A Fresh Eko 40 with 500 gal Storage Install

[goosegunner]

From talking with the Danfoss tech I believe the model shown in this install doesn't need the bypass ball valve. He said that the danfoss VTC closes the hot port proportionally.

I looked at the valve data sheet and it does not show a ball valve like the older model.

The ball valve is of course very useful to service the danfoss.

gg

 

[maple1]

Completely agree - the more valves the better, when it comes to servicing at least.

 

[Fred61]

Yes, and automotive thermostats don't need a manual valve added on to make them work - which is likely why I haven't got my head around this yet.

You aren't using the ball valve to necessarily make it work. The ball valve is in there to restrict the recirculating flow so you can get more flow through the heat loop.


Yes GG I saw that. Pretty neat !

 

[Franzen105]

So far very impressed with the Eko, Minus the Smoke! The Empyre was great for not smoking. But i guess its better to have heat with smoke than having no heat.
is there a smoke hood build thread some where out there.

 

[goosegunner]

So far very impressed with the Eko, Minus the Smoke! The Empyre was great for not smoking. But i guess its better to have heat with smoke than having no heat.
is there a smoke hood build thread some where out there.

My econoburn seems to be the same way smoke wise. There is no way that I would want it in my house. I would look for a boiler with induced draft next time.

gg

 

[Franzen105]

Whoa.. i left the boiler set at 180.. Is it bad that my tank is this hot..???

 

[Fred61]

So far very impressed with the Eko, Minus the Smoke! The Empyre was great for not smoking. But i guess its better to have heat with smoke than having no heat.
is there a smoke hood build thread some where out there.

My econoburn seems to be the same way smoke wise. There is no way that I would want it in my house. I would look for a boiler with induced draft next time.

gg

Why do you suppose the operators of Wood Guns are installing or contemplating installation of smoke hoods?

 

[taxidermist]

So far very impressed with the Eko, Minus the Smoke! The Empyre was great for not smoking. But i guess its better to have heat with smoke than having no heat.
is there a smoke hood build thread some where out there.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/64971/

Rob

 

[mr.fixit]

Waiting until you're down to coals to reload helps reduce smoke at reload but sometimes even then the new wood starts burning before you have a chance to fully reload.

Here's a dolly I made to keep the wood at arms reach to minimize reload time. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/68097/

 

[taxidermist]

Whoa.. i left the boiler set at 180.. Is it bad that my tank is this hot..???

Nope just watch your pressure when you get that hot. Mine get to 190 on top a few times a year.

Rob

 

[Gasifier]

So far very impressed with the Eko, Minus the Smoke! The Empyre was great for not smoking. But i guess its better to have heat with smoke than having no heat.
is there a smoke hood build thread some where out there.

My econoburn seems to be the same way smoke wise. There is no way that I would want it in my house. I would look for a boiler with induced draft next time.
gg

Why do you suppose the operators of Wood Guns are installing or contemplating installation of smoke hoods?

:lol:
Well, I am contemplating the installation of a smoke hood because my Wood Gun wood boiler is in my basement, and I consider any smoke in the house to be to much.
The smoke is minimal as long as you don't load while you have quite a fire going. Just wait till down to coals as pointed out already.

Here is the thread Rob just provided. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/64971/
I would be willing to bet the owners of many different boiler types, who have their boiler inside, have installed hoods or are contemplating it. Because any smoke inside the home is too much smoke. Probably doesn't have anything to do with what make the boiler is. ;-)

 

[goosegunner]

When my Econoburn is down to coals I need to be fast when loading the refractory is so hot the new pieces of wood start burning fast.

Gg

 

[Fred61]

When my Econoburn is down to coals I need to be fast when loading the refractory is so hot the new pieces of wood start burning fast.

Gg

WOW, that's hot! Perhaps now that you have your storage in place, you won't need to load it as soon and allow it to cool down a little more. My EKO is in my basement and smoke has not been a problem for me.
I usually build my fire with enough small splits stacked to the lower lip of the door, apply heat up through the nozzle with a propane torch, remove torch and let the temp of the exhaust reach 300-350 as measured with a magnetic thermometer, shift it to gassification mode and walk away. In a half hour or forty five minutes I will return to load the appropriate amount of wood I need to supply heat and charge the tank which is different every day with the changes in the weather and DHW use.
That re-load is the most critical one since I don't know how much it has burned down. The problem with efficiency is that I need to build a new fire every day.

If I just swing the door open, smoke will come into the room, however, if I just crack the door for a few seconds it will turn the draft toward the flue and I will be able to open the door enough to reload. The wood is, of course at arms length on my wood cart. I also do not shut off the combustion fan. I usually never need a re-load after that but if I do it is easy to tell when the fire is burned down enough by checking boiler and flue temperature.

