Shaver Improvement Forum

[John D]

165 on a factory stat is nice and warm,probably running 165-185 ish. I just stoked mine for the night,and looked good,there's nothing on my ash pan worth mentioning.

 

[yodayoda]

Well that stinks. My ashpan door has as much build up on it as the inside of the firebox. Everytime I open the door a gush of water and tar run down the front and gets all over the door and siding.

Mine did that when I first started burning last fall, Since the beginning of november it has not. I think in my case it was the combination of the warm weather causing the furnace to be shut down and smolder to much and I was burning some old pine wood, I think I read somewhere some woods, especially pine, have alot of tar that can cause this problem

 

[Ash wacker]

I put some insulation in the door and this morning no water. I mostly burn ash,maple,some beech. I had about 10 cords of dry cut for the winter but it chewed that up pretty fast. I have been cutting ash the last couple weekends and it last longer but lots of creosilt build up. The unit faces to the west and thats were the weather comes from so I thought maybe the cold wind on the hot door might be causing the water build up.

 

[yodayoda]

I put some insulation in the door and this morning no water. I mostly burn ash,maple,some beech. I had about 10 cords of dry cut for the winter but it chewed that up pretty fast. I have been cutting ash the last couple weekends and it last longer but lots of creosilt build up. The unit faces to the west and thats were the weather comes from so I thought maybe the cold wind on the hot door might be causing the water build up.

What did you use for insulation on the door?

 

[Ash wacker]

What did you use for insulation on the door?

Unfaced batting

 

[John D]

Unfaced batting

Same here,mines only in a week,and its holding up well.Door is noticably cooler to the touch,and inside the door stays creosote free now,no buildup at all.

 

[Ash wacker]

I want to do some of the other mods I have seen in this thread but I will wait till the summer to do them. This one was pretty easy and it seems to help.

 

[fletcher0780]

I want to do some of the other mods I have seen in this thread but I will wait till the summer to do them. This one was pretty easy and it seems to help.

you can't go wrong with the ranco mod

 

[fify59thatsit]

ranco thermostat

any reason why the ranco thermostat can't be hung outside the furnace?
My boiler is under roof ,rather not open the back door every time I want to check the temp.

 

[fletcher0780]

any reason why the ranco thermostat can't be hung outside the furnace?
My boiler is under roof ,rather not open the back door every time I want to check the temp.

Nope, I'm going to move mine once I build a shed.

 

[John D]

any reason why the ranco thermostat can't be hung outside the furnace?
My boiler is under roof ,rather not open the back door every time I want to check the temp.

Mines going in a waterproof box w clear front cover(plexiglass)in the front this summer,after I gut it,and reinsulate it.This way temp checks,and changes can be made in seconds without going around back.

 

[fify59thatsit]

ranco outside

Wonder if it would fit in a plastic box like you see over thermostats in offices and such?

 

[John D]

Wonder if it would fit in a plastic box like you see over thermostats in offices and such?

Once I tear is down this summer,and pull the ranco off the back,Ill try a few different boxes. I was thinking any watertight box with an overhang over the door,and I can alwasy make a plexiglass cover,or cut a window in the cover with plexi.

 

[fletcher0780]

they make a weather tight enclosure for it

 

[Windwalker7]

I have a question about the Ranco.(I've only seen it in photos)


Other than the two wires that interupt the circut, are there any other wires?

Does it need any other wires hooked to it to feed the power for temp. display?

 

[fletcher0780]

mine has three wires: a hot feed, a neutral, and a switched hot (to the blower). I dow have a jumper inside from the hot feed to the com also.

 

[John D]

they make a weather tight enclosure for it

Once again,you come thru with very valueable info to help me get my shaver where i want it, thanks again!

 

[projectsho89]

Once again,you come thru with very valueable info to help me get my shaver where i want it, thanks again!

They offer a "NEMA4 " model that has the water resistant case.

Steve

 

[fify59thatsit]

usable heat

My boiler is under a shed with lots of added insulation above,under and around it. After adding a ranco I now know how hot the water is.
Water temps around 200 yield cooler Temps out of register than when water temps at 180 or so.
What's up with that?

 

[david78]

I really hate to see those heat waves rolling out of the stack on my furnace:angry2: I'd rather have those BTU's coming in the house. So here's an idea for you guys to think about, shoot down, etc. I thought about wrapping/coiling flexible copper tubing around the stack; one end of the pipe down into the bottom of the water jacket (suction end), the other end just dumping in the top; small circulator pump to keep the water moving. Wrap insulation around the stack. Since my furnace is under an overhang, if I started where the stack exits the jacket, and stopped at the underside of the overhang, I could have copper tubing around about 3' of the hottest part of the stack; about 50' of tubing. Nothing exposed to rain, snow, etc. Seems like I'd get significant heat transfer. Enough to make it worthwhile? Enough to cause creosote problems from a cooler stack? Any thoughts?