Flue scraper for boiler tubes

[goosegunner]

Just did another cleaning today. I had a very small amount of crust in the tubes in some areas because I idled a little during some -25 degree weather overnight.

I am searching for a faster way to scrape tubes back down to metal. I found these scrapers on Grainger, has anyone used one?

What do you think?

(broken link removed)





At one time I saw some home made scrapers and also some for Empyre boilers. Does anyone know where to get one?

Any better scrapers out there?

gg

 

[KenLockett]

Goosegunner, see thread below for a scraper I build based upon another design I found on here. Definitely takes tubes down to bare metal. Just need a piece of heavier gauge sheet metal and ability to bend and drill it. Just getting ready to use it as matter of fact as I'm starting my monthly cleaning. By the way I idle half the time and this thing takes anything accumulated right off.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/tarm-solo-fan-adjustments.121538/#post-1633826

 

[Bad Wolf]

That looks real nice. I've struggled to find something more aggressive than the brush to no avail. Let us know if you get one. It looks they have one for every diameter.

 

[KenLockett]

What a difference a cleaning makes. Flue temps down almost 200 Deg! The trend to the right is last night's firing cycles after my cleaning.

 

[KenLockett]

Before and after cleaning. That cleaning tool really works. There was a lot of crusty material beneath that ash. Takes about 20 seconds per tube. Bigger pain now is keeping the ash down as I push it down the tubes into the tunnel so I don't have ash in the air. When I disturb it and it falls the draft pulls it back up. Thinking about making plugs for each tube and an 'umbrella' for the cleaning tool I built for the tube I am cleaning at the time.

 

[KenLockett]

Here is a direct picture of the tool. Just use a threaded rod with your wireless drill. The higher the speed the faster it works.

 

[NCFord]

I just ordered one of these http://www.mcmaster.com/#7267t14/=qpy3xz. It looks like it will work pretty good, though I have yet to actually clean my boiler so we
will see. Either way its easier than making one and cheap enough too.

 

[muleman51]

That spiral tool looks pretty agressive. I picked up a root cutter for cleaning drain lines at the local Menards, probably can get them at home depot or lowes. It was under $20 and works well. I just made a flex shaft for it out of sealtite, chucked it up in a cordless and polished the tubes right up. Itry to put in a little creosote destroyer in the boiler the night before seems to help loosen up the junk. I brush the tubes weekly and polish every month or so. Good Luck I'm sick of winter, almost out of wood and can't wait to turn on the AC.

 

[hockeypuck]

Have you guys tried Torrington? About every brush you could imagine.

http://www.torringtonbrushes.com/

 

[salecker]

I made one similar to the one in Kens pic.It's in one of my threads on cleaning the Econoburn.
I was looking to buy one,till i made mine.Not looking anymore.
The one that Goose showed looks like it will get the job done,be interested in finding out if it's worth the coin.
Thomas

 

[jebatty]

Also check out "flue brushes" from Zorotools on eBay. I just received a stiffer flue brush than the one I had to use on the 3" fire tubes for my Tarm, arrived yesterday. Will be used today.

 

[KenLockett]

I made one similar to the one in Kens pic.It's in one of my threads on cleaning the Econoburn.
I was looking to buy one,till i made mine.Not looking anymore.
The one that Goose showed looks like it will get the job done,be interested in finding out if it's worth the coin.
Thomas

That must be where I got the idea. It works very well and probably took about an hour to make and cost but a few bucks.

 

[KenLockett]

Also check out "flue brushes" from Zorotools on eBay. I just received a stiffer flue brush than the one I had to use on the 3" fire tubes for my Tarm, arrived yesterday. Will be used today.

Jim I tried a 3" wire wheel but just had too much clearance for my 3" tubes. Did you see any that were 3 1/4"?

 

[huffdawg]

What a difference a cleaning makes. Flue temps down almost 200 Deg! The trend to the right is last night's firing cycles after my cleaning.



View attachment 127642

Wow tha'ts quite a diff. was it only fly ash in the tubes or was there creosote as well. I'll try the same test with my Vesta data logger in a few days usually only fly ash in my fire tubes . Was your'e fan speed the same in both graphs also?

 

[KenLockett]

Wow tha'ts quite a diff. was it only fly ash in the tubes or was there creosote as well. I'll try the same test with my Vesta data logger in a few days usually only fly ash in my fire tubes . Was your'e fan speed the same in both graphs also?

Huffdawg, my fan speed is fixed on the Tarm. There was some crusty crud underneath the flyash, although not as much as I thought there would be. That tool will take anything off. Very aggressive. The heat transfer is unbelievably faster after the cleaning. That buildup was after 40 days of continuous firing. Normally clean after 30 days,

 

[jebatty]

Ken: Jim I tried a 3" wire wheel but just had too much clearance for my 3" tubes. Did you see any that were 3 1/4"?

I ordered the 2-3/4 based on the specs stating that this was the right size for 3" -- NO. Zorotools has 3-1/4 and 3-1/2, and today I ordered one of each. They should arrive by Friday, and if you want to wait I will try both and put the results on this thread.

 

[KenLockett]

I ordered the 2-3/4 based on the specs stating that this was the right size for 3" -- NO. Zorotools has 3-1/4 and 3-1/2, and today I ordered one of each. They should arrive by Friday, and if you want to wait I will try both and put the results on this thread.

Yes, please do. Thanks

 

[salecker]

I tried a few brushes on mine,didn't take off the buildup i had.I burnt some crappy wood last spring to get rid of it,and our spring was cold and long.
Thomas

 

[mustash29]

Here are some industrial types I found, used for industrial fire tube boilers and heat exchanger cleaning.

(broken link removed to http://www.tcwilson.com/tube_cleaning/cleaning_heads/)

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http://www.goodway.com/accessories/...rushes-and-tools/tube-cleaner-specialty-tools

 

[jebatty]

Got the brushes today, but earlier fired the Tarm, and it was too hot to give the brushes a try -- will do tomorrow.

 

[KenLockett]

Here are some industrial types I found, used for industrial fire tube boilers and heat exchanger cleaning.

(broken link removed to http://www.tcwilson.com/tube_cleaning/cleaning_heads/)

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http://www.goodway.com/accessories/...rushes-and-tools/tube-cleaner-specialty-tools

Looks quite expensive.

 

[iceguy4]

I had a very small amount of crust in the tubes in some areas because I idled a little during some -25 degree weather overnight.

your kidding....right??

 

[goosegunner]

your kidding....right??

Not really sure what your question is?

Had a stretch of cold weather, I loaded boiler for overnights so boiler idled on and off as storage dropped a little.

It was crusted ash that was not in tubes at last cleaning.

gg

 

[iceguy4]

Not really sure what your question is?

Had a stretch of cold weather, I loaded boiler for overnights so boiler idled on and off as storage dropped a little.

It was crusted ash that was not in tubes at last cleaning.

gg

I guess my understanding of boiler sizing when coupled with storage is wrong. I would think on the nights when you hit -25° a properly sized boiler would be flat out...am I wrong?

 

[goosegunner]

I guess my understanding of boiler sizing when coupled with storage is wrong. I would think on the nights when you hit -25° a properly sized boiler would be flat out...am I wrong?

My boiler is oversized for the load. Partly because I wanted extra capacity for pool heat in the summer.

After using my boiler for 4 years now I don't think you would want one sized to run flat out at -25. you would be getting up in the night to load it if you did.

I would rather have a boiler with large firebox but lower out put if available. It would not consume the wood as fast but still run for a long time. WIth storage it would cushion any extra capacity.

I think the Froling is the only one close to that.

gg