Tarm "Smoke Bonnet"

[chuck172]

With my Tarm solo40 came a piece of hardware called a "smoke bonnet". What is it, how is it installed, is it needed? I didn't see any instructions that refer to it.
It's also called a smoke flap.

 

[oilbegone]

From my Solo 30 manual

"Tarm USA Inc recommends that the heavy C shaped smoke flap not be permanently installed in the door opening: Doing so may damage the door over time. If you have smoke spillage when loading wood, place the smoke flap in the door opening and remove it before closing the door. If your boiler is installed with a Heat Storage System, you may be able to mount the smoke flap permanently without problems. However do not allow creosote build-up to occur on the load door behind the smoke flap."

Hope this helps

 

[chuck172]

Yeah, I just read that. How does it connect, does anyone use it?

 

[MrEd]

It wasn't obvious to me how it should be mounted, and the manual recommended against using it, so I didn't spend much time trying to figure it out. Mine is not used.

 

[NHFarmer]

It is supposed to be mounted in the lower portion of the opening to the firebox.I mounted it at first but it didn't seem to do anything but get in the way,so I removed it

 

[jebatty]

...but it didn’t seem to do anything but get in the way,so I removed it.

ditto for me

 

[Birdman]

Thank you for guys for clearing this up .... it was a question I had as well. Another question I have... about at what temps do you guys use Tarms? I mean... if it is 50 outside? 45? 40? 35? I know night is colder.. so maybe just at night and not during the day when it is warmer? Just looking for an idea so I will know before I try to make a burn in mine when it is not necessary and overheat. I know this question is a " depends on situation " question. I am just looking at what you do in your situation?

 

[jebatty]

If you have storage, you may have a little more flexibility during warmer temps, as you will have a place to put the "heat" when you don't need it. I have storage, and I do full load burns, but only bring the take up to as high a temp as I need to provide the heat I need. I had my first burns in early Sept this year.

Otherwise, try different things and see how it works. I think you wan to avoid situations where the idle periods are so long that the fire goes out completely, especially during the first 1/2 of the burn. During the second 1/2 you are burning a lot more charcoal, and inefficient burn issues tend to be smaller (creosote and smoke, for example).

 

[chuck172]

I've haven't been burning my tarm for heat, with the temps in the 50's, but for hot water. I load up my 40 gal. superstor to 160* and charge my 500 gallon propane storage tank to around 165*. We have a whirlpool tub and like nice long showers.
Very surprised how quick I use up the storage. I thought it would last much longer.

 

[MrEd]

Another question I have... about at what temps do you guys use Tarms? I mean... if it is 50 outside? 45? 40? 35?

I have a woodstove and the tarm, on marginal days I run the woodstove. I don't pay much attention to the outside temps, but when the bedrooms get to around 60, I know I should start at least a small fire in the tarm (the woodstove only heats the central living area).

I have noticed however, since installing the tarm, I can walk into a room and feel cold when its "only" 70....I used to feel cold when it was "only" 65. Its amazing what getting your heat for free will do to alter your perceptions of what is and isn't warm...but I also discovered that nobody really wants the bedrooms at 75 when sleeping...right now I shoot to keep the house at about 72, and the bedrooms around 65 and run what ever combination of fires I need to to approach that.

 

[WoodNotOil]

I do not use the smoke flap thing at all. I had forgotten it even came with mine. I get some spillage if the fire is roaring, but less now that I do full burns for storage.

I have been burning every 1-3 days since September depending on the need for heat. We use a lot of DHW in my house, so most of the burns are to bring the storage tank back up to temp. I love my storage tank! It has given me soooooo much more flexibility in when I burn this year. I had heated three seasons without any and the difference is amazing. I have also notice that my wood consumption has gone way down in the shoulder season compared to last year. It sat smoldering a lot to keep everything up to temp because I didn't want to burn oil. Now storage keeps everyone happy!

 

[chuck172]

We probably should start another thread on how much storage is enough. The usable heat from 500 pressurized gallons seems to go too fast. I really thought it would last longer.

 

[MrEd]

Care to expand on that? How hot was your tank? and how long did it last? what was the outside temp?

My 500 will be coming on line soon - but I do have my eyes open for a second one.

 

[chuck172]

I get the tank up to 170-175*, the bottom after a long while will get up to 160 or so. I'm surprised how quickly I use that heat up. There are some factors I might need to address. Tank insulation: I thought I insulated the tank pretty well. I used fiberglass and boxed the tank in with 2" stryofoam blueboard. I really don't think much heat is escaping.
I may need to insulate my copper mains. The wood boiler, is 20 feet from the tank which is 20' from the oil boiler. 40 feet of uninsulated 1-1/4 copper mains. I think pipe insulation will enable me to raise the tank temp quicker.
I really don't want to add another 500 gallon torpedo in the basement. I have Tarm burnout for at least this year.

 

[sweetheat]

Oh! the flat plate with the edges rolled up to form a U on the bottom inside the loading door is optional? I thought it was for loading protection. Duh? I can remove it? It's not needed? Mine falls back into the fire chamber. I thought when I first fliped it up and it went back into the fire chamber, that's not right. sweetheat