Best overall OWB / Manufacturer?

[Paul61]

I'm in my first year w/ heatmasterss5000, so far I love it can let it go 16 -18 hours and just stir coals around and it'll take back off. Really like the ash pan clean out also.

I can go for about 12 hours with a half load of softwood, & just about zero ash...just some powder!
What temp do you set your's @?
I found that the recommended 170 is better for less creosote build up, especially on the damper rod but, uses more wood needlessly?
Cheers.
Paul

 

[Slick]

That portage & main gassifier looks well built, I like the layout...anyone know how much$$ ? Are the other sizes they mentioned out yet?

 

[jwatson]

That portage & main gassifier looks well built, I like the layout...anyone know how much$$ ? Are the other sizes they mentioned out yet?

Optimizer 250 will run $10,500

 

[dls ranger]

Paul61, I keep mine at 170 too, I work a 12 swing shift and on days i work it is 14 hours before i can get back to my furnace so i fill completly full before i leave and come home to 120- 140 deg. and plenty of hot coals to get fire going again, but like you on my days off i dont fill as full since i'm around to keep eye on it

 

[BPS. LLC]

I'm assuming I can expect to pay more for a gasifier, because they are more efficient. Keep the opinions and ideas coming, it gives me more to research. Until now, I had never heard of some of these manufacturers.

 

[deadeye308]

I bought a crown royal rs7200 this summer. I really like it so far. Don't know what part of Pa you are from but there is a dealer over around shippensburg pa. not too far from the pa turnpike. The one I bought the guy bought it for his house and wasn't big enough, so he tradded it in on the next size bigger. I got the one he tradded in at really good price. We remodeled an old farm house and that is the only source of heat i have, the house is like 2800 square feet. so far the stove keeps the house nice and toasty, expecially upstairs, and it's been down in the teens at night. I maybe should have done more research like you are doing, but I think i made a very good purchase. They have a 20year limited warranty on them also, you just have to send in a water sample every year. My wifes famly all heat with outside stoves and all have mahonings, some over 20 years old, but my father inlaw "watched" my stove the other weekend while I was away and he says his stove uses twice as much wood. He said his next one will be a crown royal. So hopefully that may help you out alittle bit or atleast give you some more to think about it...


PS. Great site, spend waaaay to much time on here LOL

 

[Bricks]

I'm assuming I can expect to pay more for a gasifier, because they are more efficient. Keep the opinions and ideas coming, it gives me more to research. Until now, I had never heard of some of these manufacturers.

Not necessarily if one dosen`t get in a hurry I purchased my EKO 40 delivered for $4990. Did the install myself, not that difficult if one is handy. The layout does not have to be complicated.


Two things that helped sell me on the European style boilers is I am only keeping about 42 gallons of water hot. It reacts just like my LP furnace if there is no call for heat it shuts down conserving wood very little if any standby loss. When the tstat calls for heat it starts up instantaneously, burning at 2000 degrees it never lags behind. Two the boiler is electronically controlled fans, pump, and temps.

 

[MNBobcat]

No way in heck would I buy a gasifier. You have to have very well seasoned wood (dry) to burn in a gasifier. The wood also has to be split. That is way too much work.

With a normal OWB you can cut down a tree and burn it the same day. The only reason to split the wood is if its too heavy to lift to throw into the boiler. True...a gasifier uses less wood and smokes less but that advantage is more than offset by all the work involved in prepping the wood.

 

[BPS. LLC]

No way in heck would I buy a gasifier. You have to have very well seasoned wood (dry) to burn in a gasifier. The wood also has to be split. That is way too much work.

With a normal OWB you can cut down a tree and burn it the same day. The only reason to split the wood is if its too heavy to lift to throw into the boiler. True...a gasifier uses less wood and smokes less but that advantage is more than offset by all the work involved in prepping the wood.

Intersting argument, How much is your time worth when it comes to prepping all that wood. I don't mind giving it time to season, but hopefully there isn't too much splitting involved as long as it has had some time to dry. I think it would all depend on your application. Some states like MD can only have an OWB if it is EPA certified, even if it is a bunch of BS.

I have time, so I'm still reading and learning. Hopefully Santa brings me a furnace for Christmas and I don't have to worry about it.

 

[Paul61]

Paul61, I keep mine at 170 too, I work a 12 swing shift and on days i work it is 14 hours before i can get back to my furnace so i fill completly full before i leave and come home to 120- 140 deg. and plenty of hot coals to get fire going again, but like you on my days off i dont fill as full since i'm around to keep eye on it

I'm hearin ya D but, give a try to lowering the temp to 160.
I think you'll find that it won't make any diff. to your home comfort but, will cut down noticeably on the wood usage?
What differential do ya set it @? I set mine for 5 deg. in the cold weather & 3 deg in the warmer stuff.
The stove is so tight that if I set it @ the recommended 10 deg. diff, the fire will go out completely.
Cheers.
Paul

 

[tulenutn2o]

No way in heck would I buy a gasifier. You have to have very well seasoned wood (dry) to burn in a gasifier. The wood also has to be split. That is way too much work.

