Recommendations for OWB

[Blazin]

:jester: About us:We love burning wood,we hate chainsaws and splitters

You think? :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[chaikwa]

I'll throw a recommendation out there for The Log Boiler.

Give Tom (the owner) a call and tell him what you need.

Now THIS company knows about customer service!

I used the 'Contact Us' page on their website an hour ago and he just called me back right now. He's bringing a unit down tomorrow at 1PM for me to look at!

 

[J1m]

Now THIS company knows about customer service!

I used the 'Contact Us' page on their website an hour ago and he just called me back right now. He's bringing a unit down tomorrow at 1PM for me to look at!

WOW! Let us know how it goes! That thing looks like a beast!

 

[merr6267]

Cool. I hope the meeting goes well.

Take care,
Phill

 

[greendohn]

Unless you LIKE making wood, and it sounds like you don't, burning big DRY/SEASONED pieces will be in your best interest. People seem to have the idea wet/green wood in OWB doesn't matter, it does. Just because you don't have to worry about a chimney fire doesn't mean all the rest of the normal wood burning principals don't apply, they do. Burning green wood, you are still making less heat because of lower firebox temps and you are still losing a ton of BTUs up the stack in steam. It's true you can get away with green wood in a non HE boiler, but you will use A LOT more wood!


You'll get no argument from me on that point! Absolutely true.

 

[Joesell]

Log Boiler?

So how much is a log boiler? Do they make different sizes? That thing looks pretty sweet!
I've been thinking about buying/making a bigger splitter. Maybe I'll sell the 20 ton splitter I have, save my money I was going to spend on the bigger splitter,
sell my CB 6048, and pick one of these up if the price is right.

 

[leon]

boiler et. al.

Unless you LIKE making wood, and it sounds like you don't, burning big DRY/SEASONED pieces will be in your best interest. People seem to have the idea wet/green wood in OWB doesn't matter, it does. Just because you don't have to worry about a chimney fire doesn't mean all the rest of the normal wood burning principals don't apply, they do. Burning green wood, you are still making less heat because of lower firebox temps and you are still losing a ton of BTUs up the stack in steam. It's true you can get away with green wood in a non HE boiler, but you will use A LOT more wood!

In my experience, natural draft will use less wood than forced draft.

The people I have talked to that put in water storage tanks, LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Load the boiler once a day, burns at max efficiency, less/no smoke.

My dad has a large CB that heats two old farm houses and two somewhat insulated shops (total of about 9000 sq. ft.) they have had very little trouble with it in the 10-12 years they've had it. I think CB replaced a couple doors under warranty early on before design change.

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Thank you for providing the additional information about water storage and its thermal mass.

 

[chaikwa]

So how much is a log boiler? Do they make different sizes? That thing looks pretty sweet!
I've been thinking about buying/making a bigger splitter. Maybe I'll sell the 20 ton splitter I have, save my money I was going to spend on the bigger splitter,
sell my CB 6048, and pick one of these up if the price is right.

I don't know how much they are yet but I'll know more tomorrow. He said they're competitive with other boilers their size. I'm kind of thinking along the same lines as you; if I get a unit that will burn logs, then I won't need to build a processor.

 

[mbergeon]

I bought the Portage and Main a couple of years ago.

I was in the same boat as you, looking at everything, wanting a quality product that worked.

I was down to CB or Portage and Main.

The ash pan was really the big reason I went P&M, I can dump ash in 5 minutes, no waiting for the fire to burn down and shoveling coals around, just open the ash door and pull out the pan.

As far as processing firewood, I split a lot less with this stove than the indoor I used before.

 

[chaikwa]

I bought the Portage and Main a couple of years ago.

I was in the same boat as you, looking at everything, wanting a quality product that worked.

I was down to CB or Portage and Main.

The ash pan was really the big reason I went P&M, I can dump ash in 5 minutes, no waiting for the fire to burn down and shoveling coals around, just open the ash door and pull out the pan.

As far as processing firewood, I split a lot less with this stove than the indoor I used before.

I like the idea of the ash pan as well. I also like the idea of bringing the air up thru the pile instead of just blowing air AT it.

 

[Como]

I like the idea of the ash pan as well. I also like the idea of bringing the air up thru the pile instead of just blowing air AT it.

That is how Garn does it.

[video=youtube;OPKy09sR8G8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OPKy09sR8G8[/video]

$71,000 Canadian

5 million btu output.

Let us be generous and say 50% efficiency, it is not a gasser.

That would be 12 cords of wood.

A day.

I could see it working for say a Town where they also have a lot of wood to dispose of from their collection operations and have a whole complex of buildings to heat.

My main concern would be the emissions, would not want to be down wind of someone loading that puppy every 2 weeks.

