Stanley Erin Stove with Back Boiler

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Anyone have an Erin that heats rads?

I’m new and following instructions, using smokeless so leave the secondary air control fully closed all the time.

I don’t see anything in the instructions about when to hit the switch to turn on the back boiler or when to turn it off.

I was told by someone to hit the switch when I hear a gurgle but just had it lit for an hour, heard nothing and the fire was pretty dead and dark? Then I hit the switch and the fire lit up and some heat came out. Maybe I missed the gurgle but is it ok to just hit the switch after a few minutes once the fire is going?

It seems to heat the rads well but not much from the stove as in that toasty stove heat you Ld expect so. Any way to lessen the rad heat and get more out the front by tweaking the controls?

Thanks

upupup

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Anyone have an Erin that heats rads?

I’m new and following instructions, using smokeless so leave the secondary air control fully closed all the time.

I don’t see anything in the instructions about when to hit the switch to turn on the back boiler or when to turn it off.

I was told by someone to hit the switch when I hear a gurgle but just had it lit for an hour, heard nothing and the fire was pretty dead and dark? Then I hit the switch and the fire lit up and some heat came out. Maybe I missed the gurgle but is it ok to just hit the switch after a few minutes once the fire is going?

It seems to heat the rads well but not much from the stove as in that toasty stove heat you Ld expect so. Any way to lessen the rad heat and get more out the front by tweaking the controls?

Thanks

In any modern boiler stove there in no "switch hitting".It should be automatic,when the boiler heats the water to the desired temp,the thermostat sends a signal to the pump then the pump starts pumping to the rads.
You cant switch the boiler on or off.
It could become dangerous if its not automatic as it could overheat if you are not there to "hit the switch"

Car99

You have an off off switch for a bomb. Not a good idea. Google back boiler bomb and you'll see why.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

I think the switch is for the pump rather than back boiler itself? So I should leave it on after lighting the fire and not turn it off until the fire is out?

upupup

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

I think the switch is for the pump rather than back boiler itself? So I should leave it on after lighting the fire and not turn it off until the fire is out?

Yes,turn it on when you light it and turn it off when the fire is dead but as i said already,the pump should be automatic and connected to a thermostat.
Its will overheat if someone else lights the stove without knowing about the switch.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Ok thanks for that. It's working well tonight, Think I was misusing the front air control last time.

On that switch, am I doing any harm by leaving it on the whole time? Seems like a safer option in case I forget to turn it on.
Is is a small job to take it out and automate it?

Toby22

Hi,
I inherited a cottage with a back boiler system. It’s not automated but there is a ‘blow pipe’ fitted in case the boiler overheats. I turn on the pump about 20 minutes after I light the stove and have it on a timer socket which is set for a couple of hours after I go to bed and have let the fire die down. Asked plumber friend about leaving pump on constantly and he said it will just wear it out quicker but it won’t do any damage to the heating system.

Curious_Case

In effect, the pump should be connected so that 2 "switches" are required to activate it.
The power switch is the obvious 1st switch and the thermostat itself (or a pipestat strapped to the output pipe) is the not so obvious 2nd switch.

This means that if the power switch is left on, there will be no wastage of electricity or wear of the pump if the system is cold.

The only possible wastage of electricity would be the indicator light on the power switch (very small).

I use a pipestat set to 50°C to activate the pump when temp. of output pipe reaches that level.

upupup

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Ok thanks for that. It's working well tonight, Think I was misusing the front air control last time.

On that switch, am I doing any harm by leaving it on the whole time? Seems like a safer option in case I forget to turn it on.
Is is a small job to take it out and automate it?

It's a small job to automate it and there is no need to take it out.It has nothing to do with the stove,it's just the pump and an electrician can do it.
Yes,you can leave the pump on the whole time until you get it automated

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Thanks for the info.
I think I'll just leave it on so as I'm less worried about the cost of a little less electricity than I am about blowing up my house!
I'll ask my electrician about the switch so and see what he says about automating it.

cranefly

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Thanks for the info.
I think I'll just leave it on so as I'm less worried about the cost of a little less electricity than I am about blowing up my house!
I'll ask my electrician about the switch so and see what he says about automating it.

