Heaterman: Your comments?

[bpirger]

Hi Steve:

There's a thread live now "Peformance Tips: Clean those Strainers". Can you take a quick peek and share you experience? Jim in PA noticed performance drop in his HX and cleaned his strainers....to find lots of crud, and no doubt some bacterial involvment. Is this typical in your experience? Have you seen a bacteriological problem in a Garn? Does the corrision problems, if they occur from the critters, show up quite quickly?

I'm sure you have much experience with this...would very much appreciate hearing your words if you get the chance.

Thanks!

 

[Duetech]

Obviously I am not Steve but am curious about the placement of the strainers on the Garn. Are they on the coolest part of the system like on the return line? Thanks for your input!

 

[Kemer]

I just checked my screen on my garn and it looks like new yet

 

[heaterman]

I've seen bacterial "events" in all kinds of wood burners. Most never get noticed if they occur in an OWB because they never get looked at until they fail. Then it's an Oh S**T moment.

I do think it's something that everyone needs to keep and eye on but it tends to be a little more prevalent in open systems especially if high water temps are routine and excessive amounts of makeup water are added to the system. Going back to my favorite farmer......His Garns have been in operation for 4 years now and we had to get int the tank with a power washer this past fall to clean them up. Lot's of goo in there. Mike from Precision Chem sent us some treatment to add after we did the cleaning but I don't know what it consisted of. The problem has not recurred since then but bacteria in a heating system can be tough to get rid of.
A strainer or plate HX is the first place it will be noticed if you have it due to the small passages. If you find it when you are inspecting the strainer in your system get it taken care of and don't be tardy about it. Sometimes a flush of the entire system will be needed.

http://www.woodboilersolutions.com/facts_closed.cfm