Calling the Garn Boiler Owners.

hedgerow · February 13, 2021, 12:56:38 PM

Always have a back up plan. Quick back ground on the Garn. It not quiet eleven years old. I had a water leak two years ago Dec and added water till spring. spent three grand to get up and running. Now just Dec 2020 got another leak in a different location and be going along with it patched with high temp silicone. Worked ok until last night and it flooded my Garn barn. Leak got a whole lot worst and couldn't get it sealed up. Shut it down and drain it to below the leak switched the house back to propane and electric heat.Going to see if I can weld it from the outside once this weather breaks in a week. I guess the positive is my wood supply isn't going down. Timing for this thing to fail wasn't good with a week of subzero weather coming.

cutterboy · February 14, 2021, 06:55:41 AM

Things never break down at a good time. I hope you can get it up and running for the rest of the winter and I hope it doesn't cost too much. Good luck.

jerry sundberg · February 15, 2021, 07:31:03 AM

Can you get a picture of where the leak is ? I've had my Garn since 2010 and no leaks on it and my buddy has had his since 96 and no leaks. The only time I've lost water is in the valve cross over pit for the green house, pex crimp fittings.

hedgerow · February 15, 2021, 10:23:40 AM

Quote from: jerry sundberg on February 15, 2021, 07:31:03 AM
Can you get a picture of where the leak is ? I've had my Garn since 2010 and no leaks on it and my buddy has had his since 96 and no leaks. The only time I've lost water is in the valve cross over pit for the green house, pex crimp fittings.

Jerry I don't have a picture. I give up my high tech phone when I took early retirement three years ago. Its leaking this time were the the blower box is welded to the front of the tank another factory weld has failed. I am glad you haven't had any issues with yours. With fifteen below temps and 29 below wind chill its not a great time to go back to propane.I hope I can keep the Garn barn from freezing with a electric heater.

jerry sundberg · February 16, 2021, 09:34:16 AM

Without actually seeing the problem may I suggest a possible way to fix it. If you can see where the weld is from the outside of the tank I would cut out a piece of the tank just along that weld and a little past the crack. Grind out the crack preheat that area a bit and re weld. I think you could check for leaks by plugging the exhaust re install the blower and fill with water to just above welded area and turn on the blower and it should show bubbles if it still leaks.

hedgerow · February 16, 2021, 10:22:55 AM

Good morning Jerry. Pickup showed minus 32 this A.M. If it gets up above freezing next week I will probably try welding it from the outside. The problem is all the welding that was done when they build it is inside the tank. There are no welds on the outside of the tank. When I say the weld is probably failed I am just guessing until I can completely drain it and clean it up and look at all the welds on the inside of the tank. The Garn barn is insulated very good so I am running a electric heater in there to keep the pipes and heat exchanger's from freezing and breaking. I plugged the intake and exhaust off and keeping the doors closed to keep the heat in the Garn barn.