Smoke in the face

[antos_ketcham]

How do folks deal with smoke that pours out of the door their boiler when loading? Mine is outside in a small shed, but I still end up getting a face-full of smoke - and probably a lung full. I thought about wearing a mask, but what kind? I know I could probably solve the problem with a draft inducer, but I am trying to keep my system as simple as possible - it is already too complex.

Thanks.

Pete

 

[sparke]

I dont get any smoke out of my door as long as I am refueling the way I should be. Check out ISeeDeadBtu's threads...

 

[antknee2]

If you could find a ventilator fan like the unit on top of the boiler and vent it out the side or back of your boiler room , you will never get smoke in your face or boiler room / shed . Even on low speed it sounds like a jet engine , it will blow the smoke 20 ' straight out my garage door . keeps my lungs & room much cleaner. I will try to post a video on You Tube soon.
Anthony

 

[trailhound68]

Pete, I have the same issues with my Seton 100. I'm wondering if a draft inducer will help. I see some photos of installations with 8" flue and inducers. Are those folks using the inducer to eliminate smoke issues when filling the boiler? Mine doesn't smoke when the load is burned down to coals. But start filling it with logs and bam, it smokes out my boiler room in the time it takes to fill it. Thankfully, this is not in my basement. Not to mention the dust. Anyone else have a thick coating of dust in their boiler room?

 

[Eric Johnson]

If you use a draft inducer, be sure to wire it through an aquastat or a timer so that you don't mistakenly leave it on and have it overheat your boiler. It sounds like that's what happened to one of our members, barnartist, last night. It ain't pretty. My guess is that voids all warranties, no matter how you have it wired.

BTW, I like your solution, Anthony. I bet you could even hook some flexible ducting up to it for a more targeted exhaust footprint.

 

[antknee2]

Draft inducers will help , but do not come close to keeping the smoke in when the over sized feed door is wide open and you stat rolling in fresh wood . Anthony

 

[barnartist]

I am the guy that overheated when I left the inducer running. The inducer might have reduced my smoke 25%, so it hasn't been the quick fix I hoped for. I have since wired it up to a timer to prevent this from happening again. I wish I had spent less coin on an old house oven overhead and fan, and ducted that out seperately. I think I saw a pic of a guy that did this, I may copy it. I get a ton of smoke, particularly on a new fire start.

 

[antknee2]

I am the guy that overheated when I left the inducer running. The inducer might have reduced my smoke 25%, so it hasn't been the quick fix I hoped for. I have since wired it up to a timer to prevent this from happening again. I wish I had spent less coin on an old house oven overhead and fan, and ducted that out seperately. I think I saw a pic of a guy that did this, I may copy it. I get a ton of smoke, particularly on a new fire start.

Glad no body go hurt ! Will you be able to salvage the boiler ?? Anthony

 

[antos_ketcham]

If you could find a ventilator fan like the unit on top of the boiler and vent it out the side or back of your boiler room , you will never get smoke in your face or boiler room / shed . Even on low speed it sounds like a jet engine , it will blow the smoke 20 ' straight out my garage door . keeps my lungs & room much cleaner. I will try to post a video on You Tube soon.
Anthony

Hey Anthony - this looks great. Where did you get that fan?

Pete

 

[barnartist]

Glad no body go hurt ! Will you be able to salvage the boiler ?? Anthony

Everything looks to be OK throughout the sytem, it seems as long as pressure can escape, these things can handle the heat!

 

[antknee2]

If you could find a ventilator fan like the unit on top of the boiler and vent it out the side or back of your boiler room , you will never get smoke in your face or boiler room / shed . Even on low speed it sounds like a jet engine , it will blow the smoke 20 ' straight out my garage door . keeps my lungs & room much cleaner. I will try to post a video on You Tube soon.
Anthony

Hey Anthony - this looks great. Where did you get that fan?

Pete

Pete I found the ventilator fan at a local electrical supply , try to Google the name on the label , if your interested I could get more info from the supply house. Anthony

http://www.marleymep.com/Develop/Products/PortFan/MipAirHog.htm

 

[Nofossil]

How do folks deal with smoke that pours out of the door their boiler when loading? Mine is outside in a small shed, but I still end up getting a face-full of smoke - and probably a lung full. I thought about wearing a mask, but what kind? I know I could probably solve the problem with a draft inducer, but I am trying to keep my system as simple as possible - it is already too complex.

Thanks.

Pete

Another Addison County member - seems like quite a concentration here. Any relation to other local Ketchams?

I don't get any smoke as long as I don't open the door when the fire is really cranking. I put in a thermocouple that drives a display on my web page that tells me when it's burned down enough to reload.

 

[antknee2]

If you could find a ventilator fan like the unit on top of the boiler and vent it out the side or back of your boiler room , you will never get smoke in your face or boiler room / shed . Even on low speed it sounds like a jet engine , it will blow the smoke 20 ' straight out my garage door . keeps my lungs & room much cleaner. I will try to post a video on You Tube soon.
Anthony

Hey Anthony - this looks great. Where did you get that fan?

Pete

Pete I found the ventilator fan at a local electrical supply , try to Google the name on the label , if your interested I could get more info from the supply house. Anthony

http://www.marleymep.com/Develop/Products/PortFan/MipAirHog.htm

I found a better link.
http://www.marleymep.com/Develop/Products/PortFan/MipAirHog.htm


http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTESearch?storeId=6970&in_dym=1&Nty=1&D=than&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&N=0&Ntk=All&Ntt=utility%20blower&cmnosearch=true&cm_ven=PPC&cm_cat=I-search%20(Google%20Adwords)&cm_pla=nt_shopsupplies&cm_ite=utility%20blower

 

[antos_ketcham]

How do folks deal with smoke that pours out of the door their boiler when loading? Mine is outside in a small shed, but I still end up getting a face-full of smoke - and probably a lung full. I thought about wearing a mask, but what kind? I know I could probably solve the problem with a draft inducer, but I am trying to keep my system as simple as possible - it is already too complex.

Thanks.

Pete

Another Addison County member - seems like quite a concentration here. Any relation to other local Ketchams?

I don't get any smoke as long as I don't open the door when the fire is really cranking. I put in a thermocouple that drives a display on my web page that tells me when it's burned down enough to reload.

My family ranges from Sudbury/Orwell, Whiting north to Brandon and Middlebury and then on to Bristol/Starksboro/Huntington/Hinesburg. Although the last cluster of towns I really don't know these folks, but I know we are related. In fact, word is that anyone who spells the last name with an "am" at the end rather than a "um" is a relative.

Pete

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

You know the K I S S system, yes??

The simplest way to avoid smoke in your face is to have your wife load the furnace :smirk: