Barometric damper setting for Tarm Excel

[Bad Wolf]

I'm on my 4th day of operation. I stoked it this morning and then let the fire burn out. This evening I cleaned it out put the turbulators in, built and starter fire of very dry wood and let it burn for 15 minutes with the bypass open like Tarm said. The stack temp was up to 400+ so I loaded it up with hand picked dry wood and let 'er rip. The gasification is going great, big ball of flaming gas, stack temp is down to 275, boiler is back up to 175 (it had only dropped to 150) but the flame is "pulsing", and the damper is banging back and forth. Its not windy or gusty outside so I don't know what might be causing this. I haven't set up the oil burner yet so the damper hasn't been set per the technician.

Is there a way to set this by eye?

Greg

 

[pybyr]

the only really remotely right way to set a barometric damper is with a draft gauge- and the good ones are pricey

somewhere on the 'net, I once ran across someone who'd done a sloped & callibrated piece of clear tubing with water and dye that allowed them to read tenths of inches of water column as one needs to set draft- but at the moment I am not remembering where or how to find it.

it wouldn't be rocket science for someone who's good at math and geometry to replicate that, but I lack the time or horsepower to do that, especially since I have a draft gauge from prior projects

as a short term solution, if the damper is banging open, I'd try adjusting the weight so that the damper opens less easily. that may stop the oscillating pattern that you describe- so that at least it is less annoying 'til you get someone there with a raft gauge.

Also, although it is not really exactly calibrated to the scale you want (you'd be using the lowest readings on the scale, whereas gauges always tend to be most accurate in the mid-range), for $12.00 or so, this would be a start:
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2008111318535572&item=21-1623&catname;=

 

[Bad Wolf]

Thanks, my brother is a HVAC technician, I was going to have him up to tune the oil burner anyway.