AD-1 Draft Inducer - What a difference. Chimney liner next?

Installed a Tjernlund AD-1 draft inducer for the DF520. I also sealed off the boiler room from the rest of the house, and put in a fan blowing fresh air into the room. The draft is great now, and what a difference in how the boiler runs. It stays burning with temps in the 50s now. I get -0.04 with the AD-1 set to low. I can run it faster, but felt this was good enough to keep the DF520 running in warmer weather.

Only issue I have is what to do when I need to switch to oil when I travel for work. The AD-1 has a big 2" hole around the motor shaft for the fan so suspect I can not turn off the fan when I switch to the oil burner since fumes will come out. Not sure the AD-1 can take the smoke stack temps with the oil burner? I'll have to replace the AD-1 section in the smoke stack with a new section when I switch to oil.

I am also considering installing a chimney liner to help with the draft. Does anyone have any experience with chimney liners? Does the liner just stop at the bottom of the breach where the horizontal flue intersects to the vertical flue to the boiler? I don't see a way to get a tee into the chimney, and still need to drop debris in the ash pit.

I believe a better solution is to install a chimney top draft inducer instead of a smoke pipe draft inducer. Does anyone have a recommendation on chimney top draft inducers? I found this one from fieldcontrols.

http://www.fieldcontrols.com/chimneytop.php
http://www.ddchem.com/Chimneydraftinducer.pdf

Thanks,
Dave

Google Olympia or Olympic chimney liners in Scranton, PA. The liner is supported from the top of the chimney and can end anywhere inside the chimney. It should definitely increase your draft. The T is inserted from the inside of the house with a clever clamping system. You'll need some room below your outlet if you use a T. Otherwise use flexible liner.

Stoker-man,

I didn't adjust the damper after installing the AD-1, and it was pulling air into the chimney. I changed the weight on the damper so it just pulls up a bit with the stoker off. It reads now -0.06 draft instead of -0.04. What should I set the draft too via the damper with the stoker off or idle?

Thanks.

The stoker must be running and the flue warmed up before adjusting. Negative .03-.05 is fine after a few minutes of running.

daluds wrote:.........
I am also considering installing a chimney liner to help with the draft. Does anyone have any experience with chimney liners?.....

Thanks,
Dave

Yep, I had a horrible incident with a liner. After 5 years, the SS liner collapsed into the flue partially clogging it up. Most liners cannot handle the acidic nature of coal burning appliances and their resultant ash. Come spring time or whenever shut down occurs, moisture will react with the ash turning it into acid thereby eating at the liner.

Do a search for flue liners and you will find a plethora of responses. (I always wanted to use that word. )




Rick

Dave, why do you think you need to line the chimney? Did you ever get your other chimney issues straightened out? I seem to remember a big gap next to your thimble, and something weird with the cleanout door.

Rick, was your liner 316 Stainless, built for coal?

Stoker-Man,

Yes it was. It was Homesaver Ultra Pro 316 ti per the label on the liner itself.

Full post is here including some pics in page 1 : SS liner woes




Rick

stainless steels fail quickly with coal use, even 316ti. I've seen it on this site, and i've seen it in person. Stainless is not an appropriate long-term chimney material for venting coal appliances and it's barely adequate with anything other than wood. I've seen 316 pinhole and corrode even with heating oil appliances. Liner mfg'rs either don't know or don't care that stainless isn't an appropriate liner for coal; they just want to sell as many as they can before stainless liner failures start becoming apparent in the years ahead.

I put a liner in when I just had the oil boiler. I was running my Buderus oil boiler with low stack temperatures and the paint was coming off my chimney from the moisture.
When I installed the EFM, I couldn't get enough draft with the liner. I took the liner out and the draft has been great.

The stuff I used was Olympia Rhino Rigid with the forever warranty. So, if it gets holy, bring it! Really, I don't want to do that job again. I hated every minute of it.

Okay - I'll pass on the liner idea. The AD-1 seems to be working, but will test it more with the hotter weather. Does anyone know if the AD-1 can be used with the oil burner? Just leave it on all the time as with the coal?

Thanks for the replies.

Dave

Here's some 304 stainless pipe used as a chimney connector pipe from my stove. This happened after 6 months in my damp basement without cleaning. Those stains are from a baking soda/water mixture. Seemed to cause even more rust, so I don't use any water anymore to clean:

Vermontday - How do you like the Buderus boiler?

Dave

The AD-1 draft inducer on the smoke pipe works great, but would a chimney top draft inducer be better option for switching from coal to oil? Anyone recommend a chimney top draft inducer?

Thanks,

Dave