Shopping for an OWB..

[802climber]

Will be heating a 2000sf 100-year-old cape (poorly insulated). Unfinished basement. Living area will have 12-15 hydronic baseboard units. Will be tying into existing oil-fired hot water boiler. Already have a nice newer hot water heater.

I would like to go big with the OWB as we might eventually want to heat a greenhouse as well. And I will have tons of wood to burn.

Must buy new so we can finance. Been looking at the Central Boiler units. Anything else I should be looking at? For wood I will be burning mostly tree service waste wood.. some good hardwood but a lot of pine, hemlock, spruce, etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[jrider]

Portage and Main make a quality boiler as well.

 

[hupte]

here's a link http://www.tennesseeoutdoorfurnace.com/

whatever you do, get something thats double welded inside and out.

 

[rancher2]

Just make sure you have the time and or help to gather and feed the wood. I am six seasons in on my Garn it does a great job of heating my house, shop and my houses hot water year around but finding time and help to make and feed the 15 cords of wood I need is becoming a big problem. I have lot of wood that needs cleaned up in the pasture but like I said time and help. Make sure you have both before you invest in the equipment.

 

[802climber]

Thanks. Looking at a CB E-Classic 2400. What wood will I realistically be able to burn in this thing? I have heard 24" lengths by 6-8" max diameter splits are ideal?

Seasoned hardwood...obviously will work.
What about mixing in some....
Green hardwood?
Seasoned Hemlock?
Seasoned Pine, Fir, Spruce?

 

[Moojamboo]

I have an eClassic 2400. Really like it. Go through 8-10 cord from 10/1 to 5/1 with a 73 degree house, and all my hot water. 2200 square foot, without great insulation, on a crawl space.

It really likes dry wood - can't just throw in green or punky wood in a gasification stove. I tried burning some green softwood last year and I had issues. Put in large, seasoned hardwood, the stove is a beast.

Does need 15 minutes of maintenance a week to keep holes clear, ash nice and loose.

Have a few small cracks in metal surrounding air holes, documented with CB and dealer and they said not to worry - but documented.

I now save good hardwood for eClassic, and round up and scrounge softwood for shoulder season inside my wood insert. My September and October "football / canning / foliage fires".

In Vermont, make sure you check for setbacks from neighbors. Reasonable, but don't ignore them, and then have to move it!

As someone that used to spank a stove insert all winter for a hot room and cold house, this thing increased my quality of life immensely. Takes some time to learn like any piece of equipment, but once you get the hang of it, amazing. Burn responsibly, and smokestack plume is clear and you can't tell it is on sometimes.

 

[Poston5]

I would look for a classic model that doesn't require dry wood or a bunch of maintenance. If you are going to burn wood from a tree service get a stove that doesn't require good dry hardwoods to keep you life simple.

 

[802climber]

The reason that I need to buy new is so I can finance the unit and here in Vermont you can only buy the new EPA units (E-Classic, etc)

Even if I had the cash, who knows how long it will be here in Vermont until the old school OWB's are banned completely....?

 

[802climber]

As far as setbacks... No neighbors nearby. Does anyone know how far it has to be from the house in VT? What about trees, woodshed, etc? Thanks.

 

[svk]

As far as setbacks... No neighbors nearby. Does anyone know how far it has to be from the house in VT? What about trees, woodshed, etc? Thanks.

Dealer should know that.

Where are you in VT? We get to Manchester a few times a year.

 

[jrider]

In NJ, it's town by town not state.

 

[802climber]

Dealer should know that.

Where are you in VT? We get to Manchester a few times a year.

Yeah they should..... Having trouble finding a good local CB dealer.

Currently have 21 cords of log length wood yet to be split for the OWB that I don't have yet to be tied in to the forced hot water heating system that has not been installed in my house yet. Still have steam. Starting to feel like I might be crazy.

We are about an hour southeast of Manchester. What brings you there? Small world, I am originally from Wisconsin.

 

[svk]

Yeah they should..... Having trouble finding a good local CB dealer.

Currently have 21 cords of log length wood yet to be split for the OWB that I don't have yet to be tied in to the forced hot water heating system that has not been installed in my house yet. Still have steam. Starting to feel like I might be crazy.

We are about an hour southeast of Manchester. What brings you there? Small world, I am originally from Wisconsin.

I lived in Albany for two years for work and we went to Manchester periodically. Loved VT, if I ever moved back to the NE I would live there.

The Wood Fired Pizza in Manchester is a must stop when going through.

We buy Vermont maple syrup in bulk and give as gifts back here.