Refractory in lower chamber of EKO is crumbling

[easternbob]

I know this has been discussed more than once but after 4 years of running my EKO 25 my 'U' shaped refractory in the lower chamber is starting to break up, into many pieces.
I tried searching but couldn't find any of the old posts I seem to remember that show how people have layed out the firebricks.

Those of you who have gone the route of replacing the 2 or 3 blocks in the lower chamber with fire bricks how have they been holding up?

 

[ihookem]

I am on my original after 5 yrs. I hear some stories on how home made ones don't last as long. I thought that Home Depot or Lowes sells bags of high temp mix to make your own. Ahona lives close to you so you could go there. Marks @ Ahona. 1-607-435-4753. I think they are 60 bucks??

 

[easternbob]

ihookem,
Now that I actually read my own signature I see It's been almost 5 years that the boiler has been running. I've noticed cracks in the blocks but yesterday when I cleaned for the first time this winter behind the blocks the front one broken apart 2 baseball size pieces came off/apart on the side.
AHONA is 2-3 hours away from me so not super close. PLUS I'm a little cheap so I'm willing to try the home-made version out of fire bricks.
I cut a slot in a fire brick for the nozzle overlay last year and it's working great, might replace it this summer so I hope this would last as long.

Just interested in seeing how people did the layout of the bricks.

 

[easternbob]

I looked around some more and searched "firebricks" (was spelling it as two words...). I think this is what I remember seeing https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/eko-model-25-lower-refractory-pdf.117272/

Has anyone else gone this route.

 

[Fred61]

I think Nofossil has experimented with the target bricks.

I'm beginning to believe that there are inconsistences in the casting of these blocks. If not, why are some, such as mine going strong after six seasons and others are deteriorating after four years?
There is one thing that I do and that is to clear the ashes from the blocks every day. I place a lot of value on heating and cooling any component as evenly as possible and that also goes for materials that are not boiler related.

 

[easternbob]

Fred61,
From what I read I think some people are getting way less than 4 years. I was feeling pretty happy with my almost 5 yrs. I don't clean every day but rather every few days. Since I used a firebrick with slot for a nozzle overlay last year, the volume of ash in the lower chamber has gone way down. Part of my thinking is that the ash acts as a bit of a extreme heat buffer, it takes the brunt of that blow torch instead of the block??? I'm only talking a couple inches or fluff or so.

 

[flyingcow]

I think I'm more accurate way to figure how tunnels and nozzles last is to figure how many cord of wood did you burn before you needed to replace them. just a thought

 

[Fred61]

I'm also just finishing my third season with the brick overlay. I replace it at the beginning of every season. True, I get less ash on the U blocks but I'm going to continue to do the same since something appears to be working. I built a hoe with the same radius as the curve in the U blocks and religiously drag out the ash every day before my daily burn.

 

[huffdawg]

My first set of u blocks cracked up in the first 6 months but I used them for a year or so still. Second set holding up better but there is a crack in one of them.

 

[woodsmaster]

I agree with flying cow, it's now how long they last, but how many cord.