New Tarm Member

[paulgrim1]

I have been lerking for months now. Learning. Finally bought my tarm. Funny thing is I had my quote and eveything ready with tarn, about to send in the deposit. Then I saw the ebay sale of everything I wanted for about half the price. To good to be true. Not yet. Found out that seller live 5 min from my home. I went over to see it and it was brand new, never used with every part needed to set up and then some. All the iron and 13 sticks of copper. I was planning on waiting on the storage and building my own but at that price I went for it. Now I'm broke but ready to install. Any one with a tarm (or anyone) With install help (what to avoid ) Welcome to comment. I don't know how much help tarm will give me as I bought it second hand. Thanks to all for this helpful site.

 

[Nofossil]

Congratulations and welcome to the boiler room. You're off to a good start with that Tarm. Lots of decisions, though. There are spirited discussions about different approaches to system configuration. I'm still not sure what the best approach is, but the good news is that there are many that seem to work. Probably want to do some level of heat loss study, and fill us in on details of your existing heating system.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Welcome to the Boiler Room, Paul. Is that the Tarm that listed for $6,900 on Ebay last week? Looked like a pretty sweet deal to me.

In any event, I think you'll get all the help you need right here. As you have probably noticed, we have lots of Tarm members and most did their own installations. And if that's not good enough, any other brand should be similar.

 

[jebatty]

I was new to Tarm (Solo Plus 40) which I self-installed last Sept. without any prior boiler experience but have done quite a bit of home plumbing. Very pleased. Keep learning, follow info in multiple threads, and I bet you will come close to knowing most of what is needed. Storage definitely is the way to go in almost all cases.

 

[Jim Post]

Welcome aboard....sounds like you got a good deal. I self installed a Solo Plus 30 in 2005. Best home improvement I have ever completed. Even w/o storage the tarm has been great. Expect to spend some time getting up to speed on best practices for your particular set up...I figure it took us 2 seasons to really get good at running the tarm. Then again with no storage, we load according to the weather forecast. Wood heating is more of a life style choice than most people realize....hopefully you are familiar with the work involved. My installation went fairly well but I started in July to give myself plenty of time for rework if needed. You are already ahead of the curve on your install since you found this place.

 

[paulgrim1]

Thanks Guys
I'll keep you up to date on the install. It was the one off EBay. I'm have burned with wood most of my life. I'm new to gasification but a fast learner. My cousin just install a eko40 and loves it. He is also in HVAC and is going to do a heat analysis. I live on a 300 acre wood lot that was just logged. About 600+ cords of two year old tops with 3 people burning wood. A lot of it will rot out there. I might have to try burning all summer but don't know if it is worth it. If the wood does not work out I'm going solar for the summer. Again thanks for the warm welcome.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Congrats on winning the auction, Paul. Nice timing on the final bid.

I usually like to pretend that I'm not interested and then jump in at the last minute, bidding my absolute max, plus a buck or two. Winning can be pretty exhilarating.

Sounds like you're all set with the wood. After you get the slash and tops all cleared up (or they eventually rot), I bet you can keep going indefinitely cutting culls and otherwise thinning the remaining growing stock for the long-term. Don't be afraid to manage your woodlot for value. Most landowners depend on 15- or 20-year cutting cycles for their management, but I think it should be an ongoing effort, if possible.

 

[bbb123]

I'm still cutting red oak tops from logging my property 7 years ago. The bigger tops are solid in the middle the outer white part is rotted. I didn't think I had much left out there but I must of cut 3-4 cord this winter and theres still more. Good luck with your new Tarm if your in question about going solar put the HX in your storage tank when you set it up the first time I'm kickin myself in the arse I didn't.

 

[Barry Newhard]

Welcome Paul. I am also new to this site and everyone helps out alot. I have a eko and love it. I have a storage tank with dhw coil in it and have burned over summer. There are five in the household 3 of which are women who love long hot showers. Usually only burn every 6 or so days and now I really am their hero.

