Im brand new to the site been checking out differnt stoves for while and I think I will go with an EKO but not 100%. I see some of you guys have storage tanks. Please explain how these work and what is pressurized and unpresserized. I am a real newbie here so I will probably have lots of questions so thanks for all help.
storage tank
- Thread starter northmaine
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North: Do a search and you'll find your answers. Basically, the storage tank is to allow you to run your boiler at WOT where it is most efficient, then store the excess heat till later. You build fewer fires, too, making it efficient for you as well.
I have unpressurized storage, which is simply a 4x4x8' rubber lined box that holds approx. 670 gallons of water that goes nowhere, absorbing and releasing heat. Inside the box are two heat exchangers. One heat exchanger is made of two 120' coils of copper piping, hooked in parallel to function as one. This is tied into the loop from my boiler to the heat distribution manifold (zone valves). It absorbs heat when the house isn't calling for it, and releases heat back into the system when the house calls for heat and the boiler isn't running. The other heat exchanger is a single 180' copper coil. On the way from the pump to the faucet, my domestic hot water goes through this coil and is heated sufficiently that we never run out of hot water. In fact, we have a mixing valve to mix cold water in as it exits the tank to bring it down to the desired temperature. It's a simple, though expensive system that works really well.
I have the beginnings of a writeup on some of these questions on my site as well.
LINK
Storage IMHO is more about comfort and convenience than efficiency. That being said, it's really important to understand that if you get a gasifier, everything you know about wood burning is wrong.
Storage lets you take advantage of the efficiency of the boiler without driving yourself crazy. Unlike conventional wodburning appliances, you want short hot fires to get best performance. Storage absorbs the extra heat and lets you use it after the fire is out.
LINK
Storage IMHO is more about comfort and convenience than efficiency. That being said, it's really important to understand that if you get a gasifier, everything you know about wood burning is wrong.
Storage lets you take advantage of the efficiency of the boiler without driving yourself crazy. Unlike conventional wodburning appliances, you want short hot fires to get best performance. Storage absorbs the extra heat and lets you use it after the fire is out.
This is how my days go. Right now do 1 fire a day. Usually in the pm, start at 3pm fire is usually out by 7pm. This will bring my storage temp up enough for plenty of showers(wife + 3 kids, usually 4 showers a day) in morning, plus keep my staple up radiant flr in my kitchen warm. This is all I need for heat right now. Should be able to do 1 fire every 3 to 4 days after heating season, just for DHW. In the cold of winter I would start fire at 3pm, refill about 630/700 and that would keep everything ok until the following day at 3pm. My house would draw off the energy stored in the tank.
I live in the southern end of the "County" and I like my furnace, but really like the thermal storage tank. No matter what you get for a wood boiler, the tank is a nice addition/complement to the system. These systems are not cheap, but DIY people save a good deal of $$$'s. Take your time and do the research, this forum is great with a really good bunch here. Use the search engine on this site, most of your questions are already answered there.
I live in the southern end of the "County" and I like my furnace, but really like the thermal storage tank. No matter what you get for a wood boiler, the tank is a nice addition/complement to the system. These systems are not cheap, but DIY people save a good deal of $$$'s. Take your time and do the research, this forum is great with a really good bunch here. Use the search engine on this site, most of your questions are already answered there.
I would add that if you are considering a boiler for the next heating season that you buy your wood NOW. I bought my boiler in Aug. last year, and even though I had wood for the woodstove, I didn't have enough for the boiler for the heating season. Gasifiers like the EKO are especially sensitive to wood moisture content - the lower the better. Any of the wood I was able to get through the season was not nearly dry enough for optimal performance in the EKO.
Get that wood put up now and install the boiler after!
Get that wood put up now and install the boiler after!
On that note, I am just started splitting wood for late winter early spring of '2010. I've got enough to get me thru until than. Before the week is out(I hope) I'll have enough to do for the next 2 seasons. Bought enough so i can be 2 to 3 yrs ahead.
When you start buying/cutting wood, put up enough for at 2 years. Double duty the 1st year, but it's the only way to do it. Plus the price of wood has dropped which makes it easier to do.
The figures that these guys give me on this site was, for every 150 gals of oil, figure 1 cord of well seasoned wood. Which thats about what I used, but I think i can do better. Time will tell.
57 degrees, comfy and no bugs. Trying to get as much done before the blackflies lug off the small children
When you start buying/cutting wood, put up enough for at 2 years. Double duty the 1st year, but it's the only way to do it. Plus the price of wood has dropped which makes it easier to do.
The figures that these guys give me on this site was, for every 150 gals of oil, figure 1 cord of well seasoned wood. Which thats about what I used, but I think i can do better. Time will tell.
57 degrees, comfy and no bugs. Trying to get as much done before the blackflies lug off the small children
I had a neighbor yard out around 10 or 2 cords a few weeks ago, when the ground was still frozen. It should be about two years worth for me. I cut a bunch of it up yesterday, and today my 80 year old father helped me split a bunch and lug it home (it's down the road a few hundred yards). I agree, this is a great time for this activity, the trout won't be hitting good for a few weeks yet.
Storage makes life much easier in the winter, much much more easier. It was worth every cent and the time it took to build it.
Steve
Steve
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