Classic leaking?

petefrom bearswamp · November 15, 2013, 09:37:48 AM

My 8 yr old classic is starting to "use" water.
I noticed this toward the end of last season.
Watched it all summer and the level dropped only about 1/8" but is starting to now having to add water about every 2 weeks.
Anyone out there have advice/opinion as to how to locate a leak and repair?
Is there a boiler sealer similar to the old car radiator stop leak that wouldn't plug my plate heat exchanger?
Pete

coxy · November 15, 2013, 04:33:48 PM

they do make a sealer but it wont last vary long see if the ashes are damp in the bottom of fire box or look around the out side to see if its leaking out side if the hole is small on in side the heat my be evaporating it look at all the pipes and fittings for leaking to the in side is not bad to weld I put all new steel on the in side of mine this year I used 3/16 to reline my sides took a bout 8 hours to do good luck let us know what you find

thecfarm · November 15, 2013, 06:52:03 PM

A bad time of year to check for a leak,but is there ever a good time? I think the fire has to be out and cleaned out. Seem like someone had a leak and was able to find it.Could of been coxy for all I know. good luck. He is right about checking the fittings. I had one leaking on the back side of a line. It was leaking at the top and by the time it gone down the line about 2-3 inches it was evaporated. It was not much of a leak,made it that much harder to find.I finally saw it because I could see some sort of residue on the line. Than I put my hand way up by the fitting and could feel it wet. :

That had me going for a few weeks.

albirk · November 16, 2013, 05:22:03 AM

what size is your classic

David-L · November 16, 2013, 06:20:44 AM

They will leak in the fire box where the spacers where welded in to keep the water jacket from rippling and moving around. I move the ashes every fill up on mine and scrape the sides to. If you scrape the sides of the fire box you will feal the tabs I am talking about. those ashes are caustic and eat weld spots for lunch. I believe there are four weld tabs you should feel. Mine is a classic 3640 I beleive, the smaller one with 180 to 200 gallons of H2o. Haven't burned a drop of oil in a long time in the farm house here.

albirk · November 16, 2013, 07:03:13 AM

David-L
you must have a 5036 that is why I was asking the size I have welded I think 10 or 11 of them and it is the pin on the left side looking in the door maybe 1 on the right side
the bad thing is they will not leak bad so the ashes will not get wet to be able to find the pin hole

David-L · November 16, 2013, 06:27:52 PM

Mine has never leaked , and I check the water site tube daily.

David

r.man · November 16, 2013, 08:18:23 PM

I ran a leaky OWB for a season with a cedar plug in the hole, I think I was channeling my father. My stove developed a leak part way through the year, in the open on the side. I tried a boiler plug which is just a very tapered screw but the hole was not round. I needed something temporary to get me by so I whittled a tapered plug out of a piece of cedar kindling. It worked so well I waited until the warm weather to fix it properly. Had to replace the plug once or twice when I got careless and dislodged it with a stick of wood.

coxy · November 20, 2013, 05:25:22 PM

Quote from: r.man on November 16, 2013, 08:18:23 PM
I ran a leaky OWB for a season with a cedar plug in the hole, I think I was channeling my father. My stove developed a leak part way through the year, in the open on the side. I tried a boiler plug which is just a very tapered screw but the hole was not round. I needed something temporary to get me by so I whittled a tapered plug out of a piece of cedar kindling. It worked so well I waited until the warm weather to fix it properly. Had to replace the plug once or twice when I got careless and dislodged it with a stick of wood.

:D ill have to remember that one hope I never have to do it ;D

albirk · November 24, 2013, 07:12:58 AM

any update on the leak

coxy · November 24, 2013, 07:37:05 AM

pete said he was going to hunting camp for a week ;D

JJ · November 24, 2013, 10:57:46 AM

R-Man,
How did you keep the cedar plug from burning up?

