Blocking One Nozzle on an EKO 60

[Eric Johnson]

I played around with this when I first got the boiler, many years ago, and it seemed to work OK as a way of cutting the boiler's output during the shoulder seasons (with no storage). Now I just let it idle, but that's another story. I just put a firebrick over one of the nozzles and fired her up.

Anyway, I'm planning to replace my mom's OWB on her tree farm in Wisconsin with an EKO 60 like mine, but it's going to produce more heat than she needs or can use, so I'd like to do something to compensate. The obvious solution is to add 1,000 gallons of storage, which I plan to do, but perhaps not right away. Longer term, I plan to heat a shop on the property, which is why I'm going for the bigger boiler.

My question is pretty simple: Does anyone have any experience blocking one of the nozzles on a boiler like this. Is it a reasonable approach? I don't see why not, but thought some additional input would be useful.

Looking forward to ripping out that OWB, by the way. It eats wood and belches smoke, and Mom isn't getting any younger, nor is the guy who cuts all her wood (me).

 

[Jeff S]

Eric I have done exactly what you have done in that I cover up one of the nozzles on my EKO 25 and I have 660 gallons of storage. The Brick Trick allows the boiler to burn full out so its still efficient while giving me longer burn times. I have decided to let the boiler go out tonight since my tanks are approaching 190*,most likely start burning again on Sunday after cleaning out the ashes.

 

[Eric Johnson]

The EKO 25 has two nozzles?

Or, are you just making the nozzle opening slot smaller?

I think the 60 and the 80 are the only EKOs with two nozzles.

In any event, glad to hear that it works for you. Pretty simple way to modulate the output, I think. A t-shaped brick that you could simply drop into the nozzle opening would probably be even better, in that it would tend to stay put.

 

[Jeff S]

Yes your right the 25 has only one nozzle, just making it smaller as you suggested.

 

[700renegade]

I've tried blocking the front nozzle on my Vigas 80 Lambda, but it whacks out the temp/O2 readings in the exhaust, as the secondary air at the front nozzle is still sending in cold raw O2 with no fuel to consume it.

Thinking about the idea of a T-shaped brick as mentioned above intrigues me though. Perhaps if I tried that it would block off enough secondary air that it would work. would have to be snug on the sides though.

 

[DaveBP]

Would slowing down the draft fan a bit help compensate for the smaller nozzle and keep the combustion gasses more in proper proportion?

 

[Eric Johnson]

That's a good point, Dave. You probably should make some adjustments with half the combustion taking place.

 

[Hydronics]

I have been running my eko 60 that way for several years, it works well. You'll want to disconnect one of the fans also or reduce the fan speed. I run just 1 fan and closed up the shutter on the other.

 

[taxidermist]

I have a 60 and block 1 nozzle and also only use 1 fan set at 75 to 100% been running it like that for 5 years.