forced air buner adjustment

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Nov 17, 2006
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OK, I am curing the liner in my forge and needs some help. I have 4 adjustments in my line. I have the propane regulator witch goes to a needle valve on the gas side and then the plate over my blowers intake and a ball valve on the air side. I have been playing with them but I am not getting the flame I think I need. So far my best luck has been to turn the regulator on only enough to get good gas flow then open up the needle valve to let a good amount of flame come out the burner. Then I kick on my blower with the plate closed and open the ball valve. Now doing this I get a blue "jet" flame like I would expect to see off a torch. If I open the ball valve to much it starts to sputter and gives me a "thump" and then usually dies. Do I need to cut back on the needle valve or let more air in through the blower? Whats the ideal way to adjust your forced air burner? Thanks for any help. Sorry if I am rambling.
 
I set pressure around 4 pounds. Turn on air and then gas with a flame just out side the forge for ignition. Most forges require a few minutes to warm up and make your adjustments then.
 
Maybe that's my problem. I wanted to run the burner for a short time and then increase the time/temp with each subsequent firing to slowly dry out the mizzou. I will let it run a few minutes and then try and get it right. I dont have a pressure guage yet, I will get one soon but I think I should be around a few pounds with it set where it is. Thanks.
 
The longer the forge runs the more efficient it becomes. When you first fire it up it will need to be running fairly high. I built a burner nozzle that can be controlled down to a very low flame. You can also cure your mizzou with charcoal brickets. I put a pile in and light them off. The slow increase and then decrease in heat cure the refactory slow. After the BBQ you can fire up with the propane.
 
After letting it run a few minutes I was able to get a much wider range of adjustment out of it. The briquettes are a good idea but I think it might be a little late for that. I let it dry for a day then put it close to a heater vent for a day. Today I ran my burner on low for about a minute then after cooling ran it again a bit higher for a few minutes. Now after a few more increases I just ran it for about 10 minutes at close to full blast. The only problem I am having now is that when I close the lid on my forge I cant get my burner to stay lit. I assume that the flame consumes the available oxygen in the forge and then dies. But isn't the blower providing oxygen to the flame? I have tried closing and opening the plate on my blower but I still lose fire after the lid has been closed for a minute. What am I doing wrong now lol?
 
Dustin Golat said:
Now after a few more increases I just ran it for about 10 minutes at close to full blast. The only problem I am having now is that when I close the lid on my forge I cant get my burner to stay lit. I assume that the flame consumes the available oxygen in the forge and then dies. But isn't the blower providing oxygen to the flame? I have tried closing and opening the plate on my blower but I still lose fire after the lid has been closed for a minute. What am I doing wrong now lol?
Click to expand...

Lid? That most likely is your problem. Don't close it all the way or just leave it open.
 
A forge is not a closed system. All that air and gas needs some place to go. There should be a front and a back "door" or port. The back port can be closed off, if desired, but the front port should never be blocked. I would sat that a blown forge needs at least a 3X4" or a 4" round opening to run. When you trap explosive gasses in a closed chamber BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
A forge is not a closed system. All that air and gas needs some place to go. There should be a front and a back "door" or port. The back port can be closed off, if desired, but the front port should never be blocked. I would sat that a blown forge needs at least a 3X4" or a 4" round opening to run. When you trap explosive gasses in a closed chamber BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
Stacy
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking. No place for the gasses to escape. Is it a vertical or horizontal unit??
 
I agree that it sounds like your closing off the forge and thus smothering the flame....Now I always get a funny burn at the first drying out firing.The moisture coming out of the refractory doesnt let the burner run efficeantly,once the refractory is dryed out then you should be able to adjust the flme better.I fire up the first time and let the forge spit and sputter for a couple of hours and then shut down and close off the forge holding the heat in and curing the refractory.

Good Luck,
Bruce
 
It is a vertical and has a 4x4" front and a 3x3" back opening. Its 12" in diameter so leaving the lid open would lose all my heat, or at least I think so. I will finish drying out the refractory and then see if I have the same issue. If I do I will try and post a video or a few pictures. Thanks guys.
 
I have never used a vertical forge so maybe someone who uses on could chime in. It sounds like the air gas mixture is off. You need to put the top on this type forge as long as you have openings. It may solve itself with a complete cure...
 
Are you using the ball valve to control air flow? If so, doesn't that make the choke plate on the blower unnecessary? I use a gate valve for air control and no plate on the blower intake. I control my gas with the regulator and the air with the gate valve and that is it. Very easy to adjust. Sorry if I am understanding your setup wrong.

-Mike
 
Yes, I am using a ball valve inline from my blower to my forge. I will open the plate all the way so it is not in use and see if that helps. I have one more layer of satanite to apply and cure then I have to do my ITC-100. I'm about to bust out a propane torch and make a 1 brick to play with while I wait lol.
 
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Don't light that bomb!:eek::( you need a gas pressure gage. :confused:You may think you are running at 2 and be running at 20 PSI.

PSI is very important.

When operating a blown forge:

Always run air first, never the gas. Your safe, until you open the gas valve.


A forge will run richer [more gas less air] when its first lit, but you must give it air to avoid explosions.

Let a forge breath by giving it more air [less gas], as it heats up.
Five psi will operate both of my monster five burner forges at the same time, its the same 5 psi your single forge needs to operate also.
Believe it or not.

Wear a mask when you work with any of the wool liners used in forge making, they will rot your lungs in a jiff. Nasty:barf:

Remember: air first, nice even airflow out of the forge, turn that needle valve and along with the igniter, open the valve until the flame [just] comes out the opening, it should run a little rich when its first started.
Let the temperature come up a little- then adjust the flame. It will need less gas and more air as it heats up.

A forge is like most engines, they need to be choked when they are started. More gas less air/when cold.



Good luck and for your families sake, check your insurance, Fred
 
Will do Fred. I have been adjusting the regulator to off and then slowly turining it until it starts to let gas out. I assume I am in the lowest range my regulator will do but you know what they say about assuming.
 
I think I've got it. I believe now that the wet refractory combined with me runnning it to lean and not letting the burner heat up where my problems. I am now allowing the burner to warm up, then cutting back the gas and increasing the air. It is now running fine with my forge lid closed. Thanks a ton guys. One or two more days and I will be forging (God help me).
 
Take time to let the lining dry. It will give off water until it does and wont run correctly until that happens.
Getting a blown forge to operate correctly, takes a bit of trial and error to get it working right.
Glad you got it running and with out the dreaded smoke and fire and large noises.:DFred
 
I get a real chuckle out of the new makers who post things like, " I got my stuff from Darren Ellis yesterday and built the forge in two hours. I let it dry for another hour, and fired it up....."

Let the refractory cure properly and it will last a long time. I still have two upright forges in the storage building that I did the satanite on in the summer, and haven't put on the ITC-100 yet....why rush things.

Stacy
 
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