The automated switch is a good idea, before we got the boiler stove put in, we had an old back boiler behind the fireplace, and for 20 years whenever i heard the backboiler starting to boil, i had to go to the hot press and press the switch to start pumping the water to the rads, The stove guys put the stove in and a stove thermostat to the chimney breat, then ran the wire to the hot press, and connected it to the switch, so now when the temperature of the stove reaches 55 degress, it switches the pump on automatically, and turns it off again.

Any of the stove shops around should be able to find the right guys who would fit this thermostat, as knowledge of stove plumbing, which most of them have is helpful as well.

chuck eastwood

My dad had the erin stove and I have the lismore. Both backboiler units. Lads it is pure madness having any boiler stove without a pipe stat controlled pump. Why bother spending €2000 on a stove and then skimping on a €20 stat €70 pump and a sparks for an hour. If it's done right you can heat a house off of it. If not you are blowing all your hot water into the overflow/vent tank. Pointless even having the boiler. Also a gravity feed to your hot water cylinder will not dissipate enough heat to avoid having a pump

Lewis_Benson

Get a thermostat fitted.
It's not good to leave it running all the time either.
It draws hest away from your hot water cylinder once theee is bonfire lit, meaning you need to waste fuel heating it again.
Also that can introduce condensation to the stove boiler and pipework with cold water rubbing through if no dire is lit for a few days.

It's not a big job to sort.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

chuck eastwood wrote: »

My dad had the erin stove and I have the lismore. Both backboiler units. Lads it is pure madness having any boiler stove without a pipe stat controlled pump. Why bother spending €2000 on a stove and then skimping on a €20 stat €70 pump and a sparks for an hour. If it's done right you can heat a house off of it. If not you are blowing all your hot water into the overflow/vent tank. Pointless even having the boiler. Also a gravity feed to your hot water cylinder will not dissipate enough heat to avoid having a pump

Do you mind me asking how much fuel you put in the Erin? Would you put in a whole bucket of coal when/after lighting to fill the grate and then add more in half buckets later to top up?

So if there is a pipe stat controlled pump, it will auto stop diverting heat via the back boiler when no longer needed and start outputting more into the room? A frustration I have with this is that I’d like the option to not use the back boiler and sometimes just use the stove to heat the living room while using my oil central heating for the rest of the house. Doesn’t seem possible without bursting pipes though?...

chuck eastwood

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Do you mind me asking how much fuel you put in the Erin? Would you put in a whole bucket of coal when/after lighting to fill the grate and then add more in half buckets later to top up?

So if there is a pipe stat controlled pump, it will auto stop diverting heat via the back boiler when no longer needed and start outputting more into the room? A frustration I have with this is that I’d like the option to not use the back boiler and sometimes just use the stove to heat the living room while using my oil central heating for the rest of the house. Doesn’t seem possible without bursting pipes though?...

If you are frustrated by not being able to just use it to heat the room and do away with the boiler then you didn't have an understanding of the correct use and function of a boiler stove when you bought it. Simply put, no matter what is connected to be it rads or a cylinder you must have a stat controlled pump.

It clearly stats in the erin manual that a pipe stat to activate a pump is essential. What would happen to your oil or gas burner if you didn't have a pump to move the water before it boils ? Bet same principle.

I have the lismore which is slightly smaller but I have it wired to kick in and heat my downstairs zone when the stat hits 50 degrees. There is no major loss of heat to the room, some but very little. Again I not sure how yours is plumbed but to give you a rough idea of my set up which works well see the photos below. You absolutely dont need to have zones/wiring centres etc but the pump is a no brainer

As for the amount of fuel my dad's erin stove and my lismore burn, it varies as we burn a variety if timber turf nuggets etc

Jjjjjjjjbarry

chuck eastwood wrote: »

If you are frustrated by not being able to just use it to heat the room and do away with the boiler then you didn't have an understanding of the correct use and function of a boiler stove when you bought it. Simply put, no matter what is connected to be it rads or a cylinder you must have a stat controlled pump.

It clearly stats in the erin manual that a pipe stat to activate a pump is essential. What would happen to your oil or gas burner if you didn't have a pump to move the water before it boils ? Bet same principle.

I didn't buy it. It came with the house so now I'm just trying to figure out how to get best use from it and heat my home efficiently.

I'll speak to an electrician on the stat issue.

On the actual heat output, I'm not quite sure I'm utilising the two air controls properly. Following the official instructions, you start with the back primary air/ thermostat controller @ 4 and only turn it down when you're warm enough. I'm leaving that @ 4 as I've not yet felt 'too warm'.

