Added the auger to owb stack

[Poston5]

I added an auger to the owb stack, in my hardy h2. Seems to be saving some wood but hasn't really been cold yet. It appears to be working, I no longer get fireballs shooting out of the top of the stack. This is also causing more of the gases to burn. I took a 6" auger and cut it down to fit with the plasma cutter, welded a flat piece of steel to it and hung it in the stack. Anybody else tried this?

 

[brenndatomu]

Doesn't Hardy, or at least the local Hardy dealer offer something like that? Good idea using an old auger though, old grain auger?

 

[Beefie]

Boy I could of made a mint. We just scraped out 300' of auger this summer. could of sold them for what you made yours for a chimney draft helper type thing. LOL Well it sounds like a good idea and glad it worked for you.

Beefie

 

[Joesell]

So you just slid an old auger in the stack? What is that supposed to do? I have central boiler owb. Theres no forced air. Would there be any benefit for me?

 

[Poston5]

It was an old grain auger that a buddy had. The auger prevents the heat/flame from escaping as quickly therefore utilizing the heat inside the boiler. My owb used to shoot a flame out of the top of the stack at times, it no longer does that. As for the cental boiler question, i assume it would still work even though you dont have forced air. The heat remains inside the stove longer.

 

[artbaldoni]

Won't this allow gases to cool and deposit creosote or doesn't slow things down that much?

 

[MI_Habitat]

Seems like it could be a PITA to clean.

FWIW, it seems like a bandage applied to a situation where a barometric damper is needed to limit draft.

 

[brenndatomu]

Won't this allow gases to cool and deposit creosote or doesn't slow things down that much?

No, you have to realize, there were flames shooting out the stack before! OWBs usually have really short stacks, so I don't think slowing the flue gasses down this little bit will hurt one bit. Some OWBs have water around the stack (to a point) to capture what would otherwise be wasted heat, this auger arrangement forces the gasses to have maximum contact with the stack walls to transfer more heat to the water. Flue gasses tend to take the path of least resistance, which would be right up the center of the stack without this auger setup. Modern indoor (gassifier) boilers use something similar, but they call them turbulators.

 

[brenndatomu]

Seems like it could be a PITA to clean.

FWIW, it seems like a bandage applied to a situation where a barometric damper is needed to limit draft.

Nah, they just hang in the pipe, just pull it out from the top.
I don't think a baro would do much on most OWBs, the stack is usually really short, not really that much draft to begin with!

 

[artbaldoni]

No, you have to realize, there were flames shooting out the stack before! OWBs usually have really short stacks, so I don't think slowing the flue gasses down this little bit will hurt one bit. Some OWBs have water around the stack (to a point) to capture what would otherwise be wasted heat, this auger arrangement forces the gasses to have maximum contact with the stack walls to transfer more heat to the water. Flue gasses tend to take the path of least resistance, which would be right up the center of the stack without this auger setup. Modern indoor (gassifier) boilers use something similar, but they call them turbulators.

My stove has the water jacket around the pipe inside the firebox. Maybe I'll give this a try. FWIW...

 

[Poston5]

No, you have to realize, there were flames shooting out the stack before! OWBs usually have really short stacks, so I don't think slowing the flue gasses down this little bit will hurt one bit. Some OWBs have water around the stack (to a point) to capture what would otherwise be wasted heat, this auger arrangement forces the gasses to have maximum contact with the stack walls to transfer more heat to the water. Flue gasses tend to take the path of least resistance, which would be right up the center of the stack without this auger setup. Modern indoor (gassifier) boilers use something similar, but they call them turbulators.

You got it! The crazy part is that it seems to be burning some of the gases also, expescially when i open the door and introduce more oxygen. You have to watch your eyebrows or the will get burnt. Very easy to remove, just pull it directly out of the top of the stack and throw it on the ground then drop it back in.

 

[brenndatomu]

Sounds like you need to add air in the top of the firebox or near exhaust hole, getcha some secondary burn!

 

[ba-1]

How much auger did you place in the stack? Did you use just fluting or leave center shaft in to? I am toying with this on dads H2 trying to slow wood consumption down . That thing eats too much compared to my CB Cl40. That thing of his would kill all of the axe men to keep up.

 

[Poston5]

How much auger did you place in the stack? Did you use just fluting or leave center shaft in to? I am toying with this on dads H2 trying to slow wood consumption down . That thing eats too much compared to my CB Cl40. That thing of his would kill all of the axe men to keep up.

I used about 30 inches. I used 2 different sections and bolted them together. Then I welded a piece of 1.5 inch flat steel to the shaft. I left the bolt loose to allow the 2 different sections to move, this allowed for easy installation. Since I used the plasma cutter to cut the auger down it was snug going in. Does he have good insulation on his lines?

 

[ba-1]

I used about 30 inches. I used 2 different sections and bolted them together. Then I welded a piece of 1.5 inch flat steel to the shaft. I left the bolt loose to allow the 2 different sections to move, this allowed for easy installation. Since I used the plasma cutter to cut the auger down it was snug going in. Does he have good insulation on his lines?

I just put CB Insulated pex in 3-4 weeks ago . The fliting is about 6 inches without the shaft hung on top of 2 sec of pipe. With no shaft . Maybe need to try longer piece ?? He doesn't think it is not going at times unles flames are shooting out the top for a full pull (tractor pulling)

 

[Poston5]

I just put CB Insulated pex in 3-4 weeks ago . The fliting is about 6 inches without the shaft hung on top of 2 sec of pipe. With no shaft . Maybe need to try longer piece ?? He doesn't think it is not going at times unles flames are shooting out the top for a full pull (tractor pulling)

Yeah increase the length of the auger and try it. You need to keep the candle from coming out of the top of the stack and as close to the water jacket as possible (keep the flame in contact with the stainless). I only have one section of pipe and my auger almost reaches into my firebox.

 

[Steve Horn]

Hey Poston5, I was curious after a full winter how your unit did with the auger arrangement and conserving fuel? Is it worth the trouble?

 

[Sawdust inspector]

I had a rod next to my pipe from the ground to the top with a piece of flat steel welded to it that I could open or close my air flow from the ground

 

[Poston5]

I can't tell a difference in wood consumption but keep in mind it burns a lot of wood everyday when it is this cold. But I do get a secondary burn around the stack when I open the door to fill it and the fan is not running. That makes me think it is slowing the heat loss down.

 

[zogger]

I can think of two other ways to achieve that, one, just use a narrower diameter stack pipe, or, add some 90s back and forth to make the stack snaky/curvy.

If I had flames shooting out the top of my chimney I would freak out, know I am completely wasting wood bigtime. (well that or it was on fire itself, hahaha!)

I know the owbs are good for piping heat around, but every time I read one of these threads I am thinking energy hogs deluxe. Someone must make one that isn't a woodgas guzzler.