Looking to buy a owb

[Husqvarnaman92]

Ive been looking to buy a owb this summer. Ive been looking at central boiler classic edge 350 or 550 just wondering what some opinions are of central or if there is a better company. Seems sense the epa regulations have picked up there arent as many options out there as far as manufactures.

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[Hunt4lumber]

Last winter was our first year on our owb( central boiler e- classic 1450 to heat our 2100 sq. Ft ranch with no problem). Used 5 cords of seasoned split wood( will not burn green wood at all).had 1 selinoid go bad.under warranty.other than that just clean out lower ash area 1x a week and firebox area 1 x a month.the ability to view in real time what your boiler is doing is awesome also...

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[bigric954rr]

why would it not burn wet wod if you had a fire going already?

 

[Storm56]

EPA stoves cannot handle wet/green wood. Plugs up all the air tubes with creosote. That said wet/green wood is not good in any type of wood stove. It creates unecssary moisture in the stove and chimney resulting in corrosion issues. It also provides quite a bit less heat as the energy in the fire is using its energy to dry out the wood rather than create heat.

 

[cantoo]

This is my opinion only. OWB is only cost effective if you have a huge heat demand. Either big square footage (greenhouse, shop etc) or poorly insulated buildings. If you can heat what you need to heat with 5 cord than your payback for the OWB system will be many many years, if ever. I heat 2 houses and my shop using a used OWB and I'm still pretty sure my system doesn't pay for itself. I have too many "toys" for firewood though. My thoughts are that you are far better to invest your money into making your house more efficient 1st and then consider the OWB. Better windows, doors, more insulation and heat\electric saving devices will be a far quicker payback and will start saving you money immediately no matter what your heating system is. OWB units are pricing themselves out of the market, they are getting so expensive that they just aren't worth the money unless you have a huge heat demand then you can make it up on volume.
I used to buy my logs delivered to my yard, cut with a small stihl and borrowed a wood splitter for 2 days and split everything. Bang done for the year. Heated 1 house with a Hotblast and that was the cheapest heating that I've ever had. Now I have an owb, tractor, dozen buckets, grapples, log wagons, several splitters, 20 saws. I'll never live long enough to pay it all back on heat savings even on 2 houses.
I think the indoor boilers are a better bang for your buck. The mess is inside though. Sit down and write out your whole plan before you spend a dime.

 

[Hunt4lumber]

Simply put you cannot buy wood and come out ahead on an owb system. I cut from Farmers fencerows and wherever else I can get for free. 5 cords is a small amount of wood compared to an older style owb unit that would go through 8-10 cords a year to heat the same house.we put new windows in, insulted attic with blown in on top of our batting ( r-30).
It will take 2 more winters and our owb will have paid itself off and I won't be paying to heat our house or workshop anymore.which was my goal to begin with ( no more expensive fuel oil)and not being reliant on them to heat our home.

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[cantoo]

Hunt4lumber and a nice short run so you aren't paying big bucks for the insulated line is nice too. Ohio is a little warmer than here though.

 

[Hunt4lumber]

Ok

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[Hunt4lumber]

No

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[jrider]

Take a look at portage and main. I would go with a gasification boiler. Yes, they are more expensive but they use much less wood. Your payback time will vary but if you have access to free wood and already own the equipment needed to process the wood, it won't take long to really start saving. I sell firewood and burn the junk I can't sell. My payback time was 3 winters. I already owned all of the equipment I use and I keep things simple- 3 saws, a log splitter, a tractor with forks, and a dump truck.

 

[husqvarna257]

Yea I have the CB 1450, it's a great unit. Kind of amazing how gasifacation units burn clean, burning smoke so nothing comes out is cool. But it's late at night and I can be easily amused. That being said they are worth the money if as said you can get wood for free or cheaply. Over two years and no fill from the propane company is my incentive. I find myself looking on craigslist all the time.

 

[StihlKicking]

Check out hardy heaters. Some people love them some hate them as with any boiler. You can buy a gasser or non gasser from them. Reasonably priced. I have had good luck with them.


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[Khntr85]

I disagree with the idea that it takes many years to pay for the owb....this next year will be my 4 or 5 with my Hawkins stove and it's paid for itself easily by not buying propane...


That being said I can't imagine anyone buying a owb that has to pay for the wood, hell that defeats the whole purpose to me....

I only cut good hardwood for free and do tree jobs on the side....it was an absolute no brainer to me....if my stove fell to pieces 2-years from now I would buy a new one the next day,(won't happen though as it would only be 6-years old)....

 

[Mustang71]

I have a 1700sqft ranch with a wood furnace it paid for it self the first year of not buying a second tank of propane. I watch my neighbors OWB running in the summer I'm assuming to make hot water and think what a waste of time and energy. Once you heat the water the possibilities are endless. The amount of heat it takes to heat the water is the problem. You can heat just a house or a house and a shop and other things on the same amount of wood.

 

[Khntr85]

I also think what a lot of guys forget it this.....when you have a wood stove inside your house, most people still have to use another source of heat when they are at work, gas, electric, etc.....also, the indoor wood stove doesn't heat your hot water....

