Yes, ANOTHER OWB build thread... (Tank in tank style)

[absrio]

Expansion tank / reservoir attached. Just need to plumb the over flow vent pipe on top and the sight glass and needed valves on the end of the reservoir. This thing will be ready to be spray foamed soon.

fantastic job on this unit!!!! one suggestion I have is to build a small glove box somewhere. always nice to put on a pair of warm dry gloves before filling the boiler.

please keep the pics coming.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Ready to pour pad for boiler. Figured up just under a yard. 3 yard minimum to get concrete delivered without an extra fee. So, perfect time to finally pour the approach to my shop.

 

[backhoelover]

this is one of the best thread i have seen

 

[breymeyerfam]

Got copper attached to the logstore and ran from basement wall up and over into mechanical room.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Well today I officially missed my goal of Nov 1 start up...

Poured concrete yesterday. Boiler pad and used extra for approach in front of the boiler. Got a 5x8 just out of extra concrete!

And the approach for my shop turned out pretty good too. The brush marks aren't real even due to just using my shop broom instead of the right tool for the job.

Also worked on the copper in the mechanical room this evening. Floor loops and floor zone pump is plumbed. Hopefully I can get the plumbing in the house finished up this week. One more trip to menards for plumbing supplies!

 

[NSMaple1]

'One more trip...' - ha, famous last words there. lol...

 

[Jake Wise]

Wow, this is a way more detail focused build than mine was. I have been running a homemade tank in tank for going on 3 years now. I built mine in the middle of season after getting the first winter time electric bill at the house we had just bought (all electric heat), so I was in a big rush. It works but is no where near as pretty as yours. Good work.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Wow, this is a way more detail focused build than mine was. I have been running a homemade tank in tank for going on 3 years now. I built mine in the middle of season after getting the first winter time electric bill at the house we had just bought (all electric heat), so I was in a big rush. It works but is no where near as pretty as yours. Good work.

this is one of the best thread i have seen

Thanks guys! I know that when I was planning for this project, I spent lots of time trolling threads for ideas. Some threads were helpful and had great ideas and pics, and some had great ideas but we're lacking in info and pics. I haven't had any new ideas to share, just my rendition of the same old design. However what I am trying to, is to document each step of my build and provide as many pictures as possible to help the next guy save some time when planning for his.

When the build and install is complete, I will be posting an excel sheet of my build expenses. My budget was $3500, but that was before I upgraded to the logstor pipe outside and 1" copper inside. Needless to say, I am solidly over budget.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Mechanical room complete. The furnace installer didnt do me any favors by running the lineset directly across the spot I had to put the hx in. I had to cut the a/c lines to get the hx in the furnace. The floor pex and manifold definitely isn't as straight I would have liked, but the concrete didn't want to give any as I was trying to line it up... lol. The rest turned out fairly well.

Hopefully will be setting the boiler on the pad this weekend. Maybe be up and running sometime next week.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Set on pad. Good thing I didn't add any more weight to this thing, our old loader wouldnt have picked it up. This was all she wanted.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Connections made at the boiler. Waiting on a gasket for the floor pex manifold before I do one last air test and start to fill.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Ok guys, yesterday I filled and purged the system, and tested pumps. Today I lit it up! Ran it up to 175 to get full water expansion and topped off reservoir tank. Currently have it set to 150-160. The ranco aquastat works beautiful. I'm over shooting the set temp by about 2 degrees, but its still pretty warm out with little draw. On another note, I think I have too much blower. After dark when it's running, you can see it shooting small flames and some sparks up and out the stack. I will be getting a speed pot to slow it down some. BUT all in all, IT'S UP AND RUNNING. Still have to wire up my zone pump control for the basement floor heat. Also need to insulate all the copper in the basement, but that will have to wait til Monday due to my insulation not being here yet. Will be finishing odds and ends in the coming week. Will get final cost sheet uploaded too.

 

[H-Ranch]

After dark when it's running, you can see it shooting small flames and some sparks up and out the stack.

Also need to insulate all the copper in the basement, but that will have to wait til Monday due to my insulation not being here yet.

Excellent, and just in time for the cold weather too. Oh yeah, when my baffle has failed a few times on mine it looks like a rocket is stuck in the stack! I know the "torturous path" of the baffle makes for a lot less sparks - a smaller blower fan may also help though I'm not sure it will be as effective.

At least the heat loss from the copper will go to heating the house so that's not an immediate need.

 

[LondonNeil]

 

[dave_dj1]

That's awesome! After you have been burning a while could you try it without the blower? I have always believed that a blower just uses more wood. I think with the proper settings once the unit is up to temp you could get by on just a natural draft. My brothers CB only has natural draft.

 

[breymeyerfam]

Quick question. How many hours between blower cycles at the boiler are you guys getting with mild 30-35 degree temps outside?

Oh and a quick pic of the night time flamethrower.

 

[breymeyerfam]

That's awesome! After you have been burning a while could you try it without the blower? I have always believed that a blower just uses more wood.

I am going to order a speed pot for the fan and a timed relay. Plan is to fan force the start up til coals get roaring then kill the fan and just leave the damper door open til reaches set temp. I'm thinking 2 minutes of blower is about right with current wood and temperature conditions, but will be easily adjustable due to the timed relay I'm looking at is adjustable .1-10 minutes.

 

[NSMaple1]

Uh, yeah, that's quite a candle you got going on there.

 

[benp]

Ok guys, yesterday I filled and purged the system, and tested pumps. Today I lit it up! Ran it up to 175 to get full water expansion and topped off reservoir tank. Currently have it set to 150-160. The ranco aquastat works beautiful. I'm over shooting the set temp by about 2 degrees, but its still pretty warm out with little draw. On another note, I think I have too much blower. After dark when it's running, you can see it shooting small flames and some sparks up and out the stack. I will be getting a speed pot to slow it down some. BUT all in all, IT'S UP AND RUNNING. Still have to wire up my zone pump control for the basement floor heat. Also need to insulate all the copper in the basement, but that will have to wait til Monday due to my insulation not being here yet. Will be finishing odds and ends in the coming week. Will get final cost sheet uploaded too.

Excellent job!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now you get the other fun part of learning the stove.

Quick question. How many hours between blower cycles at the boiler are you guys getting with mild 30-35 degree temps outside?

Oh and a quick pic of the night time flamethrower.

Ah yes. We affectionately called that "the orange cone of cleaning."

 

[Jake Wise]

I had trouble with mine forcing too much heat out the stack as well. I like having a blower because it allows me to burn junk and unseasoned wood, so I wanted it working. I took a two pronged approach I got a dimmer pot to go on the fan and I installed a damper in the stack to hold it back. The pot burned out pretty quick and I didn't want to pay the price of one of those a/c controllers that allow you to slow motors down so I just took a piece of metal duct tape and covered half the intake hole for the blower. This is probably not good for the motor long term but it got me by. Oh, and overshooting temp by only 2 degrees is pretty good.