With a normal OWB you can cut down a tree and burn it the same day. The only reason to split the wood is if its too heavy to lift to throw into the boiler. True...a gasifier uses less wood and smokes less but that advantage is more than offset by all the work involved in prepping the wood.

How about gasifiers with bypass that allow you to burn in updraft mode. I burn rounds in mine in gasification mode just fine. If I need to burn green, I burn in updraft mode. As for the argument of more work for gasifiers, what about cleaning excess creosote in non gasifier from burning wood you just cut?What about using more wood because green wood puts off less heat? I personally prefer to burn seasoned wood, smells better, puts off more heat, and means less work(maintenance). Green wood, when smoldering is awful smelling. I do, occasionally throw a greeny in with seasoned stuff if I am running short. I do this in gasifier mode- gives log time to dry before being burned. And with tax credit, my gasifier was the same price as a regular OWB. That was a no brainer. After loading huge chunks in furnace, I am leaning towards continuing to split my wood, as it makes it easier to handle.

 

[rackmup]

what gassifier did you buy tulen?

 

[hoogie]

i've got the empyer pro200 and i've read the last couple of posts about wood size and rounds...I'm hear to tell ya mine burns rounds just fine and the company suggests that you keep them in round form for better burning. other than that i cut my wood 24" and as big as i can handle. As for green wood, you can burn that to but it will smoke more and you wont get the btu's outta it. My empyer has a blower on it for the draft. My neighbor has a reg. owb and his splits and mine are the same size...not sure where people think you gotta do something special with the wood...lol...But i will say seasoned wood is the way to go, but ya get into a pinch green will do...

 

[tulenutn2o]

what gassifier did you buy tulen?

Heatsource1 Earth Energy 190.

 

[MNBobcat]

How about gasifiers with bypass that allow you to burn in updraft mode. I burn rounds in mine in gasification mode just fine. If I need to burn green, I burn in updraft mode. As for the argument of more work for gasifiers, what about cleaning excess creosote in non gasifier from burning wood you just cut?What about using more wood because green wood puts off less heat? I personally prefer to burn seasoned wood, smells better, puts off more heat, and means less work(maintenance). Green wood, when smoldering is awful smelling. I do, occasionally throw a greeny in with seasoned stuff if I am running short. I do this in gasifier mode- gives log time to dry before being burned. And with tax credit, my gasifier was the same price as a regular OWB. That was a no brainer. After loading huge chunks in furnace, I am leaning towards continuing to split my wood, as it makes it easier to handle.

I went to clean my chimney this fall and it was so clean already that you could almost eat off it. No creosote build up whatsoever. I'm on the fence about green wood not giving off the BTUs. That is very true when you burn green wood in a normal fire. But in a wood boiler, the damper shuts down and then that green wood sits there in all that heat, not burning, and I have to imagine it basically kiln dries itself. I don't know...it sure has worked awesome for me.

I didn't know they made gasifiers that were dual mode. If that's the case, then that sounds like the best of both worlds.

 

[duane9835]

I went with the Greenwood 200 IWB in my garage.... I burn 28" rounds, just got to roll'em in... I try to get a full season of drying on the wood but that doesnt always happen....

 

[tulenutn2o]

MNB, you are somewhat correct about the kiln drying effect when damper is shut. But, having experienced the green vs dry wood of the same species, that argument is a definate, TRUE. Hot fires do promote clean chimneys, but you also lose alot of heat if chimney is hot enough for that. Gasifiers burn more of the smoke (gases) to lessen the build up and extract the heat. Like I said, I got 1 thats both up draft and downdraft to allow me tio burn the green stuff occasionaly as needed. Haven't used my indoor stove yet this year, but have never had creosote in it either.

 

[forcedintoit]

Well all I can say is "holy crap" I didn't realize there was that many OWB manufacturers! When I bought mine 4 years ago I looked at about 4 brands and had a hard decision between the heatmor and the central boiler! I liked the central boiler a lot but the ash removal of the heatmor along with the boiler door being inside a access door sold me because of the safety of the kids playing in the yard and I got a heatmor css200 and am VERY pleased with my decision so far! I only have a 1300 square foot house and I loaded it with 4 large diameter 3ft logs and I just went out to check on it 36 hours later still a good amount of coals and a large chunk of log left! Probably could have went 40 hours for sure! temps are in the low 20's for high and single digits for a low! I LOVE this heating with wood!

 

[tntreedude]

gassification stoves

i have a free heat machine mod. 250 hybrid fire boiler plate steel. is this a gassification stove? it takes 48 inch long wood. it is a 2009 mod. good or bad stove? i know they are out of business, but reopened with the same stove diff. name

 

[muncybob]

Heatsource1 Earth Energy 190.

This is one I have not heard of. How much wood do you go through in a season and for what size heating area and how well insulated. A friend is sold on a OWB and I would like to steer him to a decent one since there are so many money pits out there!