Necessary fiddlin?

[Adios Pantalones]

Been on the fence about a gasifier for years now. I see a lot of discussion about control circuits, resetting zones etc. Fiddling would be fun for a self install, perfecting x, y, and z- but I need more hours in the day as it is.

If I got- say an EKO40 and had it installed next to my oil boiler (forced hot water)- could I have this thing issue free after a week of break-in and learning curve, or is it a project about all the time?

 

[stee6043]

My EKO 40 ran like a champ straight outta the box. I like to fiddle (and have done much of it with my EKO) but it is not a requirement based on my experience...

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I suspect that the respected name boilers run great- it's the zone settings and valves and watchamahoozits in the rest of the system- can you set them and forget them?

 

[vvvv]

no, gotta establish fire add wood, watch the temp, & then pull the gassifier damper---ithinx

 

[NHFarmer]

I am beginning my third season with the Tarm. I burn year round and do very little fiddling. Burning in the summer has been a piece of cake. Kindle a fire, load and walk away. Three or four days later, repeat. I do fiddle once and a while and you do have to clean once and a while but really no big deal. Even the chimney, I clean once a year but really nothing but light flyash. I love my Gasser

 

[flyingcow]

No fiddlin' for me either. But I'm lucky as i have just rock maple or beech. No mixed species.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Blimp- that's expected. No different than closing the air in an EPA stove when secondaries kick in. I don't want to be screwing with bleeding air out of lines or resetting valves that don't trip properly or something.

 

[Tarmsolo60]

Once things are set up and you learn how to run it properly without overloading on warmer days theres no more to fiddle with than there is on a fossil fuel system. Maybe a brushing of the heat exchanger tubes every couple weeks. Storage, though not neccessary makes the install more complicated, once setup it makes it easier to run with still no extra fiddling of all the hoozywhatsits.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Blimp- that's expected. No different than closing the air in an EPA stove when secondaries kick in. I don't want to be screwing with bleeding air out of lines or resetting valves that don't trip properly or something.

If I'm not mistaken you need an ASME boiler in Mass unless you run unpressurized, just so you don't buy something that won't pass an inspection. You shouldn't have trouble with zone valves etc. For little money an expert can come over & tell you how to pipe the thing, money well spent, Randy

 

[vvvv]

Does running the gassification boiler without storage increase the "mess" within it due to excessive idling? will idling create much smoke for the chimney so that neighbors or EPA gets offended?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I would buy one of the respected names- but I'm in NH, not MA.

Blimp- that's expected. No different than closing the air in an EPA stove when secondaries kick in. I don't want to be screwing with bleeding air out of lines or resetting valves that don't trip properly or something.

If I'm not mistaken you need an ASME boiler in Mass unless you run unpressurized, just so you don't buy something that won't pass an inspection. You shouldn't have trouble with zone valves etc. For little money an expert can come over & tell you how to pipe the thing, money well spent, Randy