What few whisps of smoke that do escape periodically are easily taken care of by the ozone bulb I keep lit above the boiler.

 

[Franzen105]

And honestly i am using more Poplar than anything!! Saweet! I am lving it.. Except i was used to sleeping with it 60 degrees in the house and at 70 i didnt sleep well last night. It may take a while getting used to a warm house....

 

[Gasifier]

One of the things I like the best about my boiler over my wood stove is that I can control the heat of each area of the house (six of them including garage) with it's own thermostat. A big improvement in comfort level. Lovin it.

 

[Franzen105]

So i have a little problem, because the chimney out wasn't a true 8 inch, i popped a rivet on the male end of the chimney elbow and put it over the outlet on the boiler and now it leaks liquid creosote down the back of the Eko 40. I used just single walled 8 inch. But the outlet measured like 7 5/8. Probably metric im guessing. where can i find something that works better....

 

[goosegunner]

So i have a little problem, because the chimney out wasn't a true 8 inch, i popped a rivet on the male end of the chimney elbow and put it over the outlet on the boiler and now it leaks liquid creosote down the back of the Eko 40. I used just single walled 8 inch. But the outlet measured like 7 5/8. Probably metric im guessing. where can i find something that works better....

Do you have a cap on your stack?

Where is the liquid coming from?

Seems odd that you would have liquid so close to outlet, you are either idling too much, your wood is green or both.

My stack last year got messy near the top from condensation and flue gas but in the building it was dry as could be.

gg

 

[mr.fixit]

I agree with gg.Something is not right.
How dry is your wood,do you idle alot?

This is my third season with the eko and I have yet to clean the chimney.I have looked at it several times but there is nothing in it but dry fly ash.
As for the flue connector I used high temp silicone at the boiler connection with a 8" "T" right off the back of the boiler.

 

[rkusek]

Franzen, show us a big of how that elbow is connected to the output. I would recommend a Tee with a plug for easy cleanout of the fly ash. That connection needs to be secure. I found a piece of single wall that worked great at a mom and pop Ace hardware that the box stores didn't have. Will try to get a pic of mine for you too. Wood might be too wet too.

 

[Franzen105]

I think it is idling to much. The thing never runs. I have to set at 175 and its always way warmer.. So i guess the next step is the change the pulse time and strength!!???
Plus my Sand mass system works so well. I am lucky if it asks for heat once in 24 hours. But it is still on the warm side in northern wi..
So how can i fix this. I have a tee, but the inside is only six inch????

 

[goosegunner]

When you are running storage there is no way your system should look like that.

For a brand new install something is not right. My guess is you are not running like most with storage do.

My boiler in south central Wisconsin only runs 3-4 hours a day right now. The rest of the time it is off. The fire is started, it burns on high until wood is gone, fan is off.

gg

 

[Hunderliggur]

I have a double T arrangement which allows for a barometric damper and easier cleanout. When it is cold, I can just use a shop vac to suck up the mostly fly ash. If I need to clean, I pop off the damper and brush with a flexible rod and brush. When I was starting with wetter wood I got gunk that would actually clog my cap screen. Now that I burn drier wood it is not a problem. If you know an Amway supplier Industro Clean (from years ago in my experience) will clean that creosote right off. Works well on airplane exhaust too ;-)

 

[Franzen105]

Well very happy to Report that our Eko 40 is working Great after almost two months of burning. It has been the mild first part of the winter in Northen Wisconsin. Alot of nights had to open the windows due to warm days. Also got the DHW hooked up and also is working sweet.
I am averaging about 1 full cord per month, which sounds great to me... I was figuring on about 8 to 10 cords per winter

 

[Gasifier]

Well very happy to Report that our Eko 40 is working Great after almost two months of burning. It has been the mild first part of the winter in Northen Wisconsin. Alot of nights had to open the windows due to warm days. Also got the DHW hooked up and also is working sweet.
I am averaging about 1 full cord per month, which sounds great to me... I was figuring on about 8 to 10 cords per winter

Franzen,

That is great! Glad to hear it. Happy New Year to you. Do you think that as you get a little more experience with the system you will be able to control the temperature in the house a little better? Or, do you think it will be tough to do because of the heat all built up in the sand mass? It would seem like you would still be able to "turn down the heat" a little at a time to get your house temperature a little cooler so you are not having to open the windows. Have a good one.

 

[huffdawg]

Well very happy to Report that our Eko 40 is working Great after almost two months of burning. It has been the mild first part of the winter in Northen Wisconsin. Alot of nights had to open the windows due to warm days. Also got the DHW hooked up and also is working sweet.
I am averaging about 1 full cord per month, which sounds great to me... I was figuring on about 8 to 10 cords per winter

How muh space are you heating Franzen?