W the door open the fire will ramp up. And I have burned the lath from a bedroom remodel that was super dry that the wood burner absolutely loved. That's how I've seen other ppl wood burner look w wet wood. Blue rolling flame that jump outta the door.. but mines only ever looked like that when I burned lath and it doesn't last too long.
Can't get a hot fire
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brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
I currently have the Hardy KB125, the gasification boiler. I have had an issue with mine 2 times that sounds similar. You say the draft fan is running, but check to see if the little draft fan door is actually opening. On top of my fan, there is a little door, controlled by an electric motor, that opens up when the fan turns on. Twice now mine has sheared the pins off attaching the door to the motors linkage. If this happens, the motor runs but no fan or air feeding the fire. Worth a shot
Yeah I called the dealer but they are a couple hours away and without looking at it couldn't help me and they weren't about to make the drive.... mine has no door that needs to open.. just a flapper on the fan that opens that allows it to suck in air to blow it into the fire box which it feels like it does...
well that ought to say something about your other wood, still check to make sure that fan door is able to open when the loading door is closed. its got to be either lack of combustion air or your wood is that green. Only other choice is a restricted exhaust someway, somehow. Screw the grate for now that's not the problem.
Check the chimney side of things like said above. Also, if possible, check the blower outlet in the firebox to see if its got a strong flow rate. Or at least whatever those boilers are supposed to have for cfm from the fan. If you have air in and air out at a good rate then its got to be the wood.
hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
Ok so I believe this is your problem from what you have stated. Your wood is wet/green. It's is very difficult to burn wet/green wood without two things, a coal bed and air being forced at the wood. I found my hardy to only burn wet wood if I let the ash below the grates build up so that the coals when they fell through the great we're still a few inches from the wood. That combined with your forced air fan blowing on the coals and on your wood from the high ash bed directs the air at the wood instead of across the bottom all the way to the front door and then up be front wall. Let your ashes build up so your coal bed is right up to the grates.
It may be too soon to tell but it seems getting the wood in the cool bed gives me an efficient fire but it seems I have multiple problems... how warm should the air flowing thru my heat exchanger be coming out of my register? It's Luke warm at best.. nothing that seems like it would heat a house...I took the furnace box apart and the exchanger seems to fit tightly inside and has been taped at all edges so air can't pass anywhere but thru it.. I contacted the manufacturer.. they say air flow nor water flow isdirectional so should work... my infared thermastat was having troubles reading the water in and out.. but I did get a reading of 150 both on the pex going in and out the exchanger....I know it's to be 180 but didn't know if the outside of the pex would read 180... but either way it doesn't seem to be absorbing the heat.. only thing I can think is air is still getting around some how... anyone had similar prob or made anything to help prevent air from going around the exchanger? Or any other ideas .. thanks
StihlKicking
Feeling the Heat
I own an h2 and heat a 2700 sqft home plus DHW. I’ve never measured the air temp at the register but it’s hot enough that it’s uncomfortable to stand on the metal grate bare foot. My water is 165 at the tap. What is your aquastat set on? Try moving it up to about 180 if it’s not already there. I burn wood that is about a year old some is split some isn’t and it creates a raging inferno in the firebox. If all mechanical components are functioning correctly a hardy should burn any piece of wood that you can fit through the door of it, so I’m pretty sure you don’t have a wood problem. If your aquastat is set at 180 and your line going into your heat exchanger is measuring 150 you have a major heat loss problem in your underground lines. Are they insulated if so how?
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hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
Well first off ir guns need to be used a certain way to be close to accurate. In order to get accurate readings, first you will need to wrap the area you are measuring in black electrical tape. The way that ir guns work is they measure the reflection of the signal back to them. If you are measuring something shiny like pex or copper the signal will bounce and give you bad readings. The other thing you need to do is place the gun right against the pipe and take the reading. The further away you get away from the object you are measuring a larger and larger area. The gun averages that large area and gives you a reading.
Next, what do you have for underground pipe?
Now does the water from the supply side of the owb enter the discharge side of the water to air hx or does it enter the incoming side of the water to air hx? If you have the supply side entering the same side the air enters the hx and water exits the same side as the air discharges you will lose some discharge heat from the exchanger because the colder water is what touches the coil last.
