Shaver OWB questions

[ngzcaz]

Simple really... for you owners what do you use to rake the ashes out from the pan since there is an uphill lip ? How can you hook up a water temp gauge on the front of the stove that you can see when you recharge the stove ? Did anyone put a switch on the front of the stove to turn off the fan when charging to avoid a blast of smoke in the face ? Inquiring minds would like to know...


opcorn:

 

[RoyR(MI)]

Sorry, but I don't have a Shaver and have not seen one around this area.
My Heatmor has all of those if you count the auger for the ashes. The thermostat on mine goes right into the water jacket. The fan switch also turns on a light which is nice to see by and gives you a visual reminder to turn the blower back on when you are done.

Roy

 

[Windwalker7]

I have a Shaver on the way.


1. I was thinking of using a modified garden hoe for ash removal.

2. I will just probably fill with wood as needed.


3. Sounds like a good idea. I'd be interested in any info on this.

 

[ngzcaz]

The front switch is probably the easiest, just run the wires around front
( maybe in thru the top of the stove over the insulation to avoid unsightly wires ? ) The temp gauge is the one I'm most interested in, I mean most people would want to know what the water temp is when you charge the furnace. Trusting a themostat in the rear of the stove w/out a check with a gauge doesnt make a whole lot of sense. Maybe a digital one would work just by running the wires from the rear stat. Anyone electrically inclined ? Wonder if one would connect to the overflow, drop it a bit so water would fill to the level, hook up a gauge and connect it back to the overflow line ? Temp of the water might be off some that way.

 

[fletcher0780]

how about this thermometer? http://www.fantes.com/thermometers.html
You can drop the probe down the overflow tube and use the magnet mount to hold it on the siding. You can even set the alarm temp at 190 or 200 to alert you if the water is too hot an on its way towards a boil over.

 

[fletcher0780]

found a better thermometer, I just bought 2 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350096652166 I'll let you know how it works and what needs to be done to weather-proof it.

As far as the blower control do like others mentioned and run a second wire with your light wire and connect a switch in series with the aquastat/blower motor. You could get creative and connect a switch to the door/latch for automatic operation, but that just adds a layer of complexity to a product marketed as simplistic

 

[ms310]

i find it interesting that so many people want to modify their owbs,

 

[Madspeed]

Theres Just That Need To Improve Upon!

 

[ms310]

Sorry, but I don't have a Shaver and have not seen one around this area.
My Heatmor has all of those if you count the auger for the ashes. The thermostat on mine goes right into the water jacket. The fan switch also turns on a light which is nice to see by and gives you a visual reminder to turn the blower back on when you are done.

Roy

Like Roy says buy a heatmor and it is all done for you no need to reengineer anything.///

 

[fletcher0780]

Like Roy says buy a heatmor and it is all done for you no need to reengineer anything.///

I would have but I figure the $100 or so in parts along with a little creativity far outweigh paying $2000 more for the boiler

 

[ngzcaz]

If the hod rodders wouldn't have tinkered with their cars we'd still be driving
Model " A s " Wait till I fabricate a cat converter for it.

 

[Windwalker7]

I would have but I figure the $100 or so in parts along with a little creativity far outweigh paying $2000 more for the boiler

Yeah! That's the way I saw it too.

 

[derwood91]

Fletcher, how did those digital thermometers work out?

-Derek

 

[fletcher0780]

Fletcher, how did those digital thermometers work out?

-Derek

Mine worked good at first, but like an idiot I left it above the overflow tube and the steam got to it. Now it reads about 40* high all the time. My friends is working well, his is near the back of the boiler away from the steam. I just got one of these http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php?p=ranco_etc-111000&product=110270 I plan to remove the hot water tank aquastat Shaver sells these with and use the bolt to hold this probe against the tank, then insulate over it. I like the option that I can set the fan on/fan off temp independently and have a display that tells you what temperature that sensor is actually seeing. Hopefully I'll install it this weekend and let you know how it works.

 

[derwood91]

Looks good!! Definitely let me know!!

Thanks!!!