 

[baroil92]

Can't say a whole lot about other brands...but my experience with WoodMaster has been really good, I bought my first one 12 yrs ago, after a fire caused by a electrical problem with a pickup truck, destroyed it and the 40 (or so) cords around it. WoodMaster came out and installed a new one. To some, probably not a big deal, but it was mid Dec. and the weather was extemely unpleasant...the fire was Dec. 3 and I was burning with the new one by the 12th. The 4400 that I have now has operated without any problems for about 5 yrs, its very easy to operate, and requires little maint. I heat about 2700 sqft, my hot water, and a spa, and I know this unit has the capacity to do much more.

 

[chaikwa]

Can't say a whole lot about other brands...but my experience with WoodMaster has been really good

To be honest, that's the direction I'm leaning in. So far, they've been the only one that seems genuinely responsive in my requests.

I'm going to listen to the Log Boiler guy that's supposed to be here in a half an hour or so too. He's bringing a unit for me to look at after a call to him just yesterday, so I guess that's pretty responsive too!

 

[Como]

At full blast it could in the right location pay for itself in a couple of months.

It is the amount of energy needed to raise an olympic swimming pool one degree.

 

[Como]

To be honest, that's the direction I'm leaning in. So far, they've been the only one that seems genuinely responsive in my requests.

I'm going to listen to the Log Boiler guy that's supposed to be here in a half an hour or so too. He's bringing a unit for me to look at after a call to him just yesterday, so I guess that's pretty responsive too!

Reminds me of the Satan joke. Guy dies and goes to heaven and knocks on the Gates, come in here is your harp and there is a cloud.

Wait a minute, that sounds a bit boring, just want to check out the other place.

So he goes to see the Devil and it is really hot party party party!

So he decides hell is looking much the better bet. He signs up but then finds he is stuck in the fiery hell, brimstone etc.

Where are the girls and the booze, the party you showed me yesterday he complains to the Devil.

Ahh the Devil says, you see yesterday you were a prospect, now you are a customer.

 

[Guswhit]

I bought a central boiler 4 winters ago. I did my research and shopped around. I ended up hooking my whole system up myself. So far it has been great. I did lose a pump last winter, but I keep a back up and was running in 15 minutes after finding I had an issue. Only thing I do not like is ash removal. I did NOT do enough research in this department. I have it down to doing it on a Saturday or Sunday morning now as a ritual and it doesn't take THAT long, but it could have been designed better for removing the spent ashes.

 

[giXXer]

I have the Hawken HE-2100 and love it. Hawken was very good in helping me out when I had a less than reputable dealer and has always been very responsive. I have heard of several of the Hawken OWB failures, but only know of one HE-2100 (and it was actually an older Global unit) that has had any problems. I believe the news of how they treated customers with problems and the bad reputation of their stainless units has really tarnished their reputation. Either way, mine has worked "glitch" free for 5 years now.

 

[Blazin]

I bought a central boiler 4 winters ago. I did my research and shopped around. I ended up hooking my whole system up myself. So far it has been great. I did lose a pump last winter, but I keep a back up and was running in 15 minutes after finding I had an issue. Only thing I do not like is ash removal. I did NOT do enough research in this department. I have it down to doing it on a Saturday or Sunday morning now as a ritual and it doesn't take THAT long, but it could have been designed better for removing the spent ashes.

I do mine once a month if that. Push the fire back, shovel out the ashes, pull the fire up front and load it, 10 minutes it's done Way simpler than augers, grates, and pans... IMO :msp_wink:

 

[artbaldoni]

I do mine once a month if that. Push the fire back, shovel out the ashes, pull the fire up front and load it, 10 minutes it's done Way simpler than augers, grates, and pans... IMO :msp_wink:

My Nature's Comfort NCB-175 has an ash pan. It doesn't get any easier. Unlatch, pull, dump, insert, relatch. Entire operation takes 20 seconds. Most of that is carrying the pan to the dump pile. I do mine 2x a month and it's not always full. :msp_thumbup:
I would never want to deal with an auger, just more moving, motorized parts to fail. IMO...

 

[Laird]

I have the Hawken HE-2100 and love it. Hawken was very good in helping me out when I had a less than reputable dealer and has always been very responsive. I have heard of several of the Hawken OWB failures, but only know of one HE-2100 (and it was actually an older Global unit) that has had any problems. I believe the news of how they treated customers with problems and the bad reputation of their stainless units has really tarnished their reputation. Either way, mine has worked "glitch" free for 5 years now.

+1 Five year here with no problems. Power conduit to the door fan broke one really cold day and Hawken sent me a new one before I even let them know it had broken. Must have been a common problem, but that has been it.