Wife starting to get onboard

I'm away on a trip. I had been just letting oil kick in when away. I've still got some bio in the tanks that's awful old.

So.. with the cold temps I decided to get her operating the vigas again.

I bought a roll around cart, and left it loaded, right next to the boiler. Everything in order for loading, from the super cedar, cardboard, small dry splits, big splits.

I've got her looking from her computer upstairs, and she "get's it" now what the splits between top and bottom temps (when boiler is running, my data unit essentially shows temp in and out of boiler) She knows that 12 to 15 degrees between is the boiler is running pretty good.

I think what did it is the math that charged tanks means NOT burning about 20 bucks in oil!

I think she's sold on the whole idea now. I think!

JP

Could you have her call my wife? She still thinks that I have lost my mind and she might not be far off=)

Thats great! My wife starts and runs ours to charge the tanks when I am gone. I try to make it easy for her. I bought a shopping cart and set it up for her wood in the basket, kindling in the child seat area and a propane cane torch hung on the side. I just tell her to burn whats in the cart.

gg

Thats great. My wife does the same thing here. Since I don't have storage, shes just got pay a little more attention to when it might need reloading.
But last winter wasn't so bad I would load it at 6am and she would reload around 1pm and I would reload when I got home if it needed it.

Good for you JP! When I had eight of my toes straightened last winter I could not walk out to the boiler for six weeks. My wife kept the house and shop warm and actually got mad at me when I snuck down one day with my walker.

Of course when I get home I'll see how she really feels about it.. But I think it's getting better.

She was pretty against it to start. Now she's starting to see that we have a couple of YEARS of heat piled up out back. It's bought and paid for. All we need to do is put it in the boiler.

I really think super cold weather will be easier.. as the coals will always be there to start the next fire.

JP

How does the vigas shut down at end of burn?

If you can get it to shut down with coals left, the black charcoal makes for simple restarts. I have 1000 gallons of storage, with my heat load I do not have hot coals left when storage is depleted.

gg

Goose, the Vigas has a smoke temp prob in the smoke collar.We can set it to what temp we want the fan and the boiler to shut off at.Set it high you get a nice bed of coals or charcoal depending on how long you wait to refill. Or set it low and you have an empty fire box at the end of the burn cycle.

I have that for the Econoburn but have not installed it yet.

What temp do you use to leave coals?

Also does it kill the pump at the same time?

gg

It runs the pump based of temp. I couldn't tell you exactly.. but for an example if the boiler jacket is 195 or so... pump will keep running. Not sure if it's time based, or temp based.. but once it drops to 190 or so.. it shuts off the pump.

All pump operations are computer controlled. I'm very happy with how it runs. I have mine set as 400degrees max flue, and shutdown at 200 flue. Not much for coals left running that way. Enough to rake around and cover one nozzle for restart.

JP

So what temp do you have the pump start at?

gg

It's part of the software, not a user settable number.

I believe it starts at 104. I know.. everyone freaks when I say that. Return water protection of course. I figure shock is the issue. No shock with the pump sending the water round and round, and starting to let some go to storage... and making return water 140 deg.

JP

Shock isn't the issue, condensation is. If the water is not circulating in un-necessary places, the boiler will reach a useable temp sooner and condensation will be avoided altogether.

TS

It gets to 140 so quickly... I can't see that it's much of an issue. Boiler holds 55gal. Plus the piping round trip thru the danfoss. I can't imagine it makes much difference if it's sitting still or going in a loop to get to 140.

JP

That is true, just running the pump a little longer.

TS

In reality... my tanks stop supplying the house at 135 top of tank temp. Bottom would be 120 or so. As soon as the danfoss starts to let any out, return water is warm. In practice I try to fire again when tank bottom temp is around 140. I would say that it's just a few minutes difference between this way.

I know a lot of you guys launch in what.. the 180 range or so. ???

Don't know.. didn't design it. Pretty impressed with how it all works.

JP

The highest temp mine will let me launch at is 160. 180 is cutting it a little close IMO.

TS

Not something to monkey with on mine. I would guess you should launch at 140.. then it's starting to let some heat out from the danfoss.

But what do I know... I like automatic.

JP

Haha, the minimun return temp on mine is 150F so I figured 10 degrees above that would be good. I like to monkey with things, after all that is why we have gassers isn't it?

TS

Naw.. I don't wanna monkey with that. Push a button, let it burn.

I wanna avoid using ANY of the oil I just had pumped into my tanks. 437 gallons delivered. 3.56 a gallon. FUn!

JP

Haha, JP, I don't burn ANY oil either, oil=evil....

TS

Made me cry a bit. Last year I ran 70% my own home brew. 1.25 a gallon all in. BUT.. it just doesn't have the shelf life for this year. It starts to go bad at 6mos.

I don't want to use the dead dinosaurs at all, but I figured I'd bite the bullet and fill the tanks.

That.. plus there MAY have been a bit of passive/aggressive in me.. shocking the wife with a BIG oil delivery.. so she would realize that 10 minutes a day stuffing the vigas full is not really a big deal.



It worked.

JP