 

[ngzcaz]

Perhaps the easiest ( if you havent hooked it up yet ) is to run a T ( if you plan a second pump to heat another area ) or just hook up a boiler gauge to the top secondary outlet. Done.. a couple of bucks.. while it may not be as accurate as a digital its fast, easy and inexpensive.

And you may want to run ball valves on the top and bottom secondary outlets if you do decide to heat another area. Saves you from draining 170 ( at least ) gallons of water.

:greenchainsaw:

 

[ngzcaz]

Hey Fletcher, did you get that unit hooked up ? Results ? For the time being, I just installed a small water temp gauge I got from the CB dealer near my home. About an in in diameter and the probe goes into the hot water from the pump going to the house. I put a T below the pump to accommodate this. Should be accurate enough, only drawback is opening the rear door to check it. Now I can check the thermostat setting against the ACTUAL water temp and see how close they are. I'd really like to run a line to the front of the stove to monitor the temp.

BTW, does anyone know the differential setting when the draft fan kicks on to boost the water temp back up ? Does anyone besides me wish they had put another bolt on the other side of the thermostat to evenly put pressure on that unit ? I mean, the bolt they have would hold an elephant.. 2 smaller ones should do a better job. Maybe thats why some guys are having problems with the stat being so far off ?

Was Ben looking at this site ? Hello ????????????

 

[fletcher0780]

Yes, I got the Ranco thermostat hooked up. originally I had the bulb held against the tank with the bolt and insulated around it, but the read was too far off and not consistently off. I've got a well installed on the extra port which had another aquastat used to lock out my oil boiler when OWB water temp was above 150*. I pulled that aquastat and permanently locked out the oil boiler, then inserted the Ranco bulb in that well. It's not a perfect match, but will work until I install the correct well later this week (I'm going to install it on the fill port and use a long 10" well to get the probe inside the tank). I have the fan on set to 160* and the fan off at 170* (my fan runs quite often and I'm trying to troubleshoot low water temperatures and excessive steam now).

I believe the original thermostat has a 10* differential. I've heard of people using a small wedge to keep the other side of the thermostat firmly against the water tank.

If you already have a probe well, you can change to an all-in-one thermometer/aquastat like the ranco http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php?p=ranco_etc-111000&product=110270 or love http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Products/Product.cfm?Group_ID=125&Product_ID=289&sPageName=Ordering and mount it on the side of your OWB. My Ranco is inside the rear door, but CB uses the love and mounts them on their door. I'm sure it would be easy enough to figure out how to keep it protected from the weather.

What has your weather been like lately? Is your boiler keeping up with demand well?

 

[ngzcaz]

I'm 90 percent done with the piping and such. I think have to fill the tank, put the additive in, run it, flush it, and then refill it. Then add more additive and put her on line. At least thats what I remember from the water treatment people that Shaver recommend. Then you send in a water sample and they tell you if you are good to go. I REALLY have to take it out of the box and look before I do anything. As I type this I'm looking at the manifold I made to accommodate the pex piping. It gets fastened to the relief valve ( supply )and boiler drain ( return ) . There's a problem since my boiler is so close to the wall and the pex is so close together. I'd have to bend the pex to a godawfull angles. I don't want to screw it up this close to completion. 4 connections and its done although I'll fire it as soon as I fill the tank to check temp and thermostat readings. The weather today is cloudy with a rain mist that just wont quit, still going and its 1235 right now. Weatherman said cloudy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon..... well its afternoon.. The 165 should be more than enough for my small 2400 sq ft ( including a finished basement ) I'm hoping for around 8 cords. Less would be terrific..

:greenchainsaw:

 

[fletcher0780]

make very small and conservative adjustments until it's been running for about a week. First get the temp to stay a constant 150* then go to 160* and so on, giving enough time at each temp to stabilize (24 hours). This careful adjustment should allow you to get the boiler dialed in, built up a bed of coals, and avoid a boil over. You will see lots of black water draining from the door after you first fire it up, it's condensation and will go away after a bit. Keep an eye on your temp and water level the first couple weeks.