The GW's up and running again

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

ah, the wonderful sound of silence from the oil burner

Ok, so I paid a pro to come and weld a new nipple on the top HX manifold. He actually put a 1 1/2" instead of a 1 1/4" and its about 4" taller. The skins are preipitously thin (aka rusted through) in a few spots. I am going to attempt to make April 1, 2010. Without any major overhalls. Remains to be seen, obviously.

I believe if I take the profit motive out and eliminate the whole mass production mentality, the basic design of the GW is a sound one. Changes I anticipate beginning on April 2, 2010:

1)Stainless Steel skins
2) Access covers for HX cleaning, HX removal, ash removal
3)Would refractory on the top of the horizontal HX tubes better insulate and help the tubes stay hot, reducing creosote?
4)The insulation used in the GW seems to work pretty good, But we need a way to replace it as needed.
5)One for the engineers . . . if the skins didn't contact the insultion, would this help keep condensate off the skins?
6)Despite the supposed ability to not need storage, we need a way to burn flat out, then shut down with a coal bed, which should reduce creosote accumulation
7)And of course, full computer control, with inputs for outside temp, load door position sensor, damper position sensor, flue gas analyzer, flue temp sensor, barometric pressure sensor, water flow rate sensor, water temp sensor, draft sensor. etc

Ideas always graciously entertained :cheese:

Jimbo

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Oh yes! Nearly forgot til someone PM'd me . . . The refractory being cast as one piece seems to be a very bad idea. I grant you I am no engineer, but I think EVERYONE that has had a GW has a busted up combustion chamber. I believe the Seton is multi-part. So shall be the GW Redisign ;-)

But for those looking in horror at a very Young GW cracking . . .don't panic . . . doesn't seem to effect performance that I can tell.

But what I WOULD panic about if I were you . . . make sure the skins are not actually touching either nipple. Very VERY bad effects!!

 

[flyingcow]

There's multiple sophmoric jokes to be made on that last statement. Ahhh, we as men will never change.---- Congrats on getting the unit back up and running. You're fixing this and sharing it on this site has got to help others in your situation.

 

[Deere10]

I am new to the forum But glad to hear u are up n burnin again. I have read many posts before signin up.
I just got done installing a GW 100. As stated many times the first year is a learning experience. So far all good
Roughly getting 8 - 10 hr burn times on a good load. 2200 sq ft home n DHW . So you said anywhere the outer skin contacts
plumbing open skins up to prevent future issues of rust n leaks. Is this correct? How long have you been burnin the GW 100?

 

[tigermaple]

I too have thought having a refractory above the Hx would be better, but how do you keep in from cracking apart and falling in on the fire. SS skins and a way for condensation to leak out in a specific spot would be cool also. Now that the company is dead and so is the warranty we are free to tweak these monsters into super gassers.
Good luck on the heating season,
Pat

 

[NNYorker]

ah, the wonderful sound of silence from the oil burner

Ok, so I paid a pro to come and weld a new nipple on the top HX manifold. He actually put a 1 1/2" instead of a 1 1/4" and its about 4" taller. The skins are preipitously thin (aka rusted through) in a few spots. I am going to attempt to make April 1, 2010. Without any major overhalls. Remains to be seen, obviously.

I believe if I take the profit motive out and eliminate the whole mass production mentality, the basic design of the GW is a sound one. Changes I anticipate beginning on April 2, 2010:

1)Stainless Steel skins
2) Access covers for HX cleaning, HX removal, ash removal
3)Would refractory on the top of the horizontal HX tubes better insulate and help the tubes stay hot, reducing creosote?
4)The insulation used in the GW seems to work pretty good, But we need a way to replace it as needed.
5)One for the engineers . . . if the skins didn't contact the insultion, would this help keep condensate off the skins?
6)Despite the supposed ability to not need storage, we need a way to burn flat out, then shut down with a coal bed, which should reduce creosote accumulation
7)And of course, full computer control, with inputs for outside temp, load door position sensor, damper position sensor, flue gas analyzer, flue temp sensor, barometric pressure sensor, water flow rate sensor, water temp sensor, draft sensor. etc

Ideas always graciously entertained :cheese:

Jimbo

For #4--how is your insulation held in place currently? Pins with the friction fit fender washers? Before I bought the Econoburn I had ideas of replacing the pins with stainless bolts/threaded rod to hold the insulation in place via flat stock 2-3" wide. You could form a frame around the perimeter of the skin, make a window pane pattern,etc., etc. Hold the flat stock in place with wingnuts-spin off and on at your pleasure.... All this was to take place in conjunction with a "rebuild" like you mentioned-stainlesss skins........

 

[trailhound68]

I' ve got the Seton model, it came with galvanized skins that are holding up pretty well after 2 seasons. Not sure of the guage, less that 1/8" thick. Staring to notice a couple small rust spots on top of the unit, oddly enough.
I just purchased some 2" ceramic spun insulation. I only needed to replace a 2 ' section, although I had to buy 25'. But it will not go to waste, when I decide to cut some access to clean the exchangers, I will be replacing most of the insulation. I haven't started to burn just yet, this weekend she'll go into service for her third season.
Was just reading about the heat retention unit, which will keep the damper closed when she's lowdown, sound good. I'd like to get that, is greenwoods still in business?
Does anyone where that would be available or another way to wire that kind of set-up with another aquastat maybe?