Update:
Long day yesterday, redid several things (based on supplied photos in PM from Iska (thanks again)
- First, flow was incorrect through exchanger. I had assumed (and we know where that gets us) that the PO plumed it right. Yeah.... So redid how the flow goes through (in through top, out through bottom)
- Second, I disconnected a Modine he plumbed in series to put heat in basement. Put manifolds on feed and return to control individual units (still have to connect Modine to manifold, but just wanted to get things flowing)
- Installed y strainer (to help clean stuff out)
- Added spigots with ball valves on manifolds to allow forward and backward flushing
- Removed couple remaining gate valves from PO and put in bleeder ball vales (system is now gate free - God I hate gate valves)
Got everything plumbed, and dealt with a couple leaks (an extra turn here and there on pipes). Forward flushed then backward flushed all in-house with house water, and saw a good bit of sediment and air pulsing blow out. Did 2x until I had 5 gallons worth of clean and laminar flow. Opened feed and return at OWB, and bled air on feed side to pump. While keeping the return closed in the house, opened spigot on return side, saw laminar flow. Plugged in circ pump, and saw increase in flowrate (pump is moving water just fine). Opened return in house, and heard a little bit of water knock for about 2 seconds, then silence... I think I have got it licked now
Came up from the basement, and it was 12:30. No wonder I was tired.
As soon as sun came up, put a new gasket on door (needed it), started a fire, and we will see how it heats things up today.
Observations:
- Was a couple of unions on heat exchanger to allow for pulling unit. PO had done a piss-poor job doing the solder job, and slobbered solder on the face of the union (part where threaded nut presses against), creating a wobbly union. His remedy for this was to tighten the unions using the power of Odin or something, because I had to put a little heat on the nuts to get them loose. And he recta-sealed the threads :bang: Always been told to NEVER put sealant on union threads. If the seat is done right, should only need to be threaded on and tightened. So, I heated up the union and cleaned off his ancient cruddy solder off the face and wiped it down. Cleaned as much recta as I could, and seats well now without leaks.
- Definite improvement in purging/flushing/backflush capability by doing spigots on both sides with manifolds.
- OWB held a BUNCH of heat during the downtime. Valves closed in the morning, with stove at 140. No wood had been put in for 24 hours, and even then was only like 4 pieces ~ 6" in diameter. Left the power on to the damper to burn anything left in there. At 11 pm when I opened the valves, and the stove was STILL at 140! I was totally shocked with that. Was a mild and wind-free day (high was ~ 40 F). Good example of insulation, thermal mass and residual burn I guess.
- I am going to have to do a mid-season door replacement
This door is totally FUBAR. The PO actually built the OWB, and for the most part, he did a decent enough job. I did have to fix a floor leak in it 3 years ago, but that on a system that he built 15 years before I moved in, so that is about 20 years old. The weak spot was by far his door design. The door has a welded piano hinge along one side that is welded to the door and the throat into the firebox. The throat sticks out ~ 2" proud of corrugated steel shell of the OWB. he designed the door to recess around the outside of the throat. Well, the piano hinge started binding this fall, and even though I PB-blasted the hell out of it and hosed spray oil into all the points I could get to, the binding continued, until his tack welds (yes, tack welds) along several sections of the door cracked. Now, the bottom third of the piano hinge is connected, but the bound section just folds over, and this bent folded section is right in the gasket seat area. This forces the door to sit crooked, and keeps the door for seating properly. So much so that I often need to use the back side of a splitting maul at the top corner to get the door to seat and latch. I have a pretty good idea of what I will need to do to fabricate a new door and hinge system. It is going to be interesting on the logistics of doing the swap during the heating season. I will be exploring what others have done for door and hinge designs and adapt it for this scenario (may have to start a different thread on that). Will be designing the door to be able to attach to the throat without welding (dragging a 230 line out to the OWB will be difficult at best, and don't have a generator). If the design goes well, I would only have to cut off and grind off the piano hinge, drill some holes for hinges, backing plates, and latch, and reconnect the solenoid for the damper.
Anyways, enough rambling on. Thanks to everyone for the comments, answers, and suggestions. It was greatly appreciated and helpful!
Will post later tonight after stove has been burning for a while on status.
Now to start that door design.....