Tarm turbulator question

[sweetheat]

My analog tarm solo plus 40 without turbulators had stack temps between 400 and 600 degree. Now with stock turbulators installed stack temp are between 250 to 300 degrees. My question to all, is this right? second question, with 806 gallons of storage the fan continues to run even with no fire in the primary chamber. Did it get set for no storage burn? Thanks Sweetheat

 

[DaveBP]

Sweetheat,
what do these stock turbulators look like? Are they the twisted ribbon style? Zigzag ribbon?
Did Tarm supply these as an accessory?
How closely do they fit the ID of the firetubes?

 

[kevindauch]

It sounds right to me. When my stack temp gets past 400, it's time to clean the tubes. My fan runs for quite a time after the fire is out, but will stop after a while.

 

[jebatty]

Looks like your turbulators are performing excellently. Might you also have brushed the tubes before installing them, which by itself might have reduced stack temp by a good amount? Depending on the length of time between brushing my hx tubes, stack temp easily can fall by 50-100F with clean tubes vs dirty tubes.

second question, with 806 gallons of storage the fan continues to run even with no fire in the primary chamber. Did it get set for no storage burn?

There is a dial thermostat under the top panel which needs to be reset if your are using storage. I have mine set at 100C, although I think the manual says 90C. This shuts down the boiler when the boiler temperature fall to the setpoint. Also, the bulb connecting to this thermostat needs to be inserted into the tube projecting into the smoke box. It might now be situated under the insulation blanket under the top panel.

 

[sweetheat]

Yes they are the zig-zag type stock turbulator's supplied by Tarm. This is my first season using the turbulator's. Quite a difference between 500 degrees and 200 degrees in stack temps. I did clean the tubes before my first fire late November. I have a four foot run of 6 inch black 24 guage pipe before it goes up the chimney, my stack temp probe is halfway between the Tarm and the chimney. Amazing that the turbulator's zig-zag restriction can produce so much more btu's in the boiler tubes. Today I'll check the fan dial thermostat and set it to 90C. What temp do you think it's at know? Anyway I have to turn it off manually. How low do you go? I've taken my storage to 70 degrees, the zone demands heat so it uses the 70 degree storage tank for heat. Seems to go right back up to 175F, 155F, 138F, my different probe levels, with a load of wood. My experience to date in this milder winter has been to fire every other day. My first fires were short, less then half loads and I kept at it until I had storage up to 180F. Tonight we will see some zero wind chills here. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. Sweetheat

 

[chuck172]

Do logging chains work as well as the Tarm turbulators.

 

[flyingcow]

Probably wrong, but I think anything below 400 is not good. Is it gassifying really good? My Innova runs at 400, anything lower I got to dial it in. 500 to 600, needs cleaning. Call Tarm and check. Also, my shut off point is 90c also.

 

[sweetheat]

above 400 and your losing more btu's then you should up the stack, 500 to 600 and you definitely need to clean your tubes, jebatty has it right. I'm getting good gassification. logging chains would restrict the flow somewhat but not like the zig-zag turbulators. sweetheat

 

[flyingcow]

The unit I have and yours (sweetheat) are a little different, but Tarm told me down in the 200/300 degree range might have condensation problems. Just sharing my info.

The chains might not work as well, but I'd give it a shot. Be curious how the cleaning of the chains is compared to the cleaning of the turbolators. I got 7 turbs' and it's a little time consuming to clean 'em right. BUT, it's a huge diff in how they perform if you don't scrub them clean.

BTW,
Merry Christmas Sweetheat, I'm still saving my coins to have you come up and build me a house. Nice homes!

 

[pybyr]

The chains might not work as well, but I'd give it a shot. Be curious how the cleaning of the chains is compared to the cleaning of the turbolators. I got 7 turbs' and it's a little time consuming to clean 'em right. BUT, it's a huge diff in how they perform if you don't scrub them clean.

Do you really need to clean the turbs themselves all that diligently?

I'd think that only the surface of the boiler's tubes really matters much, unless the turbs are so gunked up that it starts seriously restricting flow.

