Outdoor Wood Boiler Plan & Install

If you're still plumbing things & it's not too late, I'd try to plumb in some hose bibs just outside the HX ports to allow for real easy HX flushing in the future.

If all plumbed up, you could just leave that for when you ever need to flush, and do it then. At least if it's all pex it should be easier to cut stuff in later.

 

I would also add valves to isolate and bypass that filter. It looks like it is filtering you boiler water, but only some of it?

 

I see some spots that don't have pex rings yet - maybe a work still in progress?

 

I saw a lot of those too...actually the rings look like they were put on but not crimped down. I always assemble everything before I crimp anything.

 

VOLKEVIN did you get this thing fired up yet? I'm running out of

 

I need to have the last of 3 heat exchangers put in and the thermostats hooked up, and then I’m ready to fill it with water and rock n’ roll. I’m anxiously awaiting being able to fire it up; but my HVAC guy is my brother-in-law...the price is definitely right, but the only catch is that he’s fitting the work in between his well-paying commercial accounts. On Turkey Day, he said he will try his best to finish it up as soon as he can, I just appreciate his willingness to help! It’s always that last mile of the marathon that takes the longest!
Thanks for checking in, can’t wait to share a pic of the first time I fire it up!

 

Patience grasshopper, you'll get it done!

 

It’s firing up today, boys n’ girls! Finished all the lines and got the last heat exchanger in, crimped the connections, filled up the boiler, and lighting the fire. Hello, sweet sweet free heat!!!

 

Looks good VOLKEVIN

 

Let 'er rip tater chip.

 

No leaks, and the OWB got up to temp within 20 minutes. Maintaining a temp of 180 degrees on the aquastat, it’s looking good. I’m super happy.

After doing it all and writing the final checks, In full disclosure I have to say it was not a cheap venture to enter into. The stove and 165 feet of Thermopex closed cell foam line ran me $10,500. I supplied a lot of my own labor but needed to rely on the man from the store for the knowledge and help on the install. I needed a backhoe for the trench, and still hand dug about 30 feet due to buried wires and irrigation line. Total cost for supplies like backhoe, concrete pad, and labor was $3,100. I needed 3 heat exchangers- 2 in the house and one for the above-garage apartment, and the PEX lines and brass fittings; and needed 2 water to water exchangers for the hot water heaters. Those fittings are not cheap- I need to get in the plumbing supply business! Total on those was $1,600.

The grand total for the project was $15,200. Granted, I got a large wood boiler, and had more fittings and exchangers than a “standard” install. That probably accounted for about $3,500 in extras.

I’m glad it’s up and running, and looking forward to a huge savings on the heating bill! I will update again when I get a couple of bills to see how much less they are compared to last winter.

 

Fired up before the end of the year!
Looks good!
Surprised it came up to temp in 20 minutes...thas allota BTU's bein put out there!

 

I was expecting an hour or more to heat up, but in the interest of getting it hot I loaded it up with black locust and Osage Orange. The water came out of the hose at 53 degrees and was at 165 in 20 minutes exactly. I was thinking, “wow.”

 

I like it!! Looks like a beast!

 

How many gallons does your system hold? It takes 929 BTUs for every gallon to go from 53 to 165. If your system hold 200 gallons then your pushing up on 600k per hour which seems awfully high.

Your water level indicator looks like it is pegged on low....maybe you need to add some water?

 

My system has an output of 370,000 BTUs per hour, and has a 120 gallon water jacket. You were right that the water showed low- I lit it off, went to the basement and opened the bleeder valve on the return. I got the air out, along with about 10 gallons of water and then closed the bleeder valve.

Then went back up and outside to the unit and heard water running...one crimp on the return pipe to the unit hadn’t been crimped, so I couldn’t tell you how many gallons had flowed out. I could have figured it out by filling buckets and refilling the boiler, but I had the hose ready so I just used that. It ran for a good bit, so I would guess it was in excess of 20 gallons. All good now though.

 

At 120 gallons that temp rise makes a lot more sense.

 

Looking good VOLKEVIN !!!! Enjoy the "free" heat. Mine took 57 minutes to go from 55F to 165. 200Gal of water. I was happy with that. Hasn't run that hard since LOL.

 

You’re right, there are valves to bypass and filter, and I can control the amount going through the filter. I have it set to filter about a third of the flow.