Cleaning boiler?

[flyingcow]

I think i make a post like this every season. As life goes on, kids, games, etc,etc. I will put off cleaning the boiler. "I'll get it tomorrow" and it seems to get put off for more than just one day.. Than throw in the colder part of winter, where you burn more wood and make more ash, clog up the tubes a little more. I went too long this time. Always amazed at how better it runs. Use less wood to heat up tank, achieves higher water temps quicker, etc. I have even started using the pressure washer to clean the turbolaters. Quicker than brushing, and they're squeaky clean.

For you newbies....it makes a world of difference to stay on top of the cleanings. I bought a gasser for less wood consumption, and i need to stay on top of cleanings to get ROI the quickest.

 

[tom in maine]

Hi Phil,
Your post reminded me in a previous life, I maintained a chip boiler at a lumber mill.
We used to clean the tubes with steam from the boiler once a day.

I guess it worked well since we did not have brushes!

Tom

 

[jebatty]

I fully agree. On the Tarm Solo 40 I brush the hx tubes and shake off the chain turbulators every 2-3 weeks, and at the same time brush out the smoke box, clean the bulk of the ash out of the gasification area, and vacuum out flyash that has fallen to the bottom L on my stack. Result is a pretty typical 50F+ drop in stack temperature. I also maintain a good ash bed in the firebox but do partially empty out ash about monthly.

 

[KenLockett]

Jim, I have been following a similar schedule that you do. It truly is amazing the difference removing the ash accumulation from the fire tubes makes. My flue temps were creeping up around 800 Deg (at least on the probe thermometer that Condar replaced) on the hottest part of the burn up from around the typical 400-600 Range. After the through cleaning of the tubes, smoke box, and gasification tunnel the temps are down 200-300 Deg at least on a relative basis and the boiler is heating much faster on each heating cycle. Time prior to this latest cleaning had been 18 days.

 

[huffdawg]

My BAaaaD .I haven't cleaned mine yet . Started firing in a couple weeks before christmas. Maybe i'll try and get the turbs out today.

 

[flyingcow]

huffgawg, if you don't have one, the condor stack temp probe(or one like it) is a good way to figure out when to do your cleanings.

on these cold nights i can achieve what i want for heat with one and a half wheelbarrows of wood vs 2 full wheelbarrows with dirty tubes.

 

[woodsmaster]

My BAaaaD .I haven't cleaned mine yet . Started firing in a couple weeks before christmas. Maybe i'll try and get the turbs out today.

With that other 500 gallon on line you should only have some fly ash to clean next time.

 

[jebatty]

My flue temps were creeping up around 800 Deg (at least on the probe thermometer that Condar replaced) on the hottest part of the burn up from around the typical 400-600 Range.

Ken -- if you don't have them, buy or make some turbulators. I have the Chain turbulators. They will reduce the flue temps by about 100F.

 

[ozzie88]

I agree very much with the tube inserts for air swirl it helps alot with heat transfer. I even went as far as buildind a unit that sits right above the tubes just before it goes out chimney. This gets the last bits of heat transfer my flue temps run 250 to 350.
I made this out of two 4inch by 2inch by 1/4 tubing 13" long with 15, 1/4" pipe 8" long welded between them water goes threw them gets the heat.

 

[huffdawg]

My BAaaaD .I haven't cleaned mine yet . Started firing in a couple weeks before christmas. Maybe i'll try and get the turbs out today.

With that other 500 gallon on line you should only have some fly ash to clean next time.

I had a look at the firetubes last night . All I could see was fly ash , no creosote. I idle very little .

Huff

 

[woodsmaster]

Huff, That is good to hear. Don't sound like fun to have a gunked up boiler.

 

[flyingcow]

My BAaaaD .I haven't cleaned mine yet . Started firing in a couple weeks before christmas. Maybe i'll try and get the turbs out today.

With that other 500 gallon on line you should only have some fly ash to clean next time.

I had a look at the firetubes last night . All I could see was fly ash , no creosote. I idle very little .

Huff

FWIW, when i clean my tubes the only thing found is fly ash. After scrubbing, drops the stack temp and i burn less wood and starts quicker.

 

[KenLockett]

My flue temps were creeping up around 800 Deg (at least on the probe thermometer that Condar replaced) on the hottest part of the burn up from around the typical 400-600 Range.

Ken -- if you don't have them, buy or make some turbulators. I have the Chain turbulators. They will reduce the flue temps by about 100F.

Jim, thanks for the link to the 'Chains' thread. Excellent post. I had been contemplating these until I found out the OEM cost on the ones from Biomass USA. I am going to give the homemade chain turbulators a try. Will have to purchase the chain but seems like a simple enough project with a high return. May use steel rods as opposed to 20D nails. Can't weld so will have to just rely on enough rod length to balance support of the chains.

Correct me if I am wrong, but with the turbulators installed, as long as my flue temps are 350 Deg higher I should be Ok relative to creosote issues or is below 350 DegF more a concern relating to Btu output of the boiler only? What is the lowest maintainted flue temp should one be concerned with condensing gases and thus creosote in your opionion?

 

[jebatty]

300F minimum is a good planning temperature. Even with the turbs, my stack temp is in the 380-450 range. My wood is very dry pine and aspen, less than 20% MC for sure.

 

[flyingcow]

After cleaning i run approx 400/450

 

[KenLockett]

My flue temps were creeping up around 800 Deg (at least on the probe thermometer that Condar replaced) on the hottest part of the burn up from around the typical 400-600 Range.

Ken -- if you don't have them, buy or make some turbulators. I have the Chain turbulators. They will reduce the flue temps by about 100F.

Jim, do you think the chain link size is critical? Hardware stores only seem to carry up to 3/8" chain and link diameters appear to be much smaller than the chain in your picture. Pricey too. Roughly 3.89 per foot at TSC for 3/8". 2.99 per foot for 5/16".

 

[jebatty]

I would guess that chain size makes a difference, but I have no data to show that. My chain is barn chain, heavy, and the links are big as you can see. Maybe you could visit some local older farms and see what you could drum up. Farmers are great at keeping almost anything for the time when it might be needed.