Anyone Else Monitor Your OWB From Inside?

[Blazin]

I scored this unit off ebay 3 years ago for $30 and another 30 for the thermocouple and extension wire. I have the thermocouple strapped to the copper incoming line on my Domestic hot water exchanger in the basement and the monitor is under my desk upstairs. Pretty neat little unit, it has high and low alarm set points to let you know if it's over running or under. My stove is 60yrds away from the house, and I wanted to know what it was up to. Last year the Damper Solenoid stuck open at 2am in the morning and it let me know!

 

[iCreek]

Great Idea !!

Just getting started and that is exactly what I want to do. So your temp is 190 going into the domestic water heat exchanger? I was thinking about monitoring after my water to water heat exchanger, right before the line going to my water to air heat exchanger. Going to search eBay and see what I can find....

 

[Blazin]

Just getting started and that is exactly what I want to do. So your temp is 190 going into the domestic water heat exchanger? I was thinking about monitoring after my water to water heat exchanger, right before the line going to my water to air heat exchanger. Going to search eBay and see what I can find....

The water temp coming is is probably plus or minus 190 a few degrees due to the external thermocouple and a few degrees heat loss from the run(Boiler is set at 195). I put it on the Domestic exchanger because thats the first hookup and then goes to my water to air exchanger. I have a tempering valve on my domestic water heater so the 190 is no problem.

 

[beerman6]

I want one...

 

[hockeypuck]

I always thought about it,but have yet to find a neatly packaged thermal couple with alarm. I had a thermal disk on my boiler go out because the temperature got to hot, I did not realize that I had a problem until my temp in the house started to get cool.

 

[rx7145]

I do. I don't see how I could live without it. It can do the high-low alarm but I don't know how to use it because it did't come with directions.

This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007ICDBE?smid=A13HTXU7N5QMMA&tag=nextag-kitchen-mp-20&linkCode=asn

Some times I get up thinking that I'll need to put wood in but the temp is still above 150 So I'm good.

 

[ktm250rider]

Right now I monitor mine from the window. Depending on whats coming out of the flue, tells me if its smoldering or firing. Mines no that far from the house but, the temperature gauge is on the back side of the unit. Tried a mirror but still couldnt make out the numbers.
Ive been looking through cole palmer for temperature measurement devices. They have a couple of wireless units that might be nice.

 

[ktm250rider]

How long is your extension wire? Did you make it up yourself or buy dedicated thermocouple wire?

 

[abohac]

OWB Monitor

I just put an in-line thermostat right after the potable heat exchanger in the basement. Works pretty well.

 

[bassman]

who makes this unit??
I want one also.

 

[Blazin]

ktm250rider...My extension wire is 40ft, and I bought a 100ft roll from Grainger Industrial supply and split it with a buddy who still has'nt hooked his up yet! Haha

bassman...Here's a link to the unit I have.http://www.imscompany.com/pdf/320.pdf

A touch pricey for new but you might be able to score one from ebay or elsewhere like I did. The temp range is a little overkill, but at the time I couldn't find anything with hi/lo alarm set points and one that you could extend the thermocouple wire.

 

[Blazin]

I do. I don't see how I could live without it. It can do the high-low alarm but I don't know how to use it because it did't come with directions.

This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007ICDBE?smid=A13HTXU7N5QMMA&tag=nextag-kitchen-mp-20&linkCode=asn

Some times I get up thinking that I'll need to put wood in but the temp is still above 150 So I'm good.

That's basically what I was looking for, but couldn't find at the time. Did you try looking up the company that makes it, maybe they have user manual downloads on their website?

 

[ghitch75]

i might give 1 of these a try...

http://www.cookingsupplies.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=OSC1029&refid=FR250-OSC1029

 

[Butch(OH)]

Ever since I bought my Woodmaster I have wondered why the ETC (control) unit is mounted on the dang stove instead of supplied loose along with a couple hundred feet of wire.

The woodmaster ETC, (the dials are for a corn burner) Leave the light and blower cutoff switches on the stove and put this in the house, only way that makes sense to me??
<IMG SRC=http://www.ctwoodfurnace.com/Pictures/furnaces/etc.jpg>

 

[iCreek]

Thinking about this...

