Indoor gasifier questions

[Beerdog]

I'm researching indoor gasifier boilers for installation in a basement- new construction.

1. The home will be very tight and I've not seen any that specify an option for an outside air supply. Anyone know of a boiler that has an OAS? If I can't find one, an option is to isolate the boiler in its own basement room with an exterior vent.

2. Some manufacturers line the fireboxes with firebrick and others don't. Do lined boilers last longer than unlined or is there just not enough history to say?

Thanks
Beerdog

 

[711mhw]

I supply my wood gun with outside air. They show it in their installation manual as a choice, not an option.
Welcome here!

 

[ozzie88]

I made a cover go over fan inlet then a 4inch dryer line to outside thus, burn outside air, I later added a ele, switch flap to work with fan to shut off air when not running

 

[Fred61]

Outside air supply doesn't need to be attached to the boiler. As long as you have a vent line that eliminates negative pressure in the building it will work. Several on this forum have posted their particular ways of achieving this. I feel it's best to feed the duct close to the boiler to minimize drafts in the house. Also having a way to close it when the boiler is not running would minimize heat loss. There are all kinds of automatic dampers.

 

[BoilerMan]

If this is new construction, I'd suggest running some PVC underground and into the boiler area. A long run of 3" or 4" PVC in an open air situation outside will prewarm the air to a suprising degree. This is what I did in my house, that air supplied by this duct is at least 30F warmer than outside air and is about a 50' run. Just my thoughts, I got the idea from Passivhaus designs for air exchange geo-preheater. In all reality, as somone who self built a super-insulated house, the boiler does not consume much indoor air, if you are planning on an HRV it will supply all the needed combustion air.

TS

 

[711mhw]

If this is new construction, I'd suggest running some PVC underground and into the boiler area. A long run of 3" or 4" PVC in an open air situation outside will prewarm the air to a suprising degree. This is what I did in my house, that air supplied by this duct is at least 30F warmer than outside air and is about a 50' run. Just my thoughts, I got the idea from Passivhaus designs for air exchange geo-preheater. In all reality, as somone who self built a super-insulated house, the boiler does not consume much indoor air, if you are planning on an HRV it will supply all the needed combustion air.

TS

I just "unhooked" from outside air a week ago just to see what would change. The house and (attached) boiler room are very air tight, well not as tight in the BR as I have a large home made door (for wood hauling) that has no threshold for ease of sweeping, (out the door). I was curious about using the warmer indoor air, and if it would help keep the BR temps down some. It's been 120* in there before, it's a nice place to dry clothes and warm up after being outside for a while, but the heat makes it way into the house and tricks my t-stats leaving the radiant off.
This has seemed to help cool the BR some but I'm not sure if there is any change in my fires using the warmer air, although if I screw up and run out of wood, the boiler does not cool as fast as with that cold outside air blowing thru it.
Any thoughts, other than sending "conditioned air" up your chimney on combustion air temps? Warmer must be better, right?

 

[BoilerMan]

I just have the PVC coming into the boiler room at floor level about 10' from the boiler. So I can't comment on the direct connection. I thought it would be better to have the extra air coming into the house via the BR because it's usually 10F warmer in there. The house is tight enough that if my wife has the clothes dryer running I don't get a draft up a cold chimney. If there is a fire going however I don't see much differance, but the PVC does dump more air into the BR if the dryer is going. 3,200 total square feet, including boiler room and garage (1,000 sq ft. there).

TS

 

[goosegunner]

My boiler install manual recommends 200 square inche are for air make up. I leave a small window open while charging tank. Jebatty uses a power closure on a window to shut his. I would like to do that with mine, maybe even use a control by web x300 to close it with my iPad or smart phone when I am away from home.

Gg

 

[heaterman]

Remember to provide enough opening to supply an exhaust draft hood to get rid of smoke when loading.

A 4" line for combustion air only would be minimum for a boiler in the 80-100,000btu range. Go 6" if you are installing something larger.

4" will give you about 12.5 sq inches of opening and a 6" will give you about 28.
Garn is the only unit I know of that supplies a dedicated outdoor connection but it's not a "basement friendly" unit.

 

[jebatty]

Gg: Jebatty uses a power closure on a window to shut his.

Don't delay! This was one of the slickest improvements I made.

Combustion Makeup Air

 

[maple1]

I have a basement window directly behind my boiler. I just leave it open a crack.

 

[jebatty]

That's what I used to do also. Using the window linear actuator allows me to load and fire the boiler in the morning, go to work, let the boiler burn out and then the window shuts automatically and not stay open until I get home in the later afternoon. Same thing at night: load and fire it before I go to bed and when the boiler burns out the window shuts rather than staying open until I get up in the morning. Just a convenience, or maybe even a small luxury, and so easy to do with a slider window.

 

[goosegunner]

That's what I used to do also. Using the window linear actuator allows me to load and fire the boiler in the morning, go to work, let the boiler burn out and then the window shuts automatically and not stay open until I get home in the later afternoon. Same thing at night: load and fire it before I go to bed and when the boiler burns out the window shuts rather than staying open until I get up in the morning. Just a convenience, or maybe even a small luxury, and so easy to do with a slider window.

Would the place you bought your closure have any more?

If its not too much trouble I would send you money to purchase and ship one to me.

gg

 

[Fred61]

Would the place you bought your closure have any more?

If its not too much trouble I would send you money to purchase and ship one to me.

gg

Google "linear motors" or "linear actuators"
Here's one http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...ll&Nu=P_ParentCat&storeId=6970&N=0&Ntt=LINEAR

 

[goosegunner]

Thank you for the link.

gg

 

[Armaton]

GG,

Isn't your BR adjacent to your polebarn? Could you run a 6" pipe through the wall and let the larger space worry about the makeup air? Or is your barn really airtight? Just a thought.

 

[jebatty]

Gg: the one I bought was at a surplus store, price was about $55.00 + tax. I was there about 2 weeks ago and they still had some. Rated at 24vdc, also works on 12vdc which is what I use, powered from a wall transformer with sufficient power rating. I will pick one up, if still available. Might be able to get it on Monday or Wednesday, but I can't promise that. Source is in St. Paul, and I live 175 miles further north, but I will be in St. Paul for Christmas. Confirm by PM or email.

 

[goosegunner]

Gg: the one I bought was at a surplus store, price was about $55.00 + tax. I was there about 2 weeks ago and they still had some. Rated at 24vdc, also works on 12vdc which is what I use, powered from a wall transformer with sufficient power rating. I will pick one up, if still available. Might be able to get it on Monday or Wednesday, but I can't promise that. Source is in St. Paul, and I live 175 miles further north, but I will be in St. Paul for Christmas. Confirm by PM or email.

Thanks Jim! Pm sent.

gg