lil help please.. buying my first OWBS

[murphy4trees]

I AM a pro arborist and have access to pretty much unlimited good hardwoods..
I own 2 houses next door to each other, in suburban philadelphia, oil baseboard heat, no gas available in the neighborhood.. Both houses have winter summer hook-up.. so the hot water is heated with oil too. Both houses are ranchers, maybe 2000 sq ft.. oil heaters are 160,000 BTUs in each house.

I want to put in an outdoor woodburner asap, to heat both houses.. not sure about the prevailing winds, but the properties both back up to a park.

I've heard that the new emmissions regulations have made the stoves very expensive, and they need dry wood etc..

I AM pretty sure 350,000 BTU would easily do both houses and I have a big job coming up removing 5 large white and red oak standing dead trees. SO wood supply is looking good. I'd like to put the stove in the rear of the yard, maybe 75-100' back from the houses..

Any thoughts on brand and installation.. Any other helpful siuggestions.. do I need a permit, etc.. Can I install myself or .. should I use anti-freeze.. etc..

 

[russhd1997]

What are the regs in your area on OWB's? Do you have to use the new clean models or can you use the older not so clean ones? I was able to install one of the older design ones before they put in regs requiring the new clean ones.

Mine is a Central Classic 6048. It is 500,000 BTU. I also heat 2 ranch style houses with it. Both houses have oil fired forced hot water heating systems with hot water coils in the boilers.

I installed mine myself and didn't need a permit at the time. I just had to have an inspection by the fire department before I could start using it.

You don't need anti freeze. The OWB continuously circulates hot water to the house and back. You do need to test the water and adjust the ph periodically to prevent corrosion.

I like my Central Classic and recommend that brand. Most of the people in my area own Central OWB's as well.

 

[Circle B MN]

With the information you have given, a conventional OWB is not the best solution for your heating needs.

 

[William Balaska]

Here in Pa you need to buy an EPA phase 2 certified wood boiler to be legal. I own a central boiler 6048, I would suggest you look at a Central boiler 2400 series. It is about 10,600 plus parts, i'd guess 17k by the time your done. The pex (good stuff) about eleven bucks a foot. It will push the kind of BTU's you need for heating two buildings. Yes you need a permit according to the new regulations, don't want to gamble spending that kind of cash, but I'd bet every bit of 8k to heat two houses like that with oil.

 

[William Balaska]

One further item the wood needs a year to season with a gassifier so that wood your cutting new is good for next year only. You won't need antifreeze as the larger stoves have a nearly 400 gallon water tank in them and the water constantly circulates.

 

[kwalshy]

I would have to assume that since you live in Philly that there are installation inspections & permits required from the local code/building inspector and the fire marshall.

I would recommend that you use an antifreeze in your water line. You can achieve more efficient heat transfer rates with an antifreeze added to water than vs pure water & of course you don't have to worry about freezing/blowing pure water filled lines & there are rust inhibitors in antifreeze...prevents fouling of your heat exchanger.

look into this link & contact your local fire department, better be safe than sorry!

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/aq/openburn/docs/ModelBoilOrd.pdf

 

[Dogsout]

I would have to assume that since you live in Philly that there are installation inspections & permits required from the local code/building inspector and the fire marshall.

I would recommend that you use an antifreeze in your water line. You can achieve more efficient heat transfer rates with an antifreeze added to water than vs pure water & of course you don't have to worry about freezing/blowing pure water filled lines & there are rust inhibitors in antifreeze...prevents fouling of your heat exchanger.

look into this link & contact your local fire department, better be safe than sorry!

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/aq/openburn/docs/ModelBoilOrd.pdf

I always believed that you would get better heat transfer with straight water then a glycol/water mix. Did I miss something somewhere?

 

[kwalshy]

The most common heat transfer solution used in applications like an outdoor stove is water. Water has a high heat capacity and is free. :msp_smile:

All I'm saying/suggesting is to use an additive, like a corrosion inhibitor (to prevent rust) and antifreeze, for those just in case situations to prevent a bursting pipe or joint/union. Mineral oils are used in portable electric radiator-style space heaters in residential applications, and in closed-loop systems for industrial process heating and cooling. You don't want to go overboard with using 100% ethylene glycol based antifreeze. It's nasty stuff. In fact, there's no need for a high concentration like a 50/50 mixture like your auto's cooling system; go with adding 5% or 10% corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze mixture to your water for a good heat transfer fluid. Castor oil is an example of a mineral oil.

 

[Dogsout]

You don't want to go overboard with using 100% ethylene glycol based antifreeze.

Again I must have missed something because I was under the impression that propylene glycol would be the choice for a ODW instead of ethylene. I would disagree that 5% to 10% blend is going to give you a lot of protection from a frozen line. (It won't) Yes it will give you SOME corrosion protection but for a lot less money you can buy the corrosion additive for your straight water and get the same bang for your buck.

 

[kwalshy]

agreed with the propylene glycol.
any amount of antifreeze is better than nothing.

 

[murphy4trees]

OK, right now it looks like a choice between central boiler and heatmor... any preferences or recommendations?

Thanks

 

[atlarge54]

Did you look into Garn boilers? It's an older proven design.

 

[Boundaryh20]

Go check out "The Boiler Room" at **********

I have a EKO 60 gasification unit in my garage...extremely efficient...but you must have dry wood. This will be my fifth year operating the unit...

If I had to do it again...I would seriously consider the 'Outdoor Gasfication' units, like the central boiler 2400. These were not available when I bought the EKO.

Good-luck

 

[William Balaska]

My vote is to Central for standing by their product if it does happen to be a lemon. My dealer has replaced eleven central boiler classics under warranty out of a thousand plus he has sold reportedly without a fight. I think few companies can say that.