I do clean my turbs when I pull them out of my Econoburn, but that's only because it is such an undertaking (due to limited overhead clearance in an old farmhouse cellar) that I only pull them once a year, and clean everything I can when I do.

 

[flyingcow]

Seems like it does help. Basically run a wire brush across them, knock the ash off of them.

 

[lawandorder]

Now I am thinking my temps are too high. I generally run around 600 degress with the turbs installed. If I have just cleaned them its probably down to 550 or so. From reading some posts it looks like that may be still too high.

 

[pybyr]

Now I am thinking my temps are too high. I generally run around 600 degress with the turbs installed. If I have just cleaned them its probably down to 550 or so. From reading some posts it looks like that may be still too high.

Wow. Any idea what the draft on your chimney is like? That might be pulling the flue gas through the HX tubes too rapidly.

 

[lawandorder]

if i couild ever get the installer to come back to check on some things i would be able to tell you but been three weeks and four no shows to this point. Been getting a lot of smoke out of my chimney since last year also. Cant really figure it out. Ive been hitting the hi limit a lot lately and having the boiler shut down which is becoming very problematic.

 

[RobC]

Lawandorder I was running with 500 - 550F clean and 600+F dirty stack temps too. 2 things that were a consideration.
1) I never adjusted primary air.
2) I do not have a barometric damper in flue (finished basement don't want dirt and noise etc).
I just cleaned complete boiler. I had tried to adjust primary air before but black knob & screw would not make contact with lever for damper. Reading on this forum I found that the lever can be adjusted by backing off 13mm nut and repositioning angle of lever, re-tighten 13mm. To get this in the right spot can be a PITA. ( have 2 x 13mm or 1/2" wrenches, shut power off to boiler ) Then you can choke down the blower's air supply with the knob. I have mine choked down quite a bit, yielding around 425F+ stack temps. Below 400 my gassifacation seems to stop and my boiler temps start to drop.
It was really obvious after 2 fires that I was using less wood.
I have started to look at Barometric Dampers again also. I'm in the process of trying to find a damper similar to Hannson's.
http://www.youtube.com/user/hansson30#p/a/u/1/cEycuK_9Zb4
Has anybody seen these for sale. These have a gasketed seal and would be more suitable for the location of my stove. There is a distributor in NJ and I will see what he has available during the week.
Your smoke ? Have you cleaned stove completely, including blower fan blades, air holes in the top of the top loading door, floor under HX tubes, HX pipes and chiminey ? Is you steel door above HX tubes closing tightly ? Are you getting air through the holes in the floor where the secondary air is.
Are you getting good gasification, where the ceramic is turning cherry red ?
If you wood is possibly a bit wet try re-splitting in to smaller pieces around 3X3's.
It's odd that you smoke ( not burning hot ) but overheating ( reduced flow ).
Over heating ? Variable speed circulator turned down by mistake or Tremovar isn't opening up.

 

[pybyr]

I have started to look at Barometric Dampers again also. I'm in the process of trying to find a damper similar to Hannson's.
http://www.youtube.com/user/hansson30#p/a/u/1/cEycuK_9Zb4
Has anybody seen these for sale. These have a gasketed seal and would be more suitable for the location of my stove. There is a distributor in NJ and I will see what he has available during the week.

Rob- let us know what you find out. I find that using my barometric damper (as compared to blocking it off) does allow more net heat extraction per unit wood-- but that Euro-type design looks like it'd be a lot better for a wood-burning unit than the regular Field Controls one that I have been using and that does not handle things well when there's an occasional momentary burst of pressure in the flue.

 

[flyingcow]

Obviously every chimneys different, but I don't use a Baro and it works fine. Never have got a reading on draft.

Any questions you have about the Tarm's, don't hesitate to call the main office in N.H. Thats what they're there for.

 

[Hansson]

http://translate.google.se/translat.../newlook/index.php?page=group&group=1&act=url

I guess they can ship to the US? I have Type KW Z150