JJ

beenthere · November 24, 2013, 01:58:07 PM

It is likely wet, being as it is holding against water. Just my thought. ;)

coxy · November 24, 2013, 05:43:27 PM

Quote from: r.man on November 16, 2013, 08:18:23 PM
I ran a leaky OWB for a season with a cedar plug in the hole, I think I was channeling my father. My stove developed a leak part way through the year, in the open on the side. I tried a boiler plug which is just a very tapered screw but the hole was not round. I needed something temporary to get me by so I whittled a tapered plug out of a piece of cedar kindling. It worked so well I waited until the warm weather to fix it properly. Had to replace the plug once or twice when I got careless and dislodged it with a stick of wood.

it was on the out side not in the fire box

petefrom bearswamp · November 25, 2013, 03:48:24 PM

got back yesterday from hunting.
Water level down slightly, about 1/4 inch in sight tube.
I'm going to check the fittings per C farm's suggestion.
also for the aforementioned tabs by davidL

Ohiowood · November 25, 2013, 04:01:54 PM

You do any good hunting?

petefrom bearswamp · November 25, 2013, 04:41:04 PM

got a shot at a buck, but missed. Old age setting in I guess.
Did shoot a doe here at home today, will cut her up tomorrow and have tenderloins for supper.
Checked the fittings where the PEX connects to the boiler, no leaks, but will check the elbows where the lines go in the ground tomorrow.
david-l mine is a 4436 185 gals of h2o.
Are the tabs you talk about just small bumps on the sides of the firebox?
I dont have much luck scraping the sides, maybe that is my problem.

albirk · November 26, 2013, 04:02:47 AM

Yes Pete the little bumps are the pins that are welded in check the left side looking in the door they seem to leak more then the right side I think you will have two pins on each side one about a foot inside and one in front of the big V in the back you may need a drill, grinder with a wire brush to get them clean to see the drip or you may see a little water trail down the side
good luck
alan

coxy · November 26, 2013, 06:52:38 AM

Quote from: albirk on November 26, 2013, 04:02:47 AM
Yes Pete the little bumps are the pins that are welded in check the left side looking in the door they seem to leak more then the right side I think you will have two pins on each side one about a foot inside and one in front of the big V in the back you may need a drill, grinder with a wire brush to get them clean to see the drip or you may see a little water trail down the side
good luck
alan

when doing this be prepared some times you get a bath if the side is in bad shape like min was :D

petefrom bearswamp · November 26, 2013, 08:23:52 AM

Thanks guys
Pete

Farmerjw · November 26, 2013, 09:40:12 PM

Went through a time when I thought mine was leaking also. It was, but it was in the basement near the radiator core that lays horizontally in my furnace. It was a slight leak at a valve that ran onto the copper piping. So it instantly vaporized, didn't make noise, no water on the floor, just had a good guy helping me run down possible problems before going inside the firebox. Just a thought for you to check.

r.man · November 26, 2013, 11:30:22 PM

The cedar plugs I used were inside the firebox and ideally you would only make them as long as they needed to be when driven in. Shape it into a cone or taper that was bigger on one end than the hole and gently tap it in. Generally the leak would completely stop but a few times I would have to shape two or three to get it right. The principle would be the same as boiling water in a paper bag. I used this trick on two different holes and luckily both spots could be avoided with wood if I was reasonably careful. Simple to do, repeatable, quick and you can't hurt anything by trying.

coxy · November 27, 2013, 06:29:55 AM

Quote from: coxy on November 24, 2013, 05:43:27 PM
Quote from: r.man on November 16, 2013, 08:18:23 PM
I ran a leaky OWB for a season with a cedar plug in the hole, I think I was channeling my father. My stove developed a leak part way through the year, in the open on the side. I tried a boiler plug which is just a very tapered screw but the hole was not round. I needed something temporary to get me by so I whittled a tapered plug out of a piece of cedar kindling. It worked so well I waited until the warm weather to fix it properly. Had to replace the plug once or twice when I got careless and dislodged it with a stick of wood.
it was on the out side not in the fire box

sorry all put a word in there that was not there thought it said out side sorry

jreimer · November 27, 2013, 11:38:02 AM

On my previous furnace I fixed quite a few leaks in the firebox side with shingle nails and JB Weld. I would clean the area, drill out the hole to the size of the shingle nail, then smear the nail with JB weld, being sure to cover the large head with JB Weld. Eventually the fire would eat away the nail head, but the nail itself seemed to hold. It never leaked in these spots again. This bought me 2 years while I saved up for a new stove.