outdoor boiler questions

[mjs97]

i have a couple quick questions. first stack on my outdoor boiler is condensing. actual water runs out back of clean out when i take cover off. a half cup every day or so. any reasons for this or anything i can do?

second, are side arms efficient enough to heat typical hot water needs or does water heater still kick in and side arm just helps to heat water. what should i have mixing valve set at. right now it is set at 130 deg. i am running boiler at 150high and 140 low.

thanks,
matt

 

[Husky137]

My outdoor wood boiler was running at 165-175 and heating hot water for the last two months without the old oil boiler or hot water heater needing to do anything. I just kicked it up to 175-185 cuz it's heating season now.You condensation problem in the stack is probably due to your low operating temp.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Assuming you have no seepage from a bad weld water out the stack comes from moisture in the fuel and two things will recduce it, lower fuel moisture or higher burn temps. My OWB is new this fall and my stack dripped some with green wood I threw in just for giggles. I'd guess your problem will go away when outside temps place more demand on the boiler. I have a side arm and it's a long one but with my boiler set for on at 160 and off at 170 it will not keep up in times of very high demand like washing machine and showers for 4 people going one after the other and the gas burner will kick on for breif periods. To run one you will need to up yours boiler temps as the side arm depends on temp differential to work and 130 is where most keep their domestic water temp. I dont think the single perfect water heater exists as there are issues with all three common means, plate, side arm and domestic coil in the boiler. The plate type will definately heat the GPMs but in times of no usage the water heater will cycle to keep it self warm, the side arm eliminates that but doesnt quite keep up during high demand (at least mine doesn't) The domestic coil is too far away from the point of need for intermittent hot water usage. I think that a plate and a side arm would satisfy all needs but the installation would set a person back quite a few greens to install it. A side arm alone is quite enough expensive if a person installs it with all the unions and valving it needs to be removable and by passed plus the needed mixing valve to keep tap tamps below scalding. Good luck and enjoy your OWB.

My side arm

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