When I leave for work in the coldest times of winter, I can load the stove for the 8-10 hours I am at work and it's still going when I get back....

Now with all this said, if I was single I would 100% have one of these new type ceramic stoves....my buddy, (who is single), heats his house with one....it will heat you out with a small amount of wood, but when you get home from work it maybe out of coals....

many variables as far as what kind of stove to get, each situation is different....

 

[Woodyjiw]

I'm running a Hawken OWB, I'm very happy with it. I have a 2000 sqft house and a 30x45x12' pole barn that I'm also heating.
I also converted everything in my house to electric and with all that my electric bills are less than 200$ a month.
I burn around 10 cord a year. It is a fair amount of wood but I've been doing tree work on the side for friends and family and typically get paid a lil as well as the wood. I'm currently around 2 years ahead on my wood stash as well.
It was a lil pricey at first but I couldn't image heating my house to 75° and heating my barn in the winter on natural gas..

Good luck with your search.

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[Khntr85]

I'm running a Hawken OWB, I'm very happy with it. I have a 2000 sqft house and a 30x45x12' pole barn that I'm also heating.
I also converted everything in my house to electric and with all that my electric bills are less than 200$ a month.
I burn around 10 cord a year. It is a fair amount of wood but I've been doing tree work on the side for friends and family and typically get paid a lil as well as the wood. I'm currently around 2 years ahead on my wood stash as well.
It was a lil pricey at first but I couldn't image heating my house to 75° and heating my barn in the winter on natural gas..

Good luck with your search.

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I am hearing about 2000 sqft too....how long have you had your stove...

The only bill I have in the winter is for the electricity we use and even in the coldest months it's no more than $100.....our electric bill is a little more in the summer months oddly enough....

I enjoy cutting wood/tree work so it works out great for me....I will say this when my friends or other people ask me about the wood stove I tell them all the benifits....BUT when They say would I recommend them one, 99% of the time I say absolutely not....if the regular Joe that has never heated with wood, cut wood, etc ask about a wood stove I would tell them no way....until some one understands you have to be a able to get wood, have a truck, have a saw, have a place to get wood, have a way to split it, have a way to store it, saw maintance, the list is endless, they won't understand how much work is involved...

If you can get wood for free, or do tree work, you could definitely benefit from a wood stove of some sort..

 

[Woodyjiw]

I am hearing about 2000 sqft too....how long have you had your stove...

The only bill I have in the winter is for the electricity we use and even in the coldest months it's no more than $100.....our electric bill is a little more in the summer months oddly enough....

I enjoy cutting wood/tree work so it works out great for me....I will say this when my friends or other people ask me about the wood stove I tell them all the benifits....BUT when They say would I recommend them one, 99% of the time I say absolutely not....if the regular Joe that has never heated with wood, cut wood, etc ask about a wood stove I would tell them no way....until some one understands you have to be a able to get wood, have a truck, have a saw, have a place to get wood, have a way to split it, have a way to store it, saw maintance, the list is endless, they won't understand how much work is involved...

If you can get wood for free, or do tree work, you could definitely benefit from a wood stove of some sort..

I've been running mine since 2011.
I agree, I'd have a hard time buying wood and paying for the owb. I've also had people ask if it's something they should get into and I tell them the same, how much extra work would u like to do to get the wood? Or what is the cost savings if u buy wood or propane?

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[Khntr85]

I've been running mine since 2011.
I agree, I'd have a hard time buying wood and paying for the owb. I've also had people ask if it's something they should get into and I tell them the same, how much extra work would u like to do to get the wood? Or what is the cost savings if u buy wood or propane?

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lol i know exactly what you mean man....when people ask me about getting one, I always have this scenario flash threw my mind....the few times a year I have to take a friend out with me so they can cut a cut of wood, this is what happens....we get there, (to my spot), friend pulls out saw, saw has 1-year old gas in it with who knows what mix....friend pulls on the saw until they are sweating and about to pass out.....if/when they get saw started they try to burn threw the wood with a horribly dull chain....at that time I already have a load cut, and when I stop to fill up gas/oil i tell them this....put that saw up, I will finish doing the cutting, you just start loading the trucks!!!!

 

[NSMaple1]

I don't think I could justify an OWB if I didn't have multiple buildings to heat. I have an IWB & just heat my house (it is on the large side though - 2800 sq.ft. 2 storey + 1500 unfinished basement). I would still be way ahead of the game even if I had to buy all my wood, at 5 cords +/- per year vs. what oil would cost. If I had an OWB, my consumption would be up quite a bit to the point of maybe or maybe not ahead. As it is with my setup, I think I could also heat a modest detached garage with it (just to stay above freezing a little bit) for minimal increase in wood use - but beyond that with more or bigger outbuildings an OWB might come into the picture. I think I would first investigate a bigger IWB in one of those buildings though, along with the winters wood & storage somewhere. If I did move to an OWB, it would be a gasifier.