My Portage & Main Optimizer 250 Install (w/Pics)

[J1m]

Wow - I just noticed that I have 50 posts. Let's see if this works now!?

We've been running the stove for about 3 weeks now and can't be happier. Mostly we're just heating our hot water, but there have been a few nights where the temps were below 40* outside, so we heated on those nights. Words that have previously never been uttered in this house: "It's hot in here."

I promised a boatload more pics, so here they are:

For komatsuvarna:

Before:

After:

Firing it up on the first day, gasification took about 15-20 minutes:

It smoked quite a bit at first - notice the 4' stack:

Here's the back all plumbed:

 

[J1m]

Here's a closer look at the back:

And the brains of the boiler:

And the heat exchanger & brains on the inside of the house:

Shut offs in case we go away or decide not to run the boiler in the summer:

I can take photos at the oil furnace if anyone wants them, but those ones are kind of boring. Just a supply and a return to the heat exchanger in the other photo.

As I said, we couldn't be happier. We've had a learning curve with the boiler in terms of how to load it, how to avoid "bridging", how much/how little wood to load depending on how much heat we're calling for, etc. I've cleaned it once already - but probably didn't really need to.

Let me know if you want additional photos or have questions!

 

[Fyrebug]

Just in case you are wondering, so as to add a little bit of product story telling.

Portage & Maine is a street corner in downtown Winnipeg (otherwise known as Winterpeg). It is known to be the coldest street corner in Canada. Part of the reason is Manitoba is very cold in the winter and this street corner has many tall buildings that funnels cold artic air down the street. To the point the city built an underground walkway so you dont freeze on the spot waiting to cross the street!

Just thought you might like to know.

 

[J1m]

Cool piece of trivia, Fyrebug - thanks.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

So how's the 250 working for you? It's exactly what I'm looking into installing next year to heat my 3600sqft home and hot water. Looks like you've got a nice setup going for you.

 

[J1m]

So how's the 250 working for you? It's exactly what I'm looking into installing next year to heat my 3600sqft home and hot water. Looks like you've got a nice setup going for you.

We're really impressed with it, actually. We left on Thursday morning for the Thanksgiving weekend. I loaded it up as full as I could get it. Got back on Sunday and the water temp in the boiler was still at 133* and there was a 1" bed of active coals in the bottom! Didn't even have to use a match to restart it - just stirred up the coals, threw on some dry wood and a couple of hours later we were heating with wood again!

 

[karlk]

Glad to hear you like your Portage & main J1m, mine has been running constantly since october last year ! Just cleaned it today. I am very impressed with this boiler and Im ready for another winter with a warm house.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

We're really impressed with it, actually. We left on Thursday morning for the Thanksgiving weekend. I loaded it up as full as I could get it. Got back on Sunday and the water temp in the boiler was still at 133* and there was a 1" bed of active coals in the bottom! Didn't even have to use a match to restart it - just stirred up the coals, threw on some dry wood and a couple of hours later we were heating with wood again!

Very good to hear. The nearest dealer is about an hour from me, I may head that way just to check them out. Problem is, I'm not ready to buy one, and I prolly will if I go

 

[tinner_bob]

J1m,

Really like your set up and install. I have just recently started to look into OWB's and have noticed that the builder of you owb has changed the design of the gasifier tunnel. Looking at your pictures it appears that nothing has been changed in the rear. My question is. Are they still injecting air into the "tunnel" ? If so where is it being introduced into it so as to start it towards the rear.

Thank You!

off topic: Reid State Park is my most favorite place in the world! Maine is a beautiful State.

 

[J1m]

... I have just recently started to look into OWB's and have noticed that the builder of you owb has changed the design of the gasifier tunnel. Looking at your pictures it appears that nothing has been changed in the rear. My question is. Are they still injecting air into the "tunnel" ? If so where is it being introduced into it so as to start it towards the rear...

Not sure if this'll answer your question effectively or not because I know nothing of a previous design - just the one I've got. But - the air is introduced via a fan in the back of the unit controlled by an aquastat. It is blown through a channel in the back of the primary fire box and blows on to the flame from the back and top. "They" fabricated a rectangular channel that goes up the back of the primary and across the top. It has three or four 1/2 inch holes drilled in the steel.

