wire cleanout tool for eko

[barnartist]

I must need to cleanout my tubes more often. I've been watching the boilers efficiancy go into a staeady and now sharp performance decline.
Anyway, I'd like to use a nice wire brush for the tubes instead of the supplied round rod tool. That tool is 1 7/8 wide. It would be nice to rig such a brush to a drill for a super clean.

Can't find anything smaller than 2 7/8 on e-bay.

One of you probably know where to pick one up-thanks

 

[Duetech]

My EKO40 has the same size tubes as the 60 I believe. I bought a long 1 3/4" wood drill bit and trimmed about 1/64" total off of the sides and put an extension on the bit. Works fast in my drill like about 5 seconds a tube. The length of the blade on the bit keeps it from gouging the tubes. I have the Super model with the cleaner built in but the blades/turbulators are only 1 1/2" so in theory I can have 1/8" of gunk built up on the sides of the tubes and that would drop efficiency so I am looking for some wider turbulators. Maybe you could order a turb' set and handle and retrofit your boiler?

 

[NNYorker]

Bought a flue brush from my local plumbing supply co. for my turbulators last week. Brush has 3/8" head which screws onto my chimney brush rod. Worked OK but I'm going to rig it some how to fit my drill too--would be much faster. Go to www.schaeferbrush.com and check out their selection.

 

[barnartist]

Thanks fellas.
I think keeping these tubes clean really helps efficiancy. Thats tough that your spiral inserts are too thin Cave.

I need to do a better job at cleaning I think.

 

[Eric Johnson]

I think nofossil bought one last year. Apparently he had to really look around, but eventually came up with the right size brush.

BTW, I checked my hx cleaner assembly yesterday by taking off the back pipe and inspecting the cotter pins, etc. Everything is hanging right and running smooth.

 

[Dave T]

Barnartist,
I also have the 60 standard and can tell by my chimney temp gauge when cleaning is due..I was cleaning EKO every 2 to 3 weeks (without storage) to keep the chimney temps down..Now I am doing way better, like mentioned in the Boiler room(and when I talked to Zenon) I used two layers of fire brick right behind the rear U shaped block all the way across the back at the bottom of the exchangers, this stops most the heavier ash from getting into the exchangers and cut my cleaning schedual dramaticaly..I also get more complete gassification, I am still playing with other firebricks in the secondary chamber..I highly recamend trying this technique..Dave

 

[sdrobertson]

Now I am doing way better, like mentioned in the Boiler room(and when I talked to Zenon) I used two layers of fire brick right behind the rear U shaped block all the way across the back at the bottom of the exchangers, this stops most the heavier ash from getting into the exchangers and cut my cleaning schedual dramaticaly..I also get more complete gassification, I am still playing with other firebricks in the secondary chamber..I highly recamend trying this technique..Dave

TacoSteelerMan...I've looked and can't find the post your talking about so could you describe the firebricks a little more...are they laying flat like you would lay them in a wall or are they standing on the large end? This sounds like it could help with the cleaning issue.

Barnartist...I bought a 3 inch brush used for pellet stoves but the brushes are nylon. I'm not happy at all with its performance as the bristles are not stiff enough to scrape the tubes very well. What I've done is I'm using a 1 3/4 washer hooked to a dowel and scrapping the sides. I didn't get any tools with my boiler so I'm wondering if this like the clean-out tool your talking about. The scraping works allot better than the brush but a steel brush at the right size might just be the ticket.

 

[Dave T]

The fire brick I've put in (longevity may be an issue, but not yet) lie length wise(side to side) horizontly across the boiler with one brick in each course lying front to back to fit with no cuts, much like buildings are built with a soilder brick course..This row of brick at the back of the bottom chamber forces the U shaped blocks forward towards the door, to channel the rear gassification nozzel forward I used two more bricks in the middle, on top of the wall, in a step position, to draw the flame forward, and pushed the U shaped blocks together..I am in the middle of trying stuff with the bricks as you see I am trying bricks on top of the U shaped blocks...Then I built a wall at the door using 3 bricks, two horizontel on each side and one in the middle vertically so it stands as high as the U shaped block but does not block air flow,this row sits at the point in the lower chamber where the refractory crete meets the steel at the door jam..See pics, excuse the ashes..Dave

 

[barnartist]

Your right Dog, I see lots of the nylon, but figured they would be too weak. Sounds like your washer tool is almost identicle to the supplied tool I got. I just find myself putting pressure on the tool as to clean the metal better, because there is a bit of play in the tool.

