heatmore problem.

[tmschuller]

Just found the site and trying to navigate around. I moved into a home with a 10 year old heatmore 200.. been trying to figure things out and so far been pretty easy. But for the last few days I cant keep a fire in it for anything . I thought I had some wet wood and had creosote building up... but I have smoke pouring out around the door and even at the auger clean out is smoking.. I cleaned the fan out, pulled it off and blew out/used a putty knife and have much better air flow. I have never had this problem and have been sucessful figuring stuff out over the last year.. but now??
I tried to get up to the top of the flue but I need a different ladder.. so tonight I am going to run a metal fish tape up threw and pull something back to check to see if its restricted.. It looks like it is but I just want to make sure... when I leave the door open it rains black water down in .. not alot but enough to make me nervous about a leak up there.. We just had 2 inches of rain and I think it made its way down in the flue... So any thoughts?? Not trying to write a book here but there was alot of info....Thanks. TIM

 

[farmking]

Do you have a good coal bed?? I know when I clean my ashes out i try to leave as much hot coals as i can or I will be fighting it to keep it burning.

 

[tmschuller]

Hi and thanks.. I have cleaned this out before like I did yesterday..and had no issues... I think its a combination of issues resulting to this but I want to make sure... and not waste alot of time in the process.
I did leave some coals in had a good roaring fire going then shut the door and it snufs out... very little smoke coming out of the flue and plenty when I open the door and then wooof fire again.. I can leave the door cracked and it will burn fine .. but when I lock it down.. out goes the fire... Just getting frustrated ... but tonight I hope to get down to the problem.. Thanks TIM

 

[insideout]

It is getting warmer???

Not an expert here, this is my first year with the Heatmor, I do know that in this warm weather we have had, they are not going to burn much. Most of the day it is just going to be in smother mode. If if your water maintains temp it is not going to light off. When you keep the door open is gets air and will begin to flame. Not real sure about the smoke out the ash auger??

Just thinking, good luck

 

[rogergienger]

Heatmor boiler

I have a Heatmor boiler , see if I can help . Do you have the owners manual ? The rectangle flue must be cleaned occasionaly . This accesed from the back of the boiler . Also when you rake the coals & ashes around in the firebox , if they are raked to far to the front and to high the combustion air channel can be blocked . I clean this channel by taking fan off , using a shop vaccuum clean in the channel . Do you know that the damper on the fan opens when fan runs . I've never had cresote problems . Smoke around door would indicate plugged flue . Water leak will also cause cresote . Do you have to add water to boiler ?


See if any of this helps , let me know if I can help any more .



Rog

 

[tmschuller]

Thanks again for the reply.. My water temp was about 125-130 degrees... and it was about 42 outside.. I turned everything off and built a fire in the woodstove and turned the water heater on... tonight will hopefully tell me whats going on...

 

[farmking]

Have you taken the clean out cover off the flue in the back and scrape the horizontal flue out? I cleaned mine out awhile back and it was about a third full. That could be your problem...

 

[tmschuller]

thanks ROG.. I did take the fan off blew it out with the air compressor... cleaned inside the firebox .. augered out everything .. blew out again with 110psi of air pressure.
I can turn the fan on and have the best airflow I have ever had... the fire was burning great.. it was small but burning very well..lots of coals and half burnt wood... and as soon as I close the door out goes the fire...very litle smoke out the flue.
Lots of creosote inside.. I really hope that it a plugged flue...
I have some paperwork on the heatmore but not a owners manual.. the buisness that put it in is out of buisness now... so I have to find things out the hard way.

 

[tmschuller]

I didnt know that there was a clean out there... figures.. as well built a machine that this is ... I just had not got that far yet... I didnt know the flue went horizontal... I dropped a window weight on a rope down last night but it fell to the "bottom" without a problem.. so I bet if I take that cover off I will find that its pretty plugged... I suspected flue issues but with out any prior knowledge of this boiler.. I find out the hard way... Last year I had problems with the circulating pump and all my gate valves leaked.. all in the same day and that day it was about -7 outside and 2 oclock in the morning... I will get home and take that off... any gaskets to worry about?? Thanks TIM

 

[rogergienger]

Heatmor boiler

Heatmor recomends water temperature of no less than 140 degree , low water temp can cause condensation in combustion chamber . I heat our domestic hot water with boiler also , this pulls heat from boiler on mild days .

Rog

 

[tmschuller]

I had my temp set at 165 and couldnt get there... I dial it down to 165 when it gets above 32 . I heat my water also .. this heatmore is piped into a boiler and I have 4 zones I can use .. getting ready to put a coil in the airhandler and drop 2 zones....

 

[rogergienger]

Heatmor boiler

Google Heatmor to get their phone number , talk to a tech about your problem , try to get a manual , tell them the installer is out of business . I've had good luck calling or emailing them .



Rog

 

[rogergienger]

Heatmor boiler

My water runs at about 183 degrees all winter , when out door temp gets warmer I turn temp down 10 or 15 degrees , just enough so high temp never trips . I heat a 400 sq ft shop every day along with 5 zones in the house and the domestic water . Only when I neglect to put wood in during the day the water temp will get down to 140 . I started fire in boiler Sept 29 , 09 fire has not gone out since .

Hope this helps


Rog

 

[farmking]

Hey Rog what model Heatmor are you running? I run mine all year long also, I even heated my pool last summer...

 

[rogergienger]

Heatmor boiler

My boiler is a 200 , I don't run it in summer . Probably will shut off late April , depending on outdoor temp . This is 6th season of use , real happy with boiler .

 

[tmschuller]

Got it figured out... took the inspection plate off and it was packed full.. kinda like shoveling out asphalt patch... the top of the chimney cap was letting water in and mixed with ash and creosote made a sticky smelly wheelbarrow full of crap... 15 minutes later all back together and thru some bark and sticks and woof it was heating.. loaded up with some good dry ash and the temp came right up and no excess water inside... Thanks guys for helping.. I have been looking around the site and found it very helpful.. even got to share my starling trap on another post.