Just read your WHOLE thread!
Hello
I just read your whole thread......have a few questions/comments.
Have you looked inside your boiler? If your HX was plugged solid, take a look at the HX surface of your boiler. As little as .030" of lime scale can have a significant insulating effect, resulting in poor heat transfer in the boiler and requiring overfiring to keep the water hot (i.e. leaving the boiler door open.)
I didn't see an answer to this question....?? All though...getting the fire to get hot when it's needed is the current issue....
Sorry this may sound stupid, but I'm thinking this could be a major part of the issue. I decided to try and clean out my boiler as much as I could, I shoveled out two garbage cans full of ash and coals. In doing so, I found that the edges/outer part of the boiler chamber were coated completely with about 1 to 1-1/2 inch of creosote/nasty buildup. I'm assuming this is a major restriction on heat transfer. My plan is to try and burn down my fire as much as I can, shovel out all the ashes and coals, scrape what is possible while its still warm. Then I'll build a good fire back up and keep the ash level down way before the door (as of today it was 2-3 inches above the sill height)
Any insight?
IMO...that's a lot of ash!
I don't have an outdoor burner....but I do have an add on wood furnace in my basement.....I've found.....that even if I don't feel like going through the mess of taking out the ashes....I pay for it because I don't get the heat from my furnace. FWIW.....
think the stack could be partially blocked. This afternoon I ran the temp up to 181 with the door open, closed the door, then went to open it a minute or two later to toss a piece of scrap in and literally the gases/smoke blew up out the door probably 4-5 feet out the door easy, good thing I was low or it would have got me. Unfortunately, the smoke baffle is locked right up, I can only get it to move an inch or two so I think its gummed up good.
Could you try this again....but after the door has been closed for a while....(allowing the gases to build up) turn on your draft blower.....allowing enough time....carefully open the door..... IMHO....you shouldn't have the gas build up......I could be wrong.....
Burned a creosote log yesterday, looking for a brush setup to run through the chimney. I've let the firebox run down to very minimal amount of ashes/coals. I haven't had a chance to pull the blower apart and clean it. I might pick up an extra blower Monday from Grainger just to have, but I'm still stumped on whats causing my fire not to burn correctly. I did manage to get the smoke bypass rod free, and pulled out 4-5 full shovelfuls of crap that fell out with it. Who knew how long that rod was? Wish I had been there for the start up this season to have made sure it was clean.
You need to check the path the intake air has to take from the blower to the combustion chamber? I'm sensing a blockage someplace.... Or a fan that's not doing it's job. Could the 'fan blade'/impeller be loose on the motor shaft which wouldn't allow full torque to be applied?
It does sound like everything is/was plugged up! I wonder how much more crap is hiding in between your smoke damper and smoke outlet to the chimney? Are there any clean outs on this unit?
I'm betting next year this thing is going to be 'spotless' before you have to fire it up!
I didn't see your answer to the question if you have a water softener.....
I live in MN.....If I wasn't burning wood, I'd be going through 3-6 fills of my 500 gallon propane tank per heating season (depending on the weather).... I can keep my LP furnace off and the house is at 70 degrees! I own my tank.....the only reason I have some fuel in it is to heat domestic water and as a heat backup.
There is definitely a 'lag' time in the reheating process!
If you were next door...I'd be over .........you're just a few more 'doors' down! LoL!
