. The AHS components are turn-key solutions engineered to stand up to the electrical loads, and (hopefully) they'll do the right thing in all cases, some of which you might have to discover the hard way if you were to do it yourself. $500 is nothing considering what it takes to engineer, qualify, approve, archive, deliver, inventory, and support the units.

Plan B: Yes you should make your own. These are some pretty rudimentary controls we're talking about here. Assuming all the control logic manipulates only small control currents you wouldn't have to spring for any big expensive relays. All you need is a plan, $120 or so in parts, a plan, $100 for spare components in inventory, someplace to mount everything, some wire, probably some flex conduit, code compliance knowledge, and a plan. Your time doesn't count because the things you learn in the process become valuable additions to your 'toolbox'.

Plan A does not sound all that expensive to me, and it doesn't need to be improved upon. For many of us there is no Plan A because there exist no factory control options that work correctly with storage, so for having something that works right, Plan B is the only option. At least you have a good choice.

It depends on how much time you're willing to invest.

--ewd

Thanks Elliot.
Plan A it is.
And this is coming from the guy who if I am correct posted his own thread about how to make a low temp shut down control, right?

Like I said to Fred "looks like I will bust out the wallet".

And if you did post that thread maybe you can find it and post a link here so I can read it again.

Thanks.

 

[Gasifier]

I agree with Eliot. Read my post in Gasser Function Differences thread.

I did. Thank you. That is actually where I posted this originally.
Then I thought I would get more responses if I made it a thread.

Looks like I'll bust out the wallet and buy them.

Hey Mike.

When you bust that wallet out. Could you buy them for me as well? :lol: I will send you a PM with my address. And I will send you the money next Tuesday. What? Hey, just thought I would save some time, that's all.

Does your piping start today or Wed.? Good luck man! Here you go ................ Enjoy the ride. :coolsmile:

 

[infinitymike]

I agree with Eliot. Read my post in Gasser Function Differences thread.

I did. Thank you. That is actually where I posted this originally.
Then I thought I would get more responses if I made it a thread.

Looks like I'll bust out the wallet and buy them.

Hey Mike.

When you bust that wallet out. Could you buy them for me as well? :lol: I will send you a PM with my address. And I will send you the money next Tuesday. What? Hey, just thought I would save some time, that's all.

Does your piping start today or Wed.? Good luck man! Here you go ................ Enjoy the ride. :coolsmile:

What do you think I'm Popeye? LOL "I gladly pay you on Tuesday for a Hamburger today"

The piping starts tuesday. yippy kiaye

 

[infinitymike]

The guys at AHS said...

The four hour cycle timer is manufactured by Intermatic (part # C8845-8). You will also need to purchase a simple switch to turn the timer on and off. (You won’t need the timer when the boiler is running full time in the winter.)

For the low temperature shutdown you will need a Honeywell (L4018B 1096) dual aquastat and an on/off (start/run) switch to bypass the shutdown limit.

The electrical schematics for hook ups will be in your owner’s manual.

I couldnt find a L4018B 1096 but did find a L4081B 1096.

Seems like its just easier to buy it from them ;-)

 

[Fred61]

Even though I've presented it as one of the problems, it is not serious enough to put $250.00 down to buy the timer.
As I said in an earlier post, I would learn to live with it.

 

[Gasifier]

The guys at AHS said...

The four hour cycle timer is manufactured by Intermatic (part # C8845-8). You will also need to purchase a simple switch to turn the timer on and off. (You won’t need the timer when the boiler is running full time in the winter.)

For the low temperature shutdown you will need a Honeywell (L4018B 1096) dual aquastat and an on/off (start/run) switch to bypass the shutdown limit.

The electrical schematics for hook ups will be in your owner’s manual.

I couldnt find a L4018B 1096 but did find a L4081B 1096.

Seems like its just easier to buy it from them ;-)

Mike,

I am going to go through this year without both of them. If you can install them this year, I think that would be great for you. I am going to try different things to eliminate or at least keep the wood going out problem to a very minimum. And see how it goes for this year. I think one thing you will find with no storage/buffer tank is that it may be easier for you to wait until it gets colder. When there is very little heat demand and no where for your energy to go, you will have a lot of idleing with your Wood Gun. See if your boiler guy can leave you the ability to add storage whenever you find that tank(s). A couple of ball valves with a short section of pipe coming out and ready to direct your supply to and return from tank would be handy. Good luck man!

 

[muncybob]

Def on a new install have the installer "plan" for future expansion such as the storage tank or in my case another zone.

 

[infinitymike]

Def on a new install have the installer "plan" for future expansion such as the storage tank or in my case another zone.

We are definitely doing that.

Thank You