Econoburn 150 cleaning tips

[goosegunner]

yeah, no excuse. I have the outdoor version so I have to remove the entire back of the skin, the entire flue, before I even get to the boiler. From the looks of things I think ill have to remove the roof also if I need a 3 foot brush rod to clean them out. Definitely a pain. Good tip about the clevis pins, I hear the bolts can be slow to access/remove.

But back to scraper, from what I read here, I fully expect that a scraper is the only way to go, yet nobody here has bought one? I'd be interested in your scraper build, but it likely involves welding and I haven't learned about welding yet.

also you say the 2" brush was too small so I want to clarify the tube size on the econoburn. Is it 2 inches?

I will check my brushes.

I would see if you can do it with a roof removal. With the indoor they show removal of the flue and back plate. I have found that if the seal is not leaking you don't have to remove it. I tie the turbulator handle in the up position. With a 9/16 wrench and socket you can then remove 2 bolts for the turbulator linkage, put handle in the down position and pull the turbulator assembly out.

The clevis pins should make it even easier because I won't have to use wrenches to get them out. Just 2 nuts on the top cover.

gg

 

[Mauler]

I will check my brushes.

I would see if you can do it with a roof removal. With the indoor they show removal of the flue and back plate. I have found that if the seal is not leaking you don't have to remove it. I tie the turbulator handle in the up position. With a 9/16 wrench and socket you can then remove 2 bolts for the turbulator linkage, put handle in the down position and pull the turbulator assembly out.

The clevis pins should make it even easier because I won't have to use wrenches to get them out. Just 2 nuts on the top cover.

gg

when you say "if the seal is not leaking" you mean leaking smoke right? I can't tell anyway because I have the outdoor version with outer skin on so I can't see any smoke....assuming no leak is it otherwise worth removing that back plate to do more cleaning or is really just the tubes and surrounding area in the top plate. I ask because I recall seeing a thread here on someone rehabbed a used econoburn and removed both plates for cleaning (I think). Thanks for checking your brushes.

 

[maple1]

Sounds like a fair amount of work?

 

[goosegunner]

when you say "if the seal is not leaking" you mean leaking smoke right? I can't tell anyway because I have the outdoor version with outer skin on so I can't see any smoke....assuming no leak is it otherwise worth removing that back plate to do more cleaning or is really just the tubes and surrounding area in the top plate. I ask because I recall seeing a thread here on someone rehabbed a used econoburn and removed both plates for cleaning (I think). Thanks for checking your brushes.

The back plate really should not leak, it is held on with a lot of bolts. The areas that need to be cleaned to keep efficiency the best would be the fire tubes and the area around the top of the tubes, a lot of ash piles up there. The back plate does not transfer heat to the water.

I have a 2" brush that says it is for 2-1/4" flue. to really scrub the tube you have to put pressure on the side of the metal rod when it is turning in a drill.

The 2-1/4" brush is too big to turn with a drill or change directions in the tube not much but it can be stubborn to remove with the brush that is just undersized a little.

I very rarely idle the boiler, I run flat out to storage and do weighed wood burns. I mostly have just ash. Sometimes it gets a little crust build up in the tu

gg

 

[goosegunner]

Sounds like a fair amount of work?

It can be until you figure out the best method. The good thing is there is no restriction on burning oak .

gg

 

[Mauler]

The back plate really should not leak, it is held on with a lot of bolts. The areas that need to be cleaned to keep efficiency the best would be the fire tubes and the area around the top of the tubes, a lot of ash piles up there. The back plate does not transfer heat to the water.

I have a 2" brush that says it is for 2-1/4" flue. to really scrub the tube you have to put pressure on the side of the metal rod when it is turning in a drill.

The 2-1/4" brush is too big to turn with a drill or change directions in the tube not much but it can be stubborn to remove with the brush that is just undersized a little.

I very rarely idle the boiler, I run flat out to storage and do weighed wood burns. I mostly have just ash. Sometimes it gets a little crust build up in the tu

gg

McMaster-Carr also has other brushes, stiff wire, etc. The one econoburn suggested seemed to be the less rigid wire type, I'm thinking the stiffer wire or some of the hard scraper types may be better. Trying not to waste money buying brushes that aren't up to the job.

 

[goosegunner]

McMaster-Carr also has other brushes, stiff wire, etc. The one econoburn suggested seemed to be the less rigid wire type, I'm thinking the stiffer wire or some of the hard scraper types may be better. Trying not to waste money buying brushes that aren't up to the job.

The scraper one looks like it would work, but it is pricey. It looks like it might be able to be tightened to increase its width. I will measure tube at my next cleaning.

gg

 

[salecker]

Hi Mauler
I have the outdoor unit as well,mine is a 200.All you need to take off is the roof,it should lift right off.\then just take off the top plate that is held on by 2 nuts.You can pull the turbulators out in one piece on mine.If my tubes are dirty i have to lift the unit out with a pry bar and link.I use the lifting eye as a fulcrum to apply the leverage to get them out of the dirty tubes.I do one side at a time it makes it easier to get past the little odds and ends that get hung up.
The first time will be a groan because you haven't done it before.If you can get someone to help it makes it go a lot faster because they can keep the odds and ends form getting hung up.I will change the bolts to clevis pins next cleaning.I trimmed a couple of other bolts while i had it apart so they wouldn't catch as easy.
The last time i cleaned mine no brush would have touched it.It took a good 20 min each tube with the scrapper i made to get them completely clean so i could see the welds in the tubes from top to bottom.I put a light at the bottom of the tubes to see what i'm doing.
Have fun,just remember it will be more efficient when you are finished.
Thomas

 

[maple1]

It can be until you figure out the best method. The good thing is there is no restriction on burning oak .

gg

I'll give you a 'touche' on that one (don't know how to get the little accent thingie over the 'e') - although I'd think likely whatever oak might do to one boiler it might do to another. There's none around here to burn though - so didn't ever think much more about it than that.

