So do I risk it???

[OUBrew]

Brand new boiler this fall....first winter heating with an OWB. I love it so far but now I have a problem. We are going away for Christmas for a week. I did not put anti-freeze in the system. I have 160 gallon tank. I built a shed to house the system and store a half cord wood. It is fully insulated. I have looked into anti-freeze and it is too expensive to put a product in that will only cut my heat transfer later. I cannot find anyone to tend the stove.

Question:

Am I crazy to think I will be safe if I heat the shed with a couple electric radiant heaters and keep the pumps circulating the water. It has been frigid cold here but looks like it is warming up a bit to end the week. I am going to test the radiant heaters tonight with a low of 5 below. It is the coldest low forecasted for the next week.

What do you think?

 

[modn]

Brand new boiler this fall....first winter heating with an OWB. I love it so far but now I have a problem. We are going away for Christmas for a week. I did not put anti-freeze in the system. I have 160 gallon tank. I built a shed to house the system and store a half cord wood. It is fully insulated. I have looked into anti-freeze and it is too expensive to put a product in that will only cut my heat transfer later. I cannot find anyone to tend the stove.

Question:

Am I crazy to think I will be safe if I heat the shed with a couple electric radiant heaters and keep the pumps circulating the water. It has been frigid cold here but looks like it is warming up a bit to end the week. I am going to test the radiant heaters tonight with a low of 5 below. It is the coldest low forecasted for the next week.

What do you think?

You will have your backup heat on, right? It should backfeed and temper the water going back into the boiler enough to not freeze. At least that is my thought.

 

[biggenius29]

I would use your gas heater in the house and set the temp to whatever you want in the house and heat with gas. Then for the OWB keep the pump on and you shouldnt have anything freeze up, the water will heat up through your heater and that will keep your water from freezing.

 

[OUBrew]

So you are saying the LP boiler energy will tranfer the energy back to the cold water coming from the OWB and that will alow it to avoid freezing up? The plate exchanger is working in reverse?? I guess it makes sense.

 

[biggenius29]

So you are saying the LP boiler energy will tranfer the energy back to the cold water coming from the OWB and that will alow it to avoid freezing up? The plate exchanger is working in reverse?? I guess it makes sense.

Exactly

I dont have a OWB (yet) but it should work, givven your propane furnace wont be as efficient, but it is better than having your OWB freeze up.

 

[biggenius29]

How does your OWB do in a shed?

When I get one I was considering doing this. But my insurance guy said that was a no-no, but if I have it 100' from the house or any other out building I guess what he doesnt know wont hurt him, and if I do burn the building and OWB down I just say stupid me and not turn in a claim.

 

[OUBrew]

I never really thought of doing it any other way because I got such a great deal on the OWB I bought and it was unshelled. It is really nice to load the boiler inside from wood that is warmed up. The boiler is not as efficient as other but I only paid $2500 for it.

I do worry about the smoke though. I bought a high tech mask I wear when I load.

 

[urhstry]

Local church? High school? Boy Scout? Nobody will tend to your unit for you? I live in a very rural area with NOBODY around me and no family and I still know people that would help. Community service from the local judge?

 

[OUBrew]

I asked my immediate neighbors and no one bit. The guy I was for sure would do it just took a job driving truck and is on call....may be gone all through the holidays. I worry about trusting someone I really dont know.

I am going to shut the stove down and see what temp the heaters keep the shed at tonight at 6 below for the low. It does make sense the plate exchanger would transfer some of the LP heat to the water running from the boiler. If I can keep that shed temp at 45-50 deg and circulate those pumps I should be OK....I hope???:help: :help

 

[ropensaddle]

Local church? High school? Boy Scout? Nobody will tend to your unit for you? I live in a very rural area with NOBODY around me and no family and I still know people that would help. Community service from the local judge?

Yep you bet that is a smart idea having criminals watch the house while your gone:Eye:

 

[urhstry]

Yeah, that might have been an overexageration. OK, minus the court system. :biggrinbounce2:

 

[STLfirewood]

Leave enough beer in the fridge and in the fridge and I bet someone from this site will do it.

Scott

 

[Mike Van]

I'd look long & hard for someone to tend that boiler while your gone - Otherwise, all your going to do is worry about it - You know what they say about stress.........

 

[Suz]

Where in Wisconsin do you live?

 

[AIM]

You will be ok just by leaving the circ pumps on. Your regular furnace will give it more than enough to eliminate freezing problems.
Wife and I went to Florida for 5 days a few weeks back and I just told my future son in law come down and build one fire a day. The ONLY reason I told him to do this was due to the fact that I knew he would be using my heated garage to work on his truck and my daughter would be hanging out in the house watchin the tube with the heat turned up the whole time we were gone.
Were it not for that I wouldn't have worried about it at all.
Go have a merry Christmas and don't worry about your boiler. It will be fine. Just leave the pumps on.

NOTE TO CONSIDER!!!
My pumps circulate 24/7. My t-stat only controls my furnace fan. Pumps are hotwired so to speak so they never shut off until I hit the switch in the spring. If your pumps only pump when your house calls for heat then I would disregard everything I stated above and go with other peoples advice.

 

[OUBrew]

Thanks for all the input. I ran the radiant heaters all night with the low temps at 5 below and the shed was at 80 degrees this morning. I guess the only worry I would have is if a circuit popped or we had an outage. The return water temp is 70 degrees so it is drawing heat off the LP boiler. I am going to have someone checking the house and I will have them check the electric heaters.

Merry Christmas

 

[jcappe]

Sounds like you are good to go. Have a good trip.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

We have a good deal going in my 'hood....all of us who bought our CB's from the same dealer take care of each other's boilers. I had someone come by and stoke mine up Christmas Eve evening, was out of town...was 50 deg. here for the last 2 days, didn't need much wood.

 

[November Wolf]

Thanks for all the input. I ran the radiant heaters all night with the low temps at 5 below and the shed was at 80 degrees this morning. I guess the only worry I would have is if a circuit popped or we had an outage. The return water temp is 70 degrees so it is drawing heat off the LP boiler. I am going to have someone checking the house and I will have them check the electric heaters.

Merry Christmas

Please let us know how everything turns out when you return.

Have a nice vacation.