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leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 8:59 am

I have my stoker set up in my attached garage. I have it hooked into a return line that runs down through my furnace and back out the hot air side. I turned on the blower to see if it was pushing air as a test. You really can't feel much coming through the hot air vents. The blower is a 750cfm which should be enough. The stove wasn't burning, so hot air may act differently. I'm wondering if I need to do the following:

Get a larger blower

Cut a hole in my return line before the stove connects and install a vent to help air return back to the garage.

Both

What do you all think?


 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 9:45 am

Hard to advise...much more details are needed to ever be able to render some advise.

Duct layout and duct lengths and sizes need to be known.

Your 750cfm fan has losses that are associated with duct resistances.
In other words you're not getting anywhere near the 750cfm that the fan is capable of.

Enlighten us so we head in the right direction. :)

Basic idea is, only going to get out what can get in.
Air flow is a loop or circuit, any resistance has to be overcome somehow.

Many ways to improve system to optimized the loop/circuit air flow, of which brute force (bigger fan) is not the best solution while other deficiencies still exist.

Note: Return air inlets need to total 15-20% more sq. inch area than the supply outlets.

 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 9:52 am

Until I fire the stove and push hot air through the system I won't know if I need to take any action.
My thought is that the cold air returns feed the existing furnace not the stoker out in my garage. I'd assume that installing a closeable vent out there on the return line would at least not hurt anything. The air would have a complete circuit to travel and "should" flow a little better. For $7 for a vent I might install one.

I will have to light the fire and see what happens. Thanks for the reply and I will keep everyone posted.

 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 10:18 am

I’m sorry what???

You have to have a return to your furnace in the garage.

You can’t block the return on the stoker..

 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 10:30 am

hotblast1357 wrote:
Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 10:18 am
I’m sorry what???

You have to have a return to your furnace in the garage.

You can’t block the return on the stoker..
Yes. This is what I was thinking. There needs to be a way to get the air back to the garage.
My house was built before it was against code to run duct work through a garage. There is a hot air line that runs the length of the garage and feeds the bedrooms and bathroom above it. There is also a cold air line that comes from the living room and feeds back into the furnace in the basement. The return line runs about 1/3 the length of the garage. The stoker is tapped into this line. There is maybe 6 feet of return ducting before the stove taps in. I'm thinking of putting a vent in this section so that the air will have a complete circuit. Flow into the return, back out the hot air vents, and back through the return into the garage.

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 12:46 pm

I think i am dizzy from going thru that whirly-loop of definition.

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 1:34 pm

I'm having a difficult time visualizing all of this. Could the OP please draw a detailed diagram of the setup, then take a picture of said diagram and upload it. That would be very helpful.


 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 1:38 pm

Lightning wrote:
Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 1:34 pm
I'm having a difficult time visualizing all of this. Could the OP please draw a detailed diagram of the setup, then take a picture of said diagram and upload it. That would be very helpful.
I can do that. How do I upload a photo on here?

 
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windyhill4.2
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Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 1:55 pm

Click on the Full editor & preview button,or the post reply button,you will see an option for attachments below the reply block.

 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 2:48 pm

Please forgive my lack of artistic ability

Attachments

stoker.jpg
.JPG | 191KB | stoker.jpg

 
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windyhill4.2
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Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both

Post by windyhill4.2 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 2:56 pm

Your stoker is dumping hot air into the oil furnace return duct,if you cut a vent into the return duct,it will not help return cold air to the garage for the stoker.At least that is the way i viewed your diagram.

 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 3:03 pm

That is just complicated and not very efficient.

You would have to tie the return to the return side of your stoker furnace, and put a block plate in between the return and feed, it’s also not a great practice to pump hot air into the cold return side of the oil furnace, and your pumping air through the oil furnace blower and filter also, again it’s just a terrible way to set it up.

You need your stoker next to your oil furnace. And tie the hot side to the hot side and cold to the cold side, and block off the oil furnace.

 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 3:15 pm

Unfortunately, installing the stoker next to the furnace is not an option. The furnace is in a room with the water heater, and there isn't enough room to put the stoker in there. I could tie to the hot air lines that run through the garage, but they might not reach the entire house. I do have a few options, just looking for the best one.

 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 3:36 pm

I know it’s to late as u already have the furnace, but a stoker boiler fits your needs a whole lot better! Put a water to air exchanger in your oil furnace, and heat your domestic water all with the stoker boiler in the garage.

It is just very hard to efficiently move hot air.

 
leoman584
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Post by leoman584 » Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 3:42 pm

hotblast1357 wrote:
Wed. Nov. 29, 2017 3:36 pm
I know it’s to late as u already have the furnace, but a stoker boiler fits your needs a whole lot better! Put a water to air exchanger in your oil furnace, and heat your domestic water all with the stoker boiler in the garage.

It is just very hard to efficiently move hot air.
Yes. Too late. At least for now. But, something to consider in the future.
I picked up the stoker used on Craigslist. It's in really good shape and I don't have that much money in it. I have room for experimenting/improving as time goes by.


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