OWB Temp.

[jcappe]

Just curious what you all set your OWB temp to? My WM 4400 is set to 170 from the factory. I hear of guys changing the temp either up or down for this or that reason. Just out of curiosity what temp do you have yours at and why do you change it off of the factory setting if so. Thanks.

 

[WVwoodsman]

Right now I have mine set at 150 because it is not that cold out and it will burn less wood. Also I think that there will be less creosote build up due to the fact that the blower motor will cycle more as the temp. of the water will come down quicker than if it were set higher.

 

[iCreek]

I dropped mine to 165 late last year, from 170. I will probably run with that for awhile and see how it goes. This is my second year with my OWB.

 

[Scootermsp]

Cb5036

I kept mine at the facory setting of 185F. I find the range to be 168-187 usually. My aquastat on my oil furnace is set down to 140F. If the fire goes out it will kick on automatically and keep the OWB water warm too. If I hear my oil burner kick on I may move the OWB up to 190F.

 

[Butch(OH)]

My Woodmaster is set at 170 with a 10 degree differential (factory setting). We ran it to 180-185 in past years to assist a marginal domestic water heating loop which has now been fixed. Higher settings will keep the firebox a bit cleaner but also seem to use a little bit more wood. I rather doubt that changing the boiler temp (outside of ridiculously high or low) is going to yield any eye opening results in the average installation but it is easy to play with, have fun doing so.

 

[S. Todd]

I have mine at 155 now, when it gets cold I turn it up to 180. My cut out temp is set for 20 degrees less than the main. I also find I use less wood with the lower temp in spring and fall. It still keeps the domestic hot water very warm. I've had my stove going for over 3 weeks this fall and used very little wood - all poplar and basswood, which I want to get rid of before the cold hits anyway. Just read in the paper we are in for some snow tonight.

 

[fourapples]

My OWB has factory setting of 160 with 5 degree drop, when it is cold I adjust it to 160 with 10 degree drop to keep from using more fuel by cycling less often.

 

[Blazin]

I'll leave mine at 170 until it gets in the single digits and then kick it up to 195 to make the heat for the hot water base board system in one of the houses it heats.

 

[cleanburn]

Depending on your system, i.e. baseboard or forced air, etc....you could go down to 140F, but if you have baseboard you might not want to go that low....what is your system?

 

[jcappe]

Mine is a forced air system

 

[iCreek]

jcappe - You might check the temps at your floor registers and play around with it. The best I got last year was 125 degrees, average was around 120 degrees. I am real curious what other forced air guys and gals are getting at the inside heat vents.

Last years reading with an IR Temp reader.

 

[Marklambert61]

Water Temp

In summer I keep mine at 185' pool really sucks the BTU's

Winter 165' is plenty for my needs


Mark

 

[Blazin]

Base board heat needs the hotter water to make good heat. I've got forced air in my house and 160-170 would be fine. When I crank up the boiler temp to 185-195 in colder weather for Mom's base board system, I can't stand on the registers in my house with a bare foot they're so hot! But I've learned to love it

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Right now I am trying on at 155 and off at 175. I will probably turn it up to 180 when the snow flies. Last winter I used the factory setting of 160/170 and didnt like it, the stove cycled too often. I am hoping with the 25 degree differential it will use less wood and stay cleaner.

I havent even turned on my pole barn yet, once I do my wood use will double and then I will see if it works better

 

[cleanburn]

The larger the differential the cleaner it will burn is correct It will cycle less that way....shouldn't really change your efficiency though

I'm running mine from around 140 to 180, I have boiler line through my slab and it works fine for me

 

[oneoldbanjo]

My Woodmaster came set at 160 on and 170 off. It seemed to cycle too much and just about the time the fire started burning clean it would reach 170 and shut off the blower and close the damper. I adjusted it to on at 150 and off at 170 and it burns much cleaner - however it does go into the smolder mode for longer periods. With small loads of wood that only last half a day the water temp stays very near to 170 after the blower shuts off - with large rounds or big loads of wood the temp can overshoot to 178 after the blower shuts off.

 

[w00die]

I have a wood doctor 8000 and mine is set to 190. I may back it down a bit...