On the secondary (front) air controller, it says to leave it fully closed (clockwise) when lighting and all times if you're using smokeless and only open (anti-clockwise) for coal/wood. I am using kindling + smokeless coal to start so leave it open at first but haven't figured out the best adjustment for this once the fire is lighting for maximum heat.

Should I fully close the secondary (front one) once the fire is well established or leave it half way or what do you set it at?

thanks.

p.s thanks for the info and photos. Will show them to my electrician and plumber.

upupup

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

I didn't buy it. It came with the house so now I'm just trying to figure out how to get best use from it and heat my home efficiently.

I'll speak to an electrician on the stat issue.

On the actual heat output, I'm not quite sure I'm utilising the two air controls properly. Following the official instructions, you start with the back primary air/ thermostat controller @ 4 and only turn it down when you're warm enough. I'm leaving that @ 4 as I've not yet felt 'too warm'.

On the secondary (front) air controller, it says to leave it fully closed (clockwise) when lighting and all times if you're using smokeless and only open (anti-clockwise) for coal/wood. I am using kindling + smokeless coal to start so leave it open at first but haven't figured out the best adjustment for this once the fire is lighting for maximum heat.

Should I fully close the secondary (front one) once the fire is well established or leave it half way or what do you set it at?

thanks.

p.s thanks for the info and photos. Will show them to my electrician and plumber.

Open up the primary and secondary fully when lighting.
Wait and watch

chuck eastwood

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

I didn't buy it. It came with the house so now I'm just trying to figure out how to get best use from it and heat my home efficiently.

I'll speak to an electrician on the stat issue.

On the actual heat output, I'm not quite sure I'm utilising the two air controls properly. Following the official instructions, you start with the back primary air/ thermostat controller @ 4 and only turn it down when you're warm enough. I'm leaving that @ 4 as I've not yet felt 'too warm'.

On the secondary (front) air controller, it says to leave it fully closed (clockwise) when lighting and all times if you're using smokeless and only open (anti-clockwise) for coal/wood. I am using kindling + smokeless coal to start so leave it open at first but haven't figured out the best adjustment for this once the fire is lighting for maximum heat.

Should I fully close the secondary (front one) once the fire is well established or leave it half way or what do you set it at?

thanks.

p.s thanks for the info and photos. Will show them to my electrician and plumber.

To be honest on the erin we have never been able to get the air controls to work as described. Maybe because it's a slightly bigger stove than the lismore you have a little less control. The inner baffle plate is completely different in mine.

Can I ask if your house is zoned or if you intend on putting a few quid into getting it working right or are you happy enough the just stick on a stat and pump. There are loads of solutions but most are a waste of money. I'm not sure if its possible for you but most placed like Chadwicks who sell stanley stoves can set you up with plumbers familiar with your type of stove

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Hadn't really put thought into zones but will get a plumbers advice on that too. My house is small and it seems to heat the rads well. I also have oil CH when needed so will likely just get the stat put on.

Question, what happens if oil heating is on and stove is lit. Does the stove heat the rads and the oil stops burning or is there another potential bomb? Not going to happen, just curious.

chuck eastwood

Jjjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Hadn't really put thought into zones but will get a plumbers advice on that too. My house is small and it seems to heat the rads well. I also have oil CH when needed so will likely just get the stat put on.

Question, what happens if oil heating is on and stove is lit. Does the stove heat the rads and the oil stops burning or is there another potential bomb? Not going to happen, just curious.

Excuse the slow reply. They way my system is set up with systemlink/systemlex as the above drawing I attached.

When it is wired correctly according to the drawing and not how a sparks thinks it should be done it will work in the following manner.
Stove hits temp (50c) stat kicks in pump and opens valve or turns on pump to send water to a selected zone.
If you happen to have your oil timed to come on when your stove is lighting and the water is already hot enough to service your rads the system lex will cut out the signal to turn on your boiler. If however the stat on your stove drops below your set 50degree the systemlex will then bring back in your oil boiler to compensate.
If you can zoneyour house then absolutely do it. We have an average 3 bed semi D with 2 kids under 5 and our oil bill last year was €550. Maybe another 140 on top for nuggets and timber. My sister has a similar house not zoned with just oil and get bill was €1600 be cause she relies souly on oil.
Depends on who lives in the house and if you like them enough to keep them warm

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Thanks very much. Very helpful.