Garn Boiler Fire View

[Flathill]

Can you view the fire in a Garn Boiler with out opening the large fire box loading door ?
I'm used to boilers that have a peep hole to view the fire so adjustments can be made or at least a small view of the fire can be observed.
If the Garn doesn't come with a peep hole could one be fabricated without too much trouble ?
It's almost like I can't operate a wood stove anymore without a glass door fire view or at least a peep hole !
The Garn has a large metal loading door and I would hope that I wouldn't have to open it just to observe the flame conditions.
I'm preparing for a new mechanical room attached to the outside garage with underground hot water heat to the other two buildings. Trying to decide which boiler I want. Flathill

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Can you view the fire in a Garn Boiler with out opening the large fire box loading door ?
I'm used to boilers that have a peep hole to view the fire so adjustments can be made or at least a small view of the fire can be observed.
If the Garn doesn't come with a peep hole could one be fabricated without too much trouble ?
It's almost like I can't operate a wood stove anymore without a glass door fire view or at least a peep hole !
The Garn has a large metal loading door and I would hope that I wouldn't have to open it just to observe the flame conditions.
I'm preparing for a new mechanical room attached to the outside garage with underground hot water heat to the other two buildings. Trying to decide which boiler I want. Flathill

I don't think you need to worry about "operating" the Garn. From what I can tell, you just chuck the wood in & walk away. If you want to view this from time to time I believe you can just open the door as this side draft gasser doesn't pour out smoke, or so I've read, Randy

 

[bioman]

Garn dosen't have a window, they burn wide open so no need for any adjustments. just judge how much wood is needed for the rise in temp, lite it and let er rip. It would be very easy to put a window in like i did mine. I like looking at the fire also , no adjustments nessesary. hope this helps. garn is very simple, can't go wrong there .

Larry

 

[heaterman]

No way to look at the fire on a Garn without opening the door and no way to fabricate an opening either. The air collar around the door is about 4" thick so you would have to fabricate a "tube" through the collar to view the fire.
The door is actually 3 layers of steel, two of which are stainless. Insulated first with an air gap and then with rock wool between the inner door halves.

There is no need to monitor the fire on a Garn. Throw in the wood, turn on the combustion blower, shut the door and go do something else. It's that simple. It can't overheat per se' and it can't over pressure.

If you really want to watch a Garn fire you could always throw wood in yours and then go back to your computer and watch the burn video they have on the web.

 

[bpirger]

I have a Garn....and if I want to look, I open the door. But as you have heard, usually once a day a fire is started (5 minutes), and you walk away. Period. Until tomorrow. With the new digital controller, which I have been using for a couple of weeks now and find it flawless, you can monitor the flue temp. So if you are curious if you need to add more wood, looking at that temp will tell you this....you don't need to open the door. In my case, I've been getting about a 60 degree rise with one load of wood...a nearly full load....which might not be the most efficient size to burn. A tiimer on the display tells you how long the burn has been going. Typically the flue temps sits about 475-550 or so...so if it has been 2 hours and the flue gas temp is 250, then you know you are on your way out. If you look at the water temp and you want it higher, you add some wood. If its fine, you don't. Again, typically we just atart the fire and walk away....returning the next day. Couldn't be easier.

While I understand the desire to see the fire, if this thing is sitting outside in a shed, you presumably won't be out there with it. You certainly won't NEED to be. I have, a couple of times, sat in a chair with the door open when the fire was nearly gone. Do that when it is roaring....holy cats....you won't be sitting close for long. I did throw a couple of pieces in tonight about 30 minutes after a burn started as the radiant was on and the temp supposed to drop to single digits, just so I wouldn't have to go back out, and it was HOT. My sweatshirt got the "freshed pressed" smell in the few seconds I was standing in front of the door.

I'd also say we (my wife or I) can get the final temp within 5 degrees of what we desire (typically about 190) about 70% of the time. It's really a simple system.

 

[2.beans]

go garn. why adjust if you don't have too.