my OWB build
- Thread starter avarageerod
- Start date
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Alan Smith
ArboristSite Operative
Nice job
avarageerod
ArboristSite Lurker
So far this OWB is working great. I've spent a few more dollars on it than expected, but the quality of heat is worth it. The first month of heating with it saved me around $50. Not as much as I had hoped, but I'm still tweaking it. I turned my downstairs temperature up, causing a lot of heat to rise to the second floor and satisfying the upstairs thermostat, so there will be a savings there. I also connected my heat exchanger for the domestic hot water. I did this after the meter was read so I would have a more accurate number for my power savings. My wife mentioned how the hot water last longer, so if she is happy I'm happy. I have burnt a lot more wood than I had hoped too, but it was partially my fault. I was letting my water pump run constantly, trying to maintain a constant heat on top and bottom of my OWB. I just today installed a second thermostat to control the water pump and circulating fan, which should keep my water temperature up on my OWB. It will also make sure I have heat in my house if the fire goes out. I wired it so that if my fire goes out the heat pump will come on, then my gas back up heat. One other thing I did to save wood worth mentioning is I put a downward 90 inside my fire box on the flue pipe. It keeps so much heat from going out of the flue.
And thanks for all the compliments guys!
And thanks for all the compliments guys!
I really like your set up! Is this a pressurized system? I didn't see a vent to atmosphere or a pressure relief valve. It may be there and I missed it. I think the general consensus is open to air for home built units as pressure vessels take lot's of engineering and safety precautions. I'm a big fan of re purposing items and doing it yourself, just want it to be safe for ya.
dave
dave
avarageerod
ArboristSite Lurker
It is non pressurized. On top there is a two inch hole and a six inch hole open to atmosphere. I welded in a extra piece I had left over for the flue on top to be a large vent incase it ever runs away and over pressurizes.
That's cool, I'm a little tired so maybe I missed it when I looked through your thread 
dave
dave
avarageerod
ArboristSite Lurker
a little over a year with this heater and its working great. I have made a few changes. I added another cabinet to mount a larger fan. The other fan just didn't have the CFM to make a good fire. I also changed my inside thermostat to a wifi enabled Honeywell. My current heat pump with gas back up is set up to have the gas to come on at <30*F. We had a cold day and I had to work late letting the wood stove go out. When I came home the house temperature had fallen to 62*F. After investigating I realized the gas pack couldn't start because the wood stove thermostat had the circulating fan running and the pilot couldn't ignite. Now I can check it on my phone and if the temperature is low I can turn off the wood stove thermostat.
I'm still debating trying to make a gasifier out of it. I hate to mess up a good thing!
I'm still debating trying to make a gasifier out of it. I hate to mess up a good thing!
Jake Wise
ArboristSite Member
I really like your set up. I have a stove built to almost the same design except my two tanks were a little bigger and I ran my flue out the top. I wish I would have run across your build thread last year when i was designing mine because I might have changed my flue design to follow yours. Mine, like I said runs straight up so it is only in contact with the water for 3 inches or so and is my biggest source of inefficiency.
glad to see it's working good for you. I still have to get off my azz and build one. I like our electronics, the lights to see what's going on especially.
