Central Boiler 5036 or 6048?

[November Wolf]

First thing this is a great site. I have learned alot here reading the forums since I joined up and now have decided to take the plunge and get a Central Boiler. Here is my situation. I have a 2200 sq ft cap cod home on a full basement here in northern michigan. I have hydronic baseboard heat and a 100 gallon boiler mate. I also have a 30 X 40 pole barn that is uninsulated that I may want to heat in the future after I insulate it. I really have no need to heat the pole barn all the time, maybe just when I go out there for what ever reason. The salesman said the 5036 would do everything just fine but if I wanted to heat the barn all the time the bigger model 6048 would do the trick. Do you think if I got the bigger model 6048 and I was heating my house only and hot water would I burn more wood than the model 5036? I would like to keep my options open in case I decide to run heat to my barn but If I do not will I be sorry with the 5036? Its probably a catch 22 situation here.
There is a $1900 difference in price between the two. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[milkie62]

I have an older CL40 which is close to the 6048.The smaller model would have done everything for me but I wanted the bigger door opening.I am heating my 2600 sq ft house plus my hot water tank.You will not get the advertised burn rate.Mine is suppose to heat up to 72 hrs.Mine will only last 24 at most during winter.But I also mostly use pine and poplar.If I were to get another I would still get the bigger one.I do plan on upgrading within 2 yrs just to have the newer technology.Mine was built in 1993 and I bought it in 1995 and have had zero problems.You cannot go wrong with a CB.It has paid for itself.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Get the 6048....5036 is "rated" at 250K BTU, 196 gal. capacity...always err on the larger side when it comes to the boiler.

 

[biggenius29]

Your situation sounds like mine, a older house, about the same footage with a barn, in Michigan. I am going with a 6048. A 5036 would work for me, but I would rather have one that is to big instead of to small.

 

[pipe76]

6048

I have the 6048, love the big door and ability to load it up if I'm going to be away all day, I have a 2100 sq ft house, and eventually a room above my garage i plan on finishing off, and a garage workshop planned in the future, so the bigger unit was a no brainer at the time. Also I was lucky and got 900$ bucks off early this year. The unit is so well insulated, when your not calling for heat, the boiler will retain temp, and should'nt burn much wood at all. I think with a smaller boiler you will have smaller hot water storage, therefore burning more wood to heat the same space.,

Also a bigger burn chamber, allows more ash that will retain heat longer.

 

[LTREES]

I asked my dealer the same question. He said if you burn 2 cords and heat the same area it will last the same length of time. With the smaller unit you would have to feed it more often is the set back.:greenchainsaw:

 

[twofer]

I asked my dealer the same question. He said if you burn 2 cords and heat the same area it will last the same length of time. With the smaller unit you would have to feed it more often is the set back.:greenchainsaw:

You have to keep in mind though that the larger the firebox the larger the standby losses as all that wood sits in there and smolders. With the larger firebox you may not need to feed it as often but you'll lose efficiency and go through more wood.

 

[Slick]

I'm heating similiar...house and shop (my house is smaller my shop is bigger) I got a 5036 but I'm not burning yet....my dealer was just hear and said all I'd gain with the bigger unit was burn time as I could load more wood, the 36 will technically supply enough heat just a matter how long long you want between loads....to me it will be rare I need more than 12hrs....if it's 16 or 20 it won't help much as that will be the middle of the night or middle of the day when I'm at work so I plan to load twice a day....

 

[rx7145]

Get the bigger one. I wish I had.

 

[November Wolf]

Thanks for all the replys. I think I will go with the 6048. I like the Idea of longer burn times and the ability to heat more stuff If I want. I have my trench dug already and should get the pipe in this weekend. The stove will be here in December.

 

[jmcguiretree]

If you are looking at the 6048, think about buying the e-classic 2300. They claim it will use 30% less wood.It also meets EPA standards.

 

[jd6030]

Definitely consider the new 2300 boiler, I have one and has been running for 3 weeks now nothing but good. It smokes some at start up till gassifacation takes place and then calms down and wisps off smoke come out. It is a lot less smoke than the regular Central Boilers. You need dry wood for this stove all green wood is not for this stove. In 3 weeks of burning there have been one 5 gallon bucket of ashes that was like flour. The 2300 meets phase 1 and looks to be approved for phase 2. If you get a regular classic get the 6048 better to go bigger and 6048 holds almost double the water of a 5036.

 

[November Wolf]

That 2300 looks tempting but I just wonder if it actually performs as advertised. I would like to see a review after one has been in service a couple of years. I live on 60 acres and I have plenty of wood but If I could'nt burn some green wood now and then that might be a disadvantage for me. Also so far their are no laws banning the regular boilers in my area and I would hope they never pass any since this is a very rual area. This buying a wood boiler is a hard choise to make with all the models out there. I hope I will be happy with my decision.

 

[blackdogon57]

If wood supply is no problem the 6048 should do the trick. My 6048 heats 2800' house with full basement apt + double garage + 1500' kennel building. Also provides hot water for both buildings and heats 15000 gallon pool in the summer. I burn what ever a have - dry/green/hard/soft - matters little to me. The only time it smokes much is if I let the fire die right down and the water temp gets below 160.

 

[Muskytooth]

I too have an e-classic 2300. I am looking forward to seeing what the winter will bring but so far it looks promising as far as wood usage. It was low 30s this last weekend during the day with the wind really blowing. It was low 20s during the night. We got some snow, rain, ice mix as well. I put a heaping wheelbarrow load in the stove on Friday night....it will hold two loads by the way....and I didn't fill it again until Sunday morning. I have three little kids at home so between the clothes washing the the infloor heat in the basement....I was pretty happy with the result. In the dead of winter I could put both wheelbarrow loads there and I'm sure I will get plenty of time between loads. But that, of course, will have to wait to be proven.

Very little smoke too....which is nice.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Weeel.....I just had a fire go 19 hrs. in my 5036 before a reload....water temp was 165.