The picture is kind of out of focus - but it's the best one I've got and the fire box is full of wood right now or I'd try and take a better one.

Then once the nozzle in this photo gets to about 700*, the unspent gasses will start burning.

And this is roughly what you get. I like to call it the blow torch because that's exactly what it sounds and looks like - especially at night!

 

[tinner_bob]

Thank you.

If I am understanding you correctly all the air is going to the primary fire box. And none to the "blow torch"

Thanks again for the reply and pics.

Bob

 

[Marc]

J1m, thanks for all the pictures and responses!

I'm just curious how much smoke and for how long you get out of this thing 1) when idling and 2) on start up/restart.

Thanks!

 

[karlk]

Marc
I have the older style P&M , they removed the brick tunnel to make it easier to clean. I can remove my brick also . I didnt remove them yet, but I can see how it must be easier to clean. There is air forced to the fire box and nozzle, there are two adjusters in the rear of the boiler for the air to the upper fire box and nozzle, you can see them in the pictures posted. As far as the smoke , there is very little if any in the winter when there is more demand and the fire is not in idle all day. I burn mine all summer so it will smoke very little for about 3 min after idling a lot.

 

[Marc]

Marc
I have the older style P&M , they removed the brick tunnel to make it easier to clean. I can remove my brick also . I didnt remove them yet, but I can see how it must be easier to clean. There is air forced to the fire box and nozzle, there are two adjusters in the rear of the boiler for the air to the upper fire box and nozzle, you can see them in the pictures posted. As far as the smoke , there is very little if any in the winter when there is more demand and the fire is not in idle all day. I burn mine all summer so it will smoke very little for about 3 min after idling a lot.

Thanks for the information. So in the summer, when it's just sitting at idle, you don't get any noticeable smoke out of it?

Thanks again. Still considering an indoor or outdoor gassifier for my house a few years down the road. Still have time to think about options I guess.

 

[tinner_bob]

Karlk
I can see the adjusters and the air for the firebox. Can you tell me where the air goes into the nozzle or tunnel?

Thanks
Bob

 

[J1m]

Karlk
I can see the adjusters and the air for the firebox. Can you tell me where the air goes into the nozzle or tunnel?

Thanks
Bob

Bob,

The only air introduced in to the entire system is through those rectangular tubes in the picture I posted. The only direction for the air, smoke/gasses and blow torch flame (secondary burn) is through the nozzle in the bottom of the primary fire box.

 

[J1m]

J1m, thanks for all the pictures and responses!

I'm just curious how much smoke and for how long you get out of this thing 1) when idling and 2) on start up/restart.

Thanks!

Hi Marc,

I get a little smoke when the fan starts up and then when the system cycles off there is a little residual smoke as the coals smolder.

Burn times? Well, that's kind of a tricky subject. I'm still getting a handle on it depending on the temperature outside, how windy it is, how much heat we're calling for inside, etc.

This is my normal schedule over the past month or so: I'll feed it about half to 3/4 full at around 9:45 a.m., then I'll fill it almost all the way at about 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. And that's it. I think the longest I've gone with a full fire box is about 16 or 17 hours.

I've only ever FILLED it filled it once and that was because we were going out of town for Thanksgiving and I wanted it to last as long as possible. No idea how long that one went, but when we got back on Sunday afternoon the temp was still 133* (I normally run 180*) and there were still coals in the bottom.

 

[tinner_bob]

Thank you very very much.
That is exactly what I wanted to know.
Sorry for being a PITA

Bob

 

[J1m]

Thank you very very much.
That is exactly what I wanted to know.
Sorry for being a PITA

Bob

You're more than welcome. To be honest, I enjoy discussing it!

 

[MattNH]

Having a P&M 250 installed right now. Did trenching & placing of furnace yesterday and the plumbing will happen after Christmas. Looks like the same trailer that delivered your also delivered mine. I am glad to hear you are so happy with yours. I hope for the same.