New Guy Here with a Question about OWBs

[Windwalker7]

I'm in the process of getting an OWB.


My question is;

Is Oxygen barrier Pex pipe needed underground to connect OWB to heat exchanger inside?

My stove will be a Shaver 165.


Thank you in advance for your replies.

 

[mistergreentree]

I'm getting the 165 also and would love any advice people have on installing them and any quirks that they may have. We have a 15 acre woods on our property and