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Post by drooster on Nov 3, 2019 10:02:04 GMT -8
My long-suffering Rayburn 1 (and a half) from (probably) 1956 sprung a leak (actually just one copper pipe behind it) and during the rugby (SA vs England) I had to spend time disconnecting and draining the hot-water-tank supply.
I intend it now to be not connected at all to the water system, so I'm wondering what/how much insulation to apply to the rear face of the firebox, and should I fill the empty waterbox with something (perlite, lime mortar) ?
With a hot rear face I expect I can get more efficient starting kindling burns without water robbing the heat, then I go to my usual petroleum-coke combustion.
Those who know : I'm thinking reclaimed ceramic blanked with a thin face of normal firebrick.
Please comment.
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Post by gadget on Nov 3, 2019 18:25:57 GMT -8
If there is no risk of abrasion or damage from loading, I would just go with the blanket.
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Post by drooster on Nov 4, 2019 1:31:06 GMT -8
Gadget the rear face takes full impact of a shovelful of coals.
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Post by Vortex on Nov 4, 2019 2:08:41 GMT -8
I've often heard of people filling old disused back boilers with sand. No idea if it helps stops them from burning out or not. I seem to remember when people put masonry around the outside of barrels they burn out quicker. Can you not remove it and fill the space with fire bricks?
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Post by drooster on Nov 5, 2019 14:42:59 GMT -8
I don't want to remove the empty water section as the fit is still good (after 62 years - ish : I've only burned in it for about 28 ), and I think I don't need to fill it if I insulate the flat face from the real fire. I'll use insulating stuff then a layer or firebrick. It's actually working well so far with just loose firebricks infront, in the firebox.
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Post by Vortex on Nov 5, 2019 15:42:26 GMT -8
I had an old Rayburn back in the mid 80's. Didn't have a chainsaw or woodshed, so I'd have to spend hours everyday hunting for dry dead standing wood in the forest. Used to joke that I'd slave all day gathering offerings for the great god Rayburn so I could bask in his radiance  |
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Post by gadget on Nov 5, 2019 21:41:16 GMT -8
If the unused water portion can radiate the heat away fast enough without burnout I would just go with firebrick and call it good.
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Post by drooster on Nov 6, 2019 12:13:40 GMT -8
I shall call it good,
thanks fellas.
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Post by esbjornaneer on Nov 21, 2019 1:28:31 GMT -8
Coming in late in this discussion. I was renting a house that had a Rayburn Royal just after 2000. It had been providing hot water to the house until refurbishments just before I moved in. They had filled the back boiler with ordinary concrete!!! Big mistake! The moisture still trapped in it made the thing blow. It was still usable for cooking and kitchen heating. There was a hole where the steam build up had blown into the firebox but very little deterioration of the metal otherwise (compared with what I see in rocket stoves, not sure if it is because of being cast iron boiler or relatively low temps?).
After I moved out they were going to remove the Rayburn altogether so I got it. Speaking with the guys that would be able to supply a replacement boiler they said that the best thing to have done was fill it with sand. In the end I never refurbished it or used it again.
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