Starting up OWB for the first time

[waldershrek]

Well it's time. After working all summer moving into the new house and all that comes with being a new home owner I also managed to get my wood cut and split and the majority of it put in the shed. I was hoping to get to the end of November before having to start up the OWB but with the wind and rain we've had lately and now they are calling for snow this weekend it's time.

The previous owner had told me he drained the system every year so I'm going to have to refill it. It's an old Taylor stove, how much water do you think it will take total? Any recommendations on conditioner for the water? Luckily my uncle is a plumber/electrician/HVAC guy so he said he can come over and help me get it going but I figured I'd check with the experts here.

Wish me luck!

 

[atlarge54]

Get a note pad and pay close attention to everything your uncle says, including what to do when the power goes out.

 

[waldershrek]

Ha depending on how long the power is out I'll prolly be screwed!

 

[roger m]

it's good to have an uncle like that, my hardy owb hold approx 130 gal. i use rainwater that i collect from my shop roof ,in our area the well and public water is high in sodium which will eat at the seams of the tank,when i first filled mine up i used filtered pond water,and maintain it with filtered rainwater :msp_smile:

 

[waldershrek]

Where can I get the conditioner for the water other than online? Do I even need it?

 

[blackdogon57]

Ha depending on how long the power is out I'll prolly be screwed!

Even a small generator will run an OWB. Well worth the investment.

 

[Encore]

Agreed. You'll love the wood burner but one of the caveats is that you'll need a generator when the power goes out to maintain heat.

It won't take much of a generator though. They don't draw much.

 

[waldershrek]

You guys are ignoring my question about the water conditioner!

:jester:

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Yes, you should condition the water to keep the PH in balance. Test it to make sure as well.

If you haven't already filled it, try to find a flow meter that measures gallons so you can keep track of how much it takes to fill it. You'll need to know how much it holds to properly condition the water. Or you could use 5 gallon buckets and keep track of how many it took to fill it up. :msp_smile:

 

[showrguy]

i don't have a taylor, but i have a few friends that do..
the taylors have a rod/rods inside them that has to do with conditioning the water.....i forget what their called ??
theydo go bad and need replaced over time..
my owb, i simply add rust inhibitor every fall when i fire it up...
hopefully a taylor owner will be by soon to give ya more than what i know about em ..

 

[chugbug]

I agree big time with using rain water , no minerals in rain water like there is in ground water . First time I filled up my OWB the minerals came out of the water and completely blocked my Y-strainer , it took months of constantly cleaning the strainer to get the minerals out . Finally the next season drained it and used the rain water never had a problem since . I don't have any evidence of really hard water but I sure got a load of minerals from my water .

 

[time warp]

You have a 450 or 750 Taylor....There is a member on here that is a dealer...Mine is a 750,with 608 gal cap....I put treatment in every yr.also replace the anode rod every yr.

 

[jh35]

Not sure if you found your conditioner yet, but this is what I got from the local Heatmor dealer on Saturday.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

You can also get water treatment chemicals from a CB dealer, as well as a test kit, mainly do nitrite content/PH.

 

[Arbonaut]

First I heard of some of this. My OWB is passed go and collect two hundred for almost the second time. I'm glad I got in when steel was cheaper. Get your water source tested. I think hardness is measured in grains. Is that the minerals? My father in law is a plumber and says our water locally is favorable to copper plumbing, so I never ran additive with good results no prob. Our boiler is stainless, and that helps.

For conditioner, I choose Suave. Vidal Sassoon isn't bad, though.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

First I heard of some of this. My OWB is passed go and collect two hundred for almost the second time. I'm glad I got in when steel was cheaper. Get your water source tested. I think hardness is measured in grains. Is that the minerals? My father in law is a plumber and says our water locally is favorable to copper plumbing, so I never ran additive with good results no prob. Our boiler is stainless, and that helps.

For conditioner, I choose Suave. Vidal Sassoon isn't bad, though.

Yes, Virginia, hardness is expressed in grains per gallon. Also, there are corrosion inhibitors, possibly some type of biocide in the chemical treatment, don't want the PH to be too low, then water is acidic.

As far as conditioner brands, Tresomme' is da bomb! (badabing)