Finally did you ever try to purge the air out of the exchanger? They often times get air caught in them when filling. What size pump is on this? Larger pumps purge air more easily. Smaller ones are unlikely to purge the air. What I do to purge air is go to the owb and and close the return line ball valve and allow the pump to build pressure for two to three seconds and then quickly slam it open. You should hear some air bubble through the pipe. Continue to do this until you don't hear any more air bubbles.
Next, what do you have for underground pipe?
Now does the water from the supply side of the owb enter the discharge side of the water to air hx or does it enter the incoming side of the water to air hx? If you have the supply side entering the same side the air enters the hx and water exits the same side as the air discharges you will lose some discharge heat from the exchanger because the colder water is what touches the coil last.
Finally did you ever try to purge the air out of the exchanger? They often times get air caught in them when filling. What size pump is on this? Larger pumps purge air more easily. Smaller ones are unlikely to purge the air. What I do to purge air is go to the owb and and close the return line ball valve and allow the pump to build pressure for two to three seconds and then quickly slam it open. You should hear some air bubble through the pipe. Continue to do this until you don't hear any more air bubbles.
Ok.. I thought it was set at 180.. but must have gotten turned to 160 in trouble shooting with the furnace guys I had visit...before turning it up and after applying black tape to pex... measured 140 outta the pump... 130 at the heat xc and 110 going back to the OWB...I have the underground green thermaplex pipe that I was told was the best... I Do not have the plex wrapped running from where the plex enters my basement to my xc which may cause some loss. Also tried purging like suggested.. couldn't really tell if it was doing anything... I have the 1/25 hp pump.. I'll update when it gets up to temp now that I've set it higher.
U guys have been really helpful and I appreciate it. Currently running 167 and 143 at XC.. gonna get some pipe insulation cause the air at the register feels like it could be a little warmer still.
hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
Where is the pump located. What is the make and model of the pump? What do you register for temps coming out of the register with the IR gun. 105-120 and slow moving keeps you from getting the high and low heat swings in the house.
Have my furnace fan set to low.. the pump is a taco 007-f5 that's on the back of the OWB...temp at the register is 116 actually better than I thought... that's measuring the metal on the register I believe... shooting the air across the top of the register I get 97
hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
115 is perfect. Keeps the house from getting hot and cold swings. As long as the house doesn't lose temp at the coldest outside temps that you get you are good.
pernox
Burning Hunk
Seems the fix here was removing the grate and changing aquastat setting? Just want to be clear for posterity, I bet someone else will get good use from this thread. Glad you're getting er done!
To get an accurate read on your pex, you may consider putting a probe against it and taping it in place, then add a piece of pipe insulation. I have a remote read meat thermometer on mine so I can get a read on line temps from upstairs - it's helpful.
To get an accurate read on your pex, you may consider putting a probe against it and taping it in place, then add a piece of pipe insulation. I have a remote read meat thermometer on mine so I can get a read on line temps from upstairs - it's helpful.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
I would say it's adequate. I do not get the fiery inferno stihl kicking described nor do I believe it would burn green wood or unsplit logs. Is it getting to temp faster yes. Is it getting warmer in my house yes. But honestly I feel like I'm going thru wood fast because it doesn't make that inferno.. meaning that it burns longer than it should to get to temp. I'm about to go out and load it for the third time today and we're not into the fridged cold depths of winter yet. Or? Am I asking for too much and this is typical?
hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
Please attach a video. Everyone has a video camera on their cell phone. We need to see what you are talking about.
StihlKicking
Feeling the Heat
Make no mistake about it these heaters burn a lot of wood, even down here in MS. The limited number of days we have with highs in the twenties I only have to completely fill mine twice a day. A average winter day here with a high of 40, lows in the upper twenties I fill mine about half to 3/4 full twice a day. This sufficiently heats 2700 sqft plus DHW. It’s hard to know without laying eyes on your setup exactly if or what your problem is. This is what your burns should look like if everything is running properly, the wood in this picture is unspilt and far from seasoned.
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hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
That's as big of a fire as I get. If I have as much wood in mine as you do in te box the flames would not engulf the wood like yours. It would only burn whats at the bottom of the pile and would be hard to see the flames...
Videos won't post and I'll try to get some pics of how it burns when fully stocked w wood tonight
hondaracer2oo4
Feeling the Heat
Open up the ash clean out door and see what happens with the fire. It should take right off hard. If not you are burning dripping wet wood with no coal bed.
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