Hercules Draft Control

pintoplumber · Post by **pintoplumber** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 12:56 pm

Have any of you guys seen this before? It was given to me about 35 years ago, I didn't have need of it at the time because I was burning wood. I cleaned it up this week and got it working. I'll have to get a new aquastat and mount it either on the side of the boiler or near the ceiling. Dennis

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 3:36 pm

My thoughts are if one has a very high drafting chimney that this can tame it.
As a plus it lets the coal beast rest overnight when reduced temps are desirable.

Seems this would work best in a highly inefficient "whole house" heating units of yesteryear, again with high draft and lots of under grate air leaks...otherwise the more modern automatic barometric damper is a better solution.

It is, however, an improvement over the manually operated chain and pulley system that preceded it.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 3:57 pm

What happens if you lose power? Just curious.

pintoplumber · Post by **pintoplumber** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 7:26 pm

I guess I have an old heating unit of yesteryear. When I get it cleaned cleaned up I'll post a picture. It's an old cast iron Burnham boiler.

When the electric goes off, I'll fire up the generator. When we built the house I ran 3 separate circuits for generator use. The boiler is already wired so the switch is one way for house current and the other way generator current. Dennis

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 7:30 pm

Nice PP.

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 7:42 pm

That thing runs the under/over fire air correct? Not the barometric damper....

pintoplumber · Post by **pintoplumber** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 10:41 pm

Correct. There's a draft door in the base under the grates. There's a damper door in the cast iron smokepipe leaving the boiler. These were operated by chains and pulleys from a device that raised and lowered an arm based on the temperature.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Sat. Jun. 27, 2015 10:44 pm

freetown fred wrote:What happens if you lose power? Just curious.

The arm stays where it dies until repowered.

waldo lemieux · Post by **waldo lemieux** » Sun. Jun. 28, 2015 9:03 am

I would never use one of those on a solid fuel appliance, I would use a mechanical Amark or similar "wax"
driven draft arm. Amark is no longer available but there are others.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Jun. 28, 2015 5:19 pm

waldo lemieux wrote:I would never use one of those on a so
lid fuel appliance, I would use a mechanical Amark or similar "wax"
driven draft arm. Amark is no longer available but there are others.

Like a Sampson, still used on the Amish made boilers.

Hercules Draft Control

Attachments