Magic Heat

[Bubbles Galore]

Seeing as how I am stuck with my horribly inefficient boiler, has anyone ever used one of these on their boilers? I am still looking, but I have been unable to find a 12" one which is the diameter of my exhaust pipe. I would think that with a vent damper, I could capture alot of the heat that I exhaust.

Thoughts?

 

[Ric]

The problem with these is that they rob heat from your flue. That heat is required to exhaust (heat rises) the gases from your boiler. Huron Valley used to sell these with their boilers until they figured out that they would lessen the life of the boiler due to the condensation they caused within the boiler. I know I HAD two boilers that I had to replace which had these things on them

 

[Whale of a Wash]

You can grab a little heat with a fan on the chimney also, we do that to get some extra heat in equip. room. Do you have an automatic damper?? These are electric and close the chimney above the boiler after the boiler shuts off.
Without one its like a big hole to outside when the boilers not on.

 

[Waxman]

Bubbles

I looked at those but was warned of the same problem by my gas guy as well as Huron Valley Sales (where I got my RayPak boilers). I wouldn't futz with the drafting of your furnaces.

What are you trying to supplementally heat? Equip. Room? IBA?

Why not get a little gas unit from Northern, like this?http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200316363_200316363

 

[mjwalsh]

The problem with these is that they rob heat from your flue. That heat is required to exhaust (heat rises) the gases from your boiler. Huron Valley used to sell these with their boilers until they figured out that they would lessen the life of the boiler due to the condensation they caused within the boiler. I know I HAD two boilers that I had to replace which had these things on them

Bubbles & others,

On our Huron Valley Raypak System we gained a much smaller amount of heat for our little equipment room by installing a simple aluminum fin spiral from the local hardware store on the Huron Valley Raypak described below. This approach is gathers much less heat but on the flip side has no undesirable side effects at all.

We have a fully functional 399K BTU Raypak from Huron Valley that I really haven't used at all hardly & never had anything effect it that would shorten its life. The reason we quit using it back in 1991 is because we have had a Multipulse Hydrotherm Condensing Boiler Setup on our laundry side that was more efficient to run through a Stainless Steel Spirec Heat Exchanger etc. We now want to free up space in our equipment room so we will be taking the 399K BTU Raypak out as soon as someone shows an interest in making us an offer based on it being in perfect condition. Anyone interested in it can contact me at info@kingkoin.com. I might get interest in my Multipulse system but Hydrotherm quit making them in 2006 but I am not worried about getting parts & repairing them etc.

Mike Walsh King Koin of Bismarck

 

[pitzerwm]

I gained some extra heat by putting a fan near the ceiling (12') and ducting it into the IBA.

 

[Ric]

Bubbles

I looked at those but was warned of the same problem by my gas guy as well as Huron Valley Sales (where I got my RayPak boilers). I wouldn't futz with the drafting of your furnaces.

What are you trying to supplementally heat? Equip. Room? IBA?

Why not get a little gas unit from Northern, like this?http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200316363_200316363

I use this in my equipment room. It requires no electric, therefore if you lose power it still works.
http://www.inandoutlifestyles.com/enmrhemhbuga.html

 

[Waxman]

Those are illegal in Massachusetts. Had one and sold it super cheap awhile back.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Bubbles & others,

On our Huron Valley Raypak System we gained a much smaller amount of heat for our little equipment room by installing a simple aluminum fin spiral from the local hardware store on the Huron Valley Raypak described below. This approach is gathers much less heat but on the flip side has no undesirable side effects at all.

Do you have a picture or info on where I can investigate something like that?

 

[mjwalsh]

Picture & info

Do you have a picture or info on where I can investigate something like that?

Bubbles - John & others,

http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/mjwalsh/

The pic shows the black wrap around the like new 399K Huron Valley Raypak. I don't know if they still sell that at hardware stores anymore but it does safely disperse more heat that just the vent surface itself into the equipment room when the boiler is running. A small fan wired in sync with the boiler on could also help harvest that heat without any condensing issues.

The pic also shows the stainless steel Spirec that was a good fit for us even though both the mechanical contractor & the engineer were "kicking & screaming" to not put it in. That was back in 1991 so it did withstand the test of time in my opinion & based on the quality construction it will probably continue to excel. I like it because the boiler directly heats water rather than 50-50 antifreeze. There is a significant loss in efficiency whenever a system directly heats antifreeze inside the boiler itself! We try to avoid that!

Below the picture are (not shown) is the McDonnell flow switch that has always protected the 399K Huron Valley Raypak whenever it was used.

Hope this helps!

MJ