I am thinking about dedicating a PC to my utility room to monitor the incoming heated water. Vernier has two products (sensors) that will attach USB to a PC, one comes with Logging/Charting software.

I just don't know how to attach the sensor to the copper pipe, do I add a special fitting, do I use a Thermocouple sensor instead of the wand style? Blazin how did you attach your sensor to your pipe, or is it inserted into the pipe via a special fitting? The Vernier customer rep told me thermocouple sensors are for very high temp and flames... They suggested the GoTemp or EasyTemp products, both less than $50.... Anyone have ideas how to attach a sensor like the above picture to my copper pipe right before the water to heat exchanger?

Here is a link to their Web site.

http://www.vernier.com/go/gotemp.html

 

[Blazin]

I am thinking about dedicating a PC to my utility room to monitor the incoming heated water. Vernier has two products (sensors) that will attach USB to a PC, one comes with Logging/Charting software.

I just don't know how to attach the sensor to the copper pipe, do I add a special fitting, do I use a Thermocouple sensor instead of the wand style? Blazin how did you attach your sensor to your pipe, or is it inserted into the pipe via a special fitting? The Vernier customer rep told me thermocouple sensors are for very high temp and flames... They suggested the GoTemp or EasyTemp products, both less than $50.... Anyone have ideas how to attach a sensor like the above picture to my copper pipe right before the water to heat exchanger?

Here is a link to their Web site.

http://www.vernier.com/go/gotemp.html

I used a lug style thermocouple and just hose clamped it on the copper pipe.Here's the link http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5ZY19 I tried doing the same with a probe style like you have pictured, but it only sensed half of what the temp was? I'm sure no expert on thermocouples and I bounced around doing alot of research on them and came up with the lug style. As far as I can tell the probe styles have alot of different variations on how they sense, Some will not read surface temps. I myself am amazed with all the other bells and whistles on these outdoor units, why don't they offer inside controls or monitors. Oh that's right.... it make it to easy!

 

[iCreek]

Follow up

Blazin - Thanks for that info... Being that you accomplished your readings by attaching to the pipe via surface temp (would love to see a picture of your lug attached). I did some more research on the Vernier Web site and found they offer a Surface Temperature Sensor, that can attach to their GoLink product, that connects USB to a PC. I sent them an email asking some details, but I think that is the route I will go, less than $100 minus the PC, but I have a few of those sitting around.

Here is their surface temp sensor (left) and GoLink USB interface with wand sensor (which I would replace with the surface temp sensor)

their Logger software screen shot below

 

[woodfirst]

Wireless Camera

I bought a small wireless camera from Walmart and mounted it in front of my control panel of my central boiler. It has a small box that plugs into TV, I can just change the inputs via my TV remote while watching a show and get a clear shot of the panel. My boiler is 150 ft from my house. $79 at Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5231146

 

[Blazin]

Blazin - Thanks for that info... Being that you accomplished your readings by attaching to the pipe via surface temp (would love to see a picture of your lug attached). I did some more research on the Vernier Web site and found they offer a Surface Temperature Sensor, that can attach to their GoLink product, that connects USB to a PC. I sent them an email asking some details, but I think that is the route I will go, less than $100 minus the PC, but I have a few of those sitting around.

Here's a pic of my thermocouple clamped to the incoming line before my domestic water exchanger. It's just a regular hose clamp holding the lug style sensor flat to the copper pipe. The style you have pictured might only need some metal tape or some zip ties to hold it on?

woodfirst...That camera setup looks pretty cool too!

I just wanted the lo and hi alarms so I did'nt have to constantly be checking the temp.

 

[iCreek]

Another option

Blazin -

Thanks for the time taking the picture, I agree zip ties or tape might work good for the one I am looking at. I also ran across a wireless temperature guage that deepvoyage sells on eBay. I bought my water to water heat exchanger and water to air heat exchanger from CT Wood Furnace. Jeff and Claudia are very nice people and spent time with me on phone making sure I had what I needed, even down sold me on the water to water heat exchanger!

This setup is wireless, with hi/lo alarms for $55 w/shipping
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-Thermometer-Wood-Furnace-Temperature-guage_W0QQitemZ200190105971QQihZ010QQcategoryZ42134QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Since I have an extra PC I will probably go with the Vernier GoLink setup.