help seton clone i think

[philco56]

Just purchased a used boiler. Any info anybody has who made this model would be appreciated. What is the upper damper for? I am in the process of stripping it down for rebuilding. Any mods that should be done, feel free to chime in
Thank

 

[GENECOP]

This unit was posted here a few weeks ago,,,,I might close off that upper exhaust chamber outlet....

 

[NNYorker]

About 99% sure that is probably one of the last Adobe boilers made. The upper damper was called a "Smoke Bypass". It remains closed while running. When loading with wood open it up to let smoke escape. If you have anything less than perfect wood / no storage this thing gets creosoted up and it is a PITA to get open. Is there an ashpan that slides out located on the front ? There is a lot of info here on these types of boilers--Adobe, Seton, Greenwood. When you install make sure you have room to tear this thing apart and work on it. Creosote is the enemy with these things if you have no storage. Creosote seems to build up everywhere except on the refractory which will glow like the sun when cranked up. Seriously recommend not installing this in an attached garage / living space. I assuming the skin panels are shot / rusted?? If I would have rebuilt mine I would have used stainless panels. I would also think of ways to make it easier to disassemble. I currently use a silicone Strip-n-Stick tape I bought from McMaster-Carr for any panels I have to remove. Sealing panels with caulk is good until you have to remove them; especially thin skin panels. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[Pat53]

Looks just like a Seton, a badly plugged up Seton, except for the opening on the top 1/2 of the back of the unit. I have a Seton 130 that I built, and the only way to run it efficiently IMO is to run it with storage. letting them cycle on and off like and outdoor wood boiler will gum them up quickly (like that one is) unless your wood is perhaps bone dry. I modified mine a bit by lowering and moving forward the HX about 2-3" in each direction. The HX is now more directly in the flame/exhaust path. Before modifying it, the top/back row of tubes would lay almost right up against the kaowool, preventing a good exchange of heat, and the crud would then fuse onto the kaowool and when it came time to clean the HX ( a real PIA ) you would end up stripping off the kaowool in the process.

Good luck, you've got quite a job ahead of you !

Pat

 

[philco56]

NNYORKER thanks for the reply. I cannot find any info on the adobe to confirm what make this boiler is, if you have info in the way of the owners manual it would be appreciated. ( Pat's suggestion makes sense ) My plan when rebuilding is to move the HX down about 3" closer to the top of the refractory, move the supply inlet on the HX to the far right side of the header, return line to the far left side of the header for better cross flow on the water. Flat rope gasket all skin surfaces with no sealer, drill and tap all skins instead of tek screws. Put an extension onto the upper damper to protrude beyond the insulation in the back of the boiler to help prevent crud build-up on the insulation. Storage of some type after I see how this boiler operates. All the skins were completely rusted thru, replacements will be 16 gauge galvanized sheet steel. It does have an ash pan in the front below the load door. Also thinking of pouring castable refractory in the back floor where the exhaust flue area is for easier cleaning to prevent crud from sticking to the steel floor. Adding insulation in the area where the damper motor is located to reduce heat transfer to the motor.
Thanks
Philco56

 

[2.beans]

I don't know if I'd move the supply and return on the pressure vessel. I don't believe it operates like a radiator more like equal tube lengths so they will all have the same flow. And for taping all the panel holes the crud will build up on the threads on the in side and they'll never come out. I sealed around the outside of the skins with a small bead out high temp silicon and that sealed it up pretty good. Good luck it only gets better! Haha

 

[NNYorker]

NNYORKER thanks for the reply. I cannot find any info on the adobe to confirm what make this boiler is, if you have info in the way of the owners manual it would be appreciated. ( Pat's suggestion makes sense ) My plan when rebuilding is to move the HX down about 3" closer to the top of the refractory, move the supply inlet on the HX to the far right side of the header, return line to the far left side of the header for better cross flow on the water. Flat rope gasket all skin surfaces with no sealer, drill and tap all skins instead of tek screws. Put an extension onto the upper damper to protrude beyond the insulation in the back of the boiler to help prevent crud build-up on the insulation. Storage of some type after I see how this boiler operates. All the skins were completely rusted thru, replacements will be 16 gauge galvanized sheet steel. It does have an ash pan in the front below the load door. Also thinking of pouring castable refractory in the back floor where the exhaust flue area is for easier cleaning to prevent crud from sticking to the steel floor. Adding insulation in the area where the damper motor is located to reduce heat transfer to the motor.
Thanks
Philco56

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/adobe-problems-owner-unite.13381/page-5#post-286547 Original skin color was a horrible mint green. I think there are more photos posted somewhere. No owners manual came with it but I do have the lame CD for assembly instructions. Seton models are 90, 130, and 180. Greenwood models are 100, 200, and 300 but I've never seen one with the bypass exhaust. If you search for Greenwood and Seton images I think that front panel/door construction is quite different. I think the sliding ash pan is another Adobe giveaway.

 

[2.beans]

There was a company in ohio building them. Bethel engineering I think. They added a second exhaust for smoke release when loading the boiler.

 

[NNYorker]

There was a company in ohio building them. Bethel engineering I think. They added a second exhaust for smoke release when loading the boiler.

I do remember that now that you mention it. A hodgepodge of all of them combined. Probably is a Bethel / Seton.

 

[Pat53]

Bethel was making Seton's for a while, don't think they do anymore. I actually ordered my refractory walls from them rather than make my own. I thought they gave me a very good price for them. I made the one for the door and the bottom of the fire chamber myself. Those were pretty easy to do, didn't require any forms and such. I didn't know they made some Seton's with the exhaust port? That's one of the things I really dislike about the Seton, you get a lot of smoke out the feed door when you're refilling or starting a new fire.

Also, I wouldn't bother putting any refractory in the back on the floor, it will get covered with soot quickly enough. I've never had any problem with creosote in that area of the unit.