 

[paulgrim1]

Eric that bidding war at the end almost killed me. I would have hated to lose the whole thing by 100 dollars but where do you stop. That was my limit so I had to time it right. I also had a snipe program as a backup. We do clear the lot every 12 to 15 years.

BB how do you find the white punky stuff works with the gasers ?I think I will put a coil in as I’m setting up I don’t think I want to drain it and do it later.

Barry I know about the water situation My wife turns on the water 15 min before she gets in and with the kids growing up it solar or wood or both this summer. I’ll get the wife to get the wood, maybe she will take shorter showers. (like that will ever happen).

As far as water storage goes do you have any problems with smell, algae or anything else. Just curious
Thanks

 

[Nofossil]

I'll second the comment on solar. If there's any chance at all that you'll be able to do it, plan now even if you don't install it now. The storage tank makes solar a real practical and effective summer solution. Once I got it dialed in, I went weeks without burning any oil at all. And I have a 17 year old daughter.

You can burn dang near anything in a gasifier as long as it's not too wet.

I've got an installation similar to what you're looking at - documentation on my site, link in my signature below.

 

[bbb123]

They burn fine like nofossil said if its dry it will burn. One of these days I'm gona get some whole cob corn and try that in it. The only problem with that old wood is the increased mess from the outer layer falling off. I tend to leave that wood out in the garage and burn it in the Pacific Energy. Another note on that old wood is it no where near dry but after cutting and splitting it seems to dry very quickly. Ow and the water, this is my 3rd winter I havn't added any or smelt anything from my storage tank (800 gal. ssts).

 

[Barry Newhard]

Hi paul. If your tarm came with the storage tank that they sell it is a stss correct? I have one for my eko there made in PA. Once it's all put together and sealed you have no smell and I also keep an eye on the ph levels as they suggest in the manual. If you don't have one I can copy mine and mail it to for your reference. Also just as nofossil suggests if you don't do everything but plan for it saves time in the future. I have two coils for heat and one for domestic but when I ordered mine added two more holes to put another heating coil for future and just stubbed copper into the tank and sealed around those lines. That way I have no steam coming out. Hope this helps.

 

[paulgrim1]

Thanks to all the ssts users. My wife will kill me if there is a stench. I'm a little worried about the smoke (puff) when loading. From what I understand it's more of a learning curve thing. I have great draft (inside chimney). I'm going to order two more ports from ssts and build a coil for solar water. Also thinking about going solar electric for just the electric for the heating system. Panel ,inverter Batteries.

 

[jebatty]

I'm a little worried about the smoke (puff) when loading.

Paul - I read about the "puff" a lot too, and honestly, I don't think it is coming from Tarm users. I do not experience smoke escaping into the "boiler room" from loading the Tarm. I would be very surprised if you do, and if you do, something is not what it should be.

Tarm operating instructions are to let the fire burn down to low coals, then reload. There simply is no smoke in this situation in my experience. In fairness I do get smoke, but that comes from opening the loading door during a burn to satisfy my curiosity as to what's going on inside.

. . . now seeing the end in sight of my first heating season with a Tarm Solo Plus 40, almost sadly, as this has been and remains a very fun and highly satisfying experience.

 

[chrisfallis]

My c.1997 Tarm would only puff if the firebox had a smoldering mess left over from my prior overfilling. Just follow the instructions on letting the draft fan woking for a minute or two before opening the door if thre boiler is idling. I was never patient enough to do that, my room-mate even less so. His lack of eyebrows showed the consequences of that impatience. If I followed the proper reloading procedure, I never had smoke escape the firebox. Ashes from the lower cleanout would fly all over when I shoveled them out, especially nasty when they were as fine as they were. That is another story though...

 

[paulgrim1]

Thanks
That's great to hear. I guess with the storage you just let it run full out then fill her up again. Sadly I won't get to try mine out until next winter. Hopefully I can get solar working this summer.

 

[kevin85]

NE CONN,

I am a fellow CT Tarm owner and have been burning for 8 years. I had a exhaust fan attached to the outgoing stainless duct and it helps to keep smoke in the boiler instead of coming out the front.