owb advice

[allstihl]

I have a long time customer that wants a owb . what brand should I I have him looking at .

 

[stevetheboatguy]

What are the heat demands that will be put on it? In floor heat, domestic hot water, size of building or buildings and type of heat exchanger in them?
I only know a few people that have factory built units. Two of them are hardy and the other is a CB. The hardy uses less wood, but the cb can take much larger logs and burn darn near anything.


Steven

 

[PSUplowboy]

Every dealer will have the "best". I wanted one that I could burn coal in- in case I get in a pinch on wood, break a leg, etc. I was told coal and stainless don't mix by two different owners of stainless boilers that spiderwebbed. So... I have a profab cozeburn. I think they are no longer in business though. I'm on the eighth year with it, and it has done ok. I've already rebuilt the door, replaced the blower, and replaced the control panel though. I can weld decent, so I plan on getting as many years as possible. When it is shot, maybe I'll look at making my own. I really like the overall setup of mine- loading height, door handle and latch, ash tray, front display, door swing, etc.

Mahoning, Portage and Maine, Heatmor, Freedom- I'd say see what is local and how the dealer seems. Stainless vs mild steel and the ability to burn coal were two big things I looked at. Good luck with your customer!

 

[prospectfarms]

Installed 4 years, "Wood Boiler LLC" E4, built in lebanon, indiana. 500 gal storage. Heavy duty, efficient, high output, cost less than other HE boilers. I like.

 

[mohick]

Hardy's are a joke My wife always said to me when we had one "you must have to be engineer to keep that thing running Pumps ,electrical valves blah blah always something"!! And their warrenty is worthless!!Got ACME now absolute trouble free lot less wood and house is warmer!!

 

[StihlKicking]

I like my Hardy, but opinions and situations vary.

 

[mohick]

I bet down there where it never gets below 40* they might work ok and you might be close enough to take it back and get all the cracks welded or rebuilt every other year!!!!! Their warranty

 

[blakey]

This is my 16th season with my mild steel Central Boiler and it has been very reliable. I have friends with Heatmor owbs about the same age and they are happy with those as well. Another buddy has a newer Portage and Main gassifier and it had a learning curve of course. It needs really dry wood to run properly. He is happy with it but the dealer network is not there in this area like the other two I mentioned.

 

[Huan]

Hardy's are a joke My wife always said to me when we had one "you must have to be engineer to keep that thing running Pumps ,electrical valves blah blah always something"!! And their warrenty is worthless!!Got ACME now absolute trouble free lot less wood and house is warmer!!

What/where can I look at some info on the ACME units?

 

[mohick]

Just google ACME furnace has a web site made here in missouri

 

[StihlKicking]

I bet down there where it never gets below 40* they might work ok and you might be close enough to take it back and get all the cracks welded or rebuilt every other year!!!!! Their warranty

It certainly isn't as cold in northern MS as it gets on the great tundra of Missouri but we definitely have our share of below freezing weather. I'm sorry you have had bad luck out of Hardy Heaters. We have had many years of reliable service out of them and a good relationship with the company. I wonder what you did to mess up your hardy so bad?

 

[jrider]

Love my portage and main. In my 6th winter with it and only had to replace the fan at the beginning of last season.

 

[dbowling]

Ive had my Wood Master 4400 for 10 yrs and have had zero problems except for the dampner flapper going bad and water level guage light going out, still running on same pump, blower fan etc..I love the boiler but hate their dealer network, after it was originally installed it started leaking water into the basement thru the corrugated pipe lining.. original installer had punched a hole in pipe when installing called Wood Master and they said would have to have someone look at it so they sent out a different installer from another area.. he looked at it and said should be covered under warranty due to bad install, he called WM and they refused to fix it.. I was wanting my stove moved to a different spot farther from house so ended up paying 1200.00 to have it moved and all new pex line put in again, zero problems since done right.. whoever they have do it ask for references for the installer, after the original installer did mine I found out he pretty much sucked after talking to several people..

My neighbor has a Hardy for about the same length of time Ive had mine and for the last 5 yrs hes had a leak in his water jacket and has to put 5 gal of water a week in it, saying that he likes it a lot otherwise.. only other con I can see about it is when it starts up it looks like a forest fire from all the smoke, I live about 350 yds across the road in the woods and when it fires up with wind blowing into my woods it looks like the woods in on fire from the smoke

 

[StihlKicking]

No doubt Hardy's smoke like a fright train when they kick off! Maybe it's the content of sodium in the water in some places that make these things crack at the welds. I am regularly around 6 of these things. The only one I have ever seen spring a leak did so at around 25 years of age.

 

[Gundy]

I have had a Natures Comfort 175 for 3 years with no major issues. Its really a simple unit and they make one that you can use coal in. I would say its middle of the road for efficiency, I am using about 2 chord a month to heat 4200 sf and hot water. I have heard good things about the heatmaster g200's and if I had to do it today I would probably go with one of those. They burn less wood, but you have to split it into smaller pieces and it has to be properly seasoned.

 

[Guswhit]

I have a long time customer that wants a owb . what brand should I I have him looking at .

Customer for what? If your selling him firewood, steer him to the biggest hog out there and raise your price $20.00!
Just kidding.

 

[jrider]

I have had a few guys with OWB's that have purchased firewood from me from time to time and I love it. Longer cuts, bigger splits, and they are willing to pay virtually the same price.