Seton - Greenwood smoke / fire out of the air inlets

[JMann]

Anyone experiencing smoke or flame coming out of the intake holes after aquastat shuts the boiler down? If so, how did you remedy the situation? I have been thinking that I high temp gasket around the intake cover may do the trick but I'm not 100% sure of that.

This morning after loading, I went to do one last check before leaving for work and saw that the aquastat was shutting the boiler down (temp 190*). I walked to the back because I noticed a stream of smoke coming out of the intake holes. I waited a moment and then noticed fire squeezing out of the cover where the intake holes are. I quickly raised the temp on the aquastat, opening the intake holes, so that I could check out what was happening through the front access door. Looking in, I saw a split laying across the inlet holes (blocking them) which I removed. I then shut the boiler back down (using the aquastat) and walked back to the rear of the boiler. Blue flame gone, but smoke still there. I then went inside, changed my soiled shorts and reluctantly went off to work.

Do you think the flame was caused by the split covering the intake holes or was it a coincidence that when I removed, the flame did not appear again?

 

[Jesse-M]

JMann
I built my boiler, and put a flue damper that actuated with the intake damper, closing it off when the intake closed. I have since unhooked it because of the smoke you are talking about. Plus there was no difference in what was coming out of the stack ether way. I now use it just to adjust the amount of draft. I wouldn't think you should ever see any flame. If your unit doesn't have a flue damper, I would check to see if your pressure vessel is getting plugged. My thoughts, Jesse

 

[gundog24]

with my seton 90, i too had a problem with smoke coming out of the intake damper door, so i got looking around and found that the stainless intake tubes didn't fit tight in their slots. so i sealed around the tubes with hi temp cement.that seem to help alot. then at another time i found that smoke was coming out from the intake damper door,as the damper door was opening, just enough to bother me. i let the seton cool down, took one side panel off and cleaned everything.it took me about 2.5 hrs to do. the seton now works better then new.

 

[JMann]

Thanks for the advice. Last night, I put a bead of the high temp silicone around the damper actuator door (covers the intake holes). Since it's a moving part, I placed a piece of wax paper over the silicone after applying so that I don't bond the door to the intake. I am going to take a look at the stainless steel intake tubes tonight to see how loose they really are.

 

[2.beans]

after i sealed up my boiler (side panels and door gasket) with a flue damper installed id get some smoke out the intake door even with a high temp automotive gasket on it. i had to open my flue damper up a little to get the smoke to stop. whats your draft at ? maybe your chimney is a little dirty restricting draft. that is if this is a new problem that just started. just a thought.

 

[JMann]

I haven't measured the draft (yet) but I'm getting between 350* - 600* flue temps. The gasket has worked very well (thus far) but will keep monitoring until the end of the season to be sure. I want to open the side panels but am nervous about damaging something and having the unit out of commission. I've heard that you have to cut the insulation to get to the heat exchangers. If that's so, how do you seal it back up?

 

[gundog24]

I'm not sure about the older seton's. But the new seton has two panels on each side of the boiler, a large panel and a small panel, both with self drilling hex screws holding them on to the steel frame. I was abel to remove the small panel without cutting the instulation. i just took my time in pulling the panel off , the instulation was rivited to backside of the panel . it took me about 10 mins. to do this with an electric screw gun. I cleaned the hx tubes with a heavy duty wire coat hanger that i stole from my wife. Using a fireplace shovel to scoop up the ashes that fell to bottom of the boiler . and using hi temp. permatex to seal the panal back to the steel frame , and antiseiz on the treads of the self drilling hex screws. This all took 2hrs.

P.S. turn on your draft fan during the cleaning process this helps to control ash from flying around.

 

[2.beans]

I haven't measured the draft (yet) but I'm getting between 350* - 600* flue temps. The gasket has worked very well (thus far) but will keep monitoring until the end of the season to be sure. I want to open the side panels but am nervous about damaging something and having the unit out of commission. I've heard that you have to cut the insulation to get to the heat exchangers. If that's so, how do you seal it back up?

i used new insulation so i could tuck it back in around the old when i cleaned mine. i also welded in a piece of angle iron so i could screw my side panel back on. 10" back on the side panel is right at the back of the rear refractory.