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Some More Questions About the LL Boilers

Posted: Wed. Feb. 02, 2011 7:35 pm
by BrotherDave
Hi Dave and Matt,
Belated congrats on the new business venture. I really hopes it pays off. You guys are helping our country get back some of the manufacturing base that was sent offshore. Well that's for another topic for another day.

Some questions about your new boilers:
Capable to run year round? Is there a combustion fan?

There has been talk about the tube design being a bear to clean and moisture causing premature failure of the tubes during the summer due to the ash mixing with water and turning to acid... If running all summer, is this a concern? How often do you recommend cleaning the unit? Once, twice or more a year?

How hard are the tubes to clean? If I read the cutaway picture correctly, the tubes are surrounded by water as is the combustion chamber, so the ash travels up the tubes, right? If so, won't the ash have a hard time sticking to a vertical surface? Would sticking a small shop vac hose down them clean them out?

Will the 220 boiler be able to run the feeders independently? There by allowing the using of only one feeder when needed. This would allow for future home expansion without changing boilers. Something I would definitely be interested in.

Dave

Re: Some More Questions About the LL Boilers

Posted: Mon. Feb. 07, 2011 11:09 am
by Matthaus
BrotherDave wrote:Hi Dave and Matt,
Belated congrats on the new business venture. I really hopes it pays off. You guys are helping our country get back some of the manufacturing base that was sent offshore. Well that's for another topic for another day.
Thank you, we want to be part of a renewed effort in this country to retain this country! ;)
BrotherDave wrote: Some questions about your new boilers:
Capable to run year round? Is there a combustion fan?
Yes and Yes
BrotherDave wrote: There has been talk about the tube design being a bear to clean and moisture causing premature failure of the tubes during the summer due to the ash mixing with water and turning to acid... If running all summer, is this a concern? How often do you recommend cleaning the unit? Once, twice or more a year?
No issue if you run all summer if not need to properly protect the boiler from corrosion. Good thorough shut down level cleaning once annually.
BrotherDave wrote: How hard are the tubes to clean? If I read the cutaway picture correctly, the tubes are surrounded by water as is the combustion chamber, so the ash travels up the tubes, right? If so, won't the ash have a hard time sticking to a vertical surface? Would sticking a small shop vac hose down them clean them out?
Not hard to clean simply vacuum out on the 110 model as suggested. The 220 has horizontal water tubes so has a sliding plate ala Harman VF3000.
BrotherDave wrote: Will the 220 boiler be able to run the feeders independently? There by allowing the using of only one feeder when needed. This would allow for future home expansion without changing boilers. Something I would definitely be interested in.
Dave
Yes Feeders can be run independently, however not really necessary since at idle the output is only 3,000 to 5,000 btuh per burner, and that is working on almost 30 gallons of water in the boiler. The 110 on the other hand only has 12 gallons so even with only one burner a good dump zone is needed, we recommend running the 110 on the alternate fuel (oil or gas) during the summer months for ease of use and cooler basement/mechanical room.