Taco, keep up the good work. I'll wait to take advantage of your labors. Looks like your current configuration makes it tough to clean out the fly ash. Looks like you are getting great burns though. The way I am burning-using a timer as to leave good coals for the next burn- I get several handfulls of quarter/nickle sized coals left that fall through the nozzils to the bottom chamber. I scrape these into a pan and recycle. By doing this, and with a good burn practice, I only need to clean out the bottom of ash evry 3 weeks as compared to 5-6 days last season. But, this routine may also lead to some added tar buildup earlier than when burning to completion.

Having said that, I think there is a body of water under the bottom chamber. I wonder if keeping the ashes clear- and hey what if we elevated the U bricks but left an air pocket underneath? There must be some heat transfer to that water (maybe?)

Last season I insulated the very bottom of my boiler. The unit is outside in a lean-to. I was lead to believe it gave me better results a year ago...

 

[sdrobertson]

The way I am burning-using a timer as to leave good coals for the next burn- I get several handfulls of quarter/nickle sized coals left that fall through the nozzils to the bottom chamber. I scrape these into a pan and recycle. By doing this, and with a good burn practice, I only need to clean out the bottom of ash evry 3 weeks as compared to 5-6 days last season. But, this routine may also lead to some added tar buildup earlier than when burning to completion.
Having said that, I think there is a body of water under the bottom chamber. I wonder if keeping the ashes clear- and hey what if we elevated the U bricks but left an air pocket underneath? There must be some heat transfer to that water (maybe?)
Last season I insulated the very bottom of my boiler. The unit is outside in a lean-to. I was lead to believe it gave me better results a year ago...

I tried to use a timer and what I found was that most of my coals would just keep slowly burning and would be gone when I tried to refill the boiler. How long are you waiting between the timer shuts off and you refill? Its sometimes around 18 hours for me so maybe that's to long or I may have air leaks into the boiler that allows it to continue to slowly burn.
On the insulation, I also insulated the bottom right from the beginning so I don't have any hard numbers but I'm pretty sure that it helped. I laid a batt of R-33 unfaced insulation over the back of the boiler on the clean-out cover. I did this after I had been burning awhile and I saw a improvement in how fast the water would come up to temp.

 

[Dave T]

The bottom of my boiler is uninsulated and it'll burn your finger to touch it, thanks for the insulation heads up for the bottom of the EKO I will be insulating today..Dave

 

[taxidermist]

found this site today might be what your looking for.

http://www.goodway.com/

 

[barnartist]

This is good stuff once again.

I also see the coal die because it probably gets some air. I just like the stuff though, I use my flat rod tool to work the coals, then the poker tool to open up the nozzils,
put several of my finer splits in, then I use the round rod tool in the bottom chamber for pulling the coals out of the "U" bricks. Recycle those coals up top.

I go far between now taking out the fly ash, but probably every 5-6 weeks I need to really clean out the upper chamber and start freash, lots of dead dust there.

I have the best results setting my timer for 8 hours. I can burn the best at 15 hour cyles- but that is a tough number on a 24 hour day. Anymore I just fire up in the morning, then at night at whatever time I want. I probably lose some efficiancy this way, but it sure is an easy restart each time. Big blast of gass withing 5 minutes or so.

 

[barnartist]

Srob- forgot to ask- do you simply place the cover overtop the r-33? If you can, post a pic. I should do that for sure...

I had thoughts of buying some 2" blue foam, and going all around the boiler, then maybe some sheet metal to finish.

I probably should remove the fiberglass layer during summer because of condensation.