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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
1. The Optimizer 250 Water Furnace may be connected to an existing boiler system. Burn natural
wood only. Make sure the wood is dry and split if required to dry. Cover wood to protect from
fall rains and snow.
2. To avoid damage load wood carefully. Always shut off power before opening firing door or
loading the appliance with wood. Unlatch the firing door to the first catch, allow 5 seconds for
smoke to dissipate before opening door fully. There is also a switch for the blower fan in the
front of the furnace which should be turned off before opening the firepot door.
3. Do not use chemical substances or liquid fuels to start or enhance the fire.
4. Do not burn garbage, liquid fuels, engine oil, naphtha or other flammable materials, which
may cause a fire or an explosion or cause corrosion.
5. The Optimizer 250 has 2 air flow adjusting valves located in the back of the unit inside the
control panel. The air box where the blower fan is mounted on has two handles on it, the top
one is the primary air which supplies air to the firebox, the bottom one is the secondary air
with supplies air to the exhaust after it leaves the fire box these two valves need to be
adjusted accurately so that the gasifying process is correct.
6. To adjust the air flow it seems that the top valve (primary air) can be open 4 to 5 turns, and
the bottom (secondary air) is only 3 to 4 turns. To insure a good setting you can look at the
flame coming out of the fire pot into the reaction chamber, at max burn you should see a very
intense flame like a blow torch exiting the fire pot.( For this process to work efficiently the
wood has to be dry and of smaller diameter (3 to 4 inches). Experience will show you the
best size of wood. Smaller dry wood help build up a coal bed.
7. Clean the heat exchanger regularly to remove accumulated ash. Flue pipe and chimney need
to be cleaned periodically.
8. Clean the Outdoor Water Furnace and cap the chimney at the end of each heating season to
minimize corrosion during summer months.
9. Always maintain the Outdoor Water Furnace, flue pipe and chimney in good condition.
10.Do not load the Outdoor Water Furnace with wood during an electrical power failure. Do not
leave fire door open.
11.For safety do not store any fuel or combustible materials within the installation clearances of
the outdoor water furnace.
12.Keep firing, gasification and heat exchanger doors tightly closed at all times for safety.
13.Always keep 4 to 5 inches of ash (hot coals) in the fire box; the furnace works best when this
ash bed is kept. Keep the ash area below the firepot in the reaction chamber clean and free
from ash to allow maximum air to exit the firepot.
SAVING TIPS
Keep the circulating pump(s) on all the time to maintain a comfortable environment and avoid
temperature swings and settling of suspended matter in the water. For summer the pumps
may be left running to minimize pump seizure or they may be generally turn off and
occasionally turned on.
Maintain a regular wood-loading schedule to keep the Outdoor Water Furnace operating under
steady-state conditions
Turn the circulating pump(s) on occasionally during summer to minimize pump seizure.
