Jumping into the wood and coal boiler world with both feet

Sure. I won't be home until late tonight but I can let you know Friday morning.

While we're talking about boiler temperatures, there's about a 10-degree difference between the aquastat and the gauge on the boiler. I have the aquastat set to kick the boiler off at 180 which gives me 170 at the gauge. Not sure what to believe but I'll er on the side of caution and believe the gauge.

It shouldn't be that hard. All the cycle timer does is parallel the purge circuit. The lower water temp basically parallels the overtemp, but in the opposite direction. When the low temp limit is satisfied it allows power through.

I am interested to hear about your cycle time experiences. I will be wiring one into mine once it is up and running. What was the AHS suggestion for timer settings? Why didn't that work? Did the fire not restart?

ac

Wow. That Wood Gun is going to be doing some idleing. Perfect application for some thermal storage of water. Do you think you will add storage in the future? You could have a fire once every two days a lot of the year and heat your house.

I had a fear this thing would heat my basement. That's why I put in an electric water heater for summer.

No worries about the cycle timer boiling you over. The overtemp protection is #1 in the circuit. Nothing but a failed overtemp aquastat will make this force itself to boil.

Sounds like a nice problem to have.

ac

It was set at the factory to fire for 12 minutes every four hours. At that setting with nothing calling for heat the fire would go out. Yesterday I changed it to fire for 12 minutes every two hours. We'll see how that works.

I don't have any plans to, but I'll keep an eye out for old propane tanks and water tanks. With the way these WGs bleed heat off I'd have to isolate them from the boiler after they're up to temperature. I like the simple layout I have now...I'll be slow to add more whistles and bells to it.

If there's one thing I like to do, it's cut and split firewood. My wife thinks I have a problem. Go to the beach, go for a hike, go to the city, go to the amusement park...I really want none of it. Put me in the woods with my tractor and a chainsaw or behind the barn with a maul in my hand and I'm a happy boy. I have all the woods and wood that I can use already and on top of that we had a wicked storm blow through here on June 22nd and knock over probably 5-years worth of firewood (and timber for lumber) on my property alone. The amount of wood I burn isn't really an issue for me. 5 cord a year or 8, I don't really care.

If I were smart I'd sell the new coal boiler and run 250 of insulated pex out to the barn and heat it with the Woodgun. I'm going to pipe underground power, water, compressed air and phone out there next year anyway. I'm still considering that..... The WG would run more often and more efficient and I wouldn't have two different boilers to take care of. Food for thought.

Now THAT sounds very smart!

ac

That is a long ways. I wonder what you would need to pump that far and back? And other considerations you would have to make.

C8845. I'll take a picture for you tomorrow.

thanks. Funny thing is I was just reminded that I allready knew that and had posted it in an old thread last year. So I looked it up and I'm good to go.

Do you need more coal?
http://hartford.craigslist.org/zip/3395610229.html

As far as Hawken energy, i bought 2 global hydronics thru them and both leaked, after patching and leaking and patching and leaking and finally getting a lawyer we got them replaced at considerable cost to us and 2 years without the boilers now one is leaking again and it has been patched several times. total junk.

Thanks for the link! Probably worth the drive.
BTW, here's a picture of the coal I have on-hand right now.

Already gone. Thanks anyway!