 

[Mauler]

Hi Mauler
I have the outdoor unit as well,mine is a 200.All you need to take off is the roof,it should lift right off.\then just take off the top plate that is held on by 2 nuts.You can pull the turbulators out in one piece on mine.If my tubes are dirty i have to lift the unit out with a pry bar and link.I use the lifting eye as a fulcrum to apply the leverage to get them out of the dirty tubes.I do one side at a time it makes it easier to get past the little odds and ends that get hung up.
The first time will be a groan because you haven't done it before.If you can get someone to help it makes it go a lot faster because they can keep the odds and ends form getting hung up.I will change the bolts to clevis pins next cleaning.I trimmed a couple of other bolts while i had it apart so they wouldn't catch as easy.
The last time i cleaned mine no brush would have touched it.It took a good 20 min each tube with the scrapper i made to get them completely clean so i could see the welds in the tubes from top to bottom.I put a light at the bottom of the tubes to see what i'm doing.
Have fun,just remember it will be more efficient when you are finished.
Thomas

thanks salecker, interesting that you only take the roof off and not the back wall or flue. I guess you might have to reach down a bit from a ladder to free up the top plate and turbs. Are the guy who made a scraper out of a washer? Sounds like a neat idea but I don't weld. Not sure if the tubes are the same size on mine I have the 150. Are you putting the light at the bottom of the tubes in the lower chamber? any thoughts on that spiral scraper I posted above? I assume I will be heavily encrusted with creosote.

 

[salecker]

I made a scraper out of some heavy duty banding.No welder required.
Search my threads,there are a few pic's of it.I was looking at mine yesterday and it looks like you will have to unscrew the roof.

 

[NCFord]

Anyone have some pics of where to cut the insulation for the cleaning? I will be cleaning my 100 for the first time in the next couple of weeks and know I will have make some cuts.

 

[Mauler]

I made a scraper out of some heavy duty banding.No welder required.
Search my threads,there are a few pic's of it.I was looking at mine yesterday and it looks like you will have to unscrew the roof.

found the thread, looks good. I will do the same thanks.

 

[b33p3r]

Wow, I didn't know there was a back plate to remove. How sad is that? I have the 150. I unbolt the turbs through the flue. I cut a panel in the outer skin around the turb handle. I remove that panel then the 4 bolts that mount the turb rod and handle to side of boiler Once the turbs are unbolted I slide handle and turb rod out of boiler. Then it is easy to remove turbs. also wide open to clean tubes. I never got any cleaning video either so I just winged it. I'll have to look into removing the back panel. Might save on some scraped knuckles.

 

[goosegunner]

Wow, I didn't know there was a back plate to remove. How sad is that? I have the 150. I unbolt the turbs through the flue. I cut a panel in the outer skin around the turb handle. I remove that panel then the 4 bolts that mount the turb rod and handle to side of boiler Once the turbs are unbolted I slide handle and turb rod out of boiler. Then it is easy to remove turbs. also wide open to clean tubes. I never got any cleaning video either so I just winged it. I'll have to look into removing the back panel. Might save on some scraped knuckles.

Don't do it! Put the turbulator handle in the all the way up position and tie it there. From the top cover you can remove the top two linkage bolts. The the turbulator linkage, bar, and turbulators can all be removed as one. The rod and handle do not have to be removed.

gg

 

[b33p3r]

Don't do it! Put the turbulator handle in the all the way up position and tie it there. From the top cover you can remove the top two linkage bolts. The the turbulator linkage, bar, and turbulators can all be removed as one. The rod and handle do not have to be removed.

gg

Goose, I'll give that a try. I'll leave the back plate alone since I never disturbed it yet. I know it was tough removing the turbs the first year I cleaned it and that's why I made a side panel that allowed me to remove the handle and rod which made things so much easier. I'll give your way a shot this year before pulling the handle/rod and see how it goes but I'm pretty confident I tried pulling with the handle in all positions???

 

[goosegunner]

Goose, I'll give that a try. I'll leave the back plate alone since I never disturbed it yet. I know it was tough removing the turbs the first year I cleaned it and that's why I made a side panel that allowed me to remove the handle and rod which made things so much easier. I'll give your way a shot this year before pulling the handle/rod and see how it goes but I'm pretty confident I tried pulling with the handle in all positions???

After I take out the top two linkage bolts the handle goes to the down position. I can pull all the turbulators out at the same time still connected to the bar.

I use two pieces of wire to hook the linkage where the bolts were removed and pull straight up.

I now have cleric pins installed instead of bolts. Next time it will be two top cover nuts only for tools!

gg