owb off season

[applefarmer]

Its not over yet, but it seems the heating season is winding down in the next month or so. This is my first year with my owb and I was just wondering what you guys do to yours in the off season. I planned on crawling in and scraping the fire box the best I could, but what about the water? Do you drain it or just let it sit idel? Also what about the pump, any maintaince for its long summers nap?

 

[J.W Younger]

mine goes year round so can't say.I have very few problems with mine and running yr round may be the reason.
(I don't even have a hot water heater)

 

[windthrown]

I do not know what type of boiler you have, or what corrosion inhibitor you have, or much else. But...

With a Central Boiler plain steel OWB, the first year I burned off the creosote with a propane field burner, and then roughly scraped it down with a hoe and emptied out the ashes. Then I sprayed the inside with a thin coat of WD-40. Then I put a bucket over the stack and shut it down for the summer. The next year I did pretty much the same thing. The next year after that I left one inch of ashes in there and I put a rain cap on so I would not need the bucket any more. I did not do the WD-40 thing either. Last fall before the heating season, I drained the OWB water and refilled it with fresh, and treated it with corrosion inhibitor again. I also replaced the door cord and adjusted the door handle.

From the research that I have done, the creosote itself will not corrode the steel much, if at all. Neither will the ashes, as long as they are dry. The real culprit to steel is any water that gets trapped under the creosote or in the ashes. So give it a good hot burn before you shut it down and make sure it has a rain cap in summer. The pump should be fine doing nothing.

 

[cedarfarms]

my cb manual recommends changing the water every 4 years. i did change 3 years ago and the water that came out looked very clean. i use the cb inhibitor. then scrape the fire box and clean out the ash and spray used motor oil in the fire box and down the chimney. it makes a bit of smoke when first fired up in the fall, but i don't have any close neighbors.
tho i do get complaints from the war department (the wife)

my dealer also recommends running the pump for a day or two during the summer

 

[Butch(OH)]

Woodmaster says to change the water and chemical every spring and that is what I do. Other than that I shovel it out, knock down the worst of the creosote and spray it down with a 50-50 mix of oil and diesel. Through the summer I bump the pumps over now and then so they dont take a set. That is about it. I need to replace my door gasket this summer.

 

[applefarmer]

Opps forgot to tell everyone what I have. Hawken Gh1000 it is suppose to be their stainless water jacket, stainless firebox model. I run what ever treatment they sent me. It is suppose to keep the ph around 8. I just checked it and that is what it is. I have their chimney cap on it which does not let water get inside the firebox. I was mostly concerned with the water just sitting in there not circulating, but I don't like the idea of draining it for a long period of time either.

 

[beerman6]

I drain mine every spring,scrape it clean the best I can.I dont do anything for the pump.

 

[R W Ohio]

Applefarmer,

Check with Hawken Energy,last year they told me that Global wanted to change the type of water treatment to keep up the warranty.Also they wanted the unit grounded.I did both to make sure that my warranty would be in effect.

 

[fourapples]

More of the same

I clean out the firebox, scrape away creosote, will probably flash burn off resudual creosote like others have suggested with cardboard etc. I will put the bucket on flue, wipe down the controls, usually take shop vac and compressed air hose out to sweep up blower area and blow out any cobwebs. I leave my water in year around while sending it into a lab each year for testing. I put a few drops of oil on the hinges and blower motor. May clean out my plate HW exchanger this off season. Mine firebox has sand bottom with grates and I thought about putting firebrick on just the bottom of firebox. Wont apply to sides though as it may reduce thermal transfer to H2O. I may add a wireless thermometer this year, last off season I added wood storage next to OWB and was pleased with it. Oh yes, I am always insulating more each year ie water lines inside buildings etc.....

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I clean out the firebox, scrape away creosote, will probably flash burn off resudual creosote like others have suggested with cardboard etc. I will put the bucket on flue, wipe down the controls, usually take shop vac and compressed air hose out to sweep up blower area and blow out any cobwebs. I leave my water in year around while sending it into a lab each year for testing. I put a few drops of oil on the hinges and blower motor. May clean out my plate HW exchanger this off season. Mine firebox has sand bottom with grates and I thought about putting firebrick on just the bottom of firebox. Wont apply to sides though as it may reduce thermal transfer to H2O. I may add a wireless thermometer this year, last off season I added wood storage next to OWB and was pleased with it. Oh yes, I am always insulating more each year ie water lines inside buildings etc.....

Ditto...also look at the questions for CB owners thread...similar stuff

 

[stephen44]

I have a Taylor 750 - Taylor - sell a 'treatment' chemical to add each year - it works out about $60 for this from Taylor - but it does not say what it is ?

What do you think it is - and can I use a generic chemical of some sorts ?


- Stephen

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Look at their website for an MSDS sheet (required by OSHA), see what chemicals are listed.

 

[stephen44]

Look at their website for an MSDS sheet (required by OSHA), see what chemicals are listed.

so any idea what this 'really' is - can i make this myself ?

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Got an old Gilbert chemistry set?

Sodium Hydroxide/nitrite are used both in the Taylor stuff and the CB stuff...probably from the same mfr. Kills oxygen in the water, makes it less "corrosive", PH neutralizer... in what % mix would you do? Better to suck it up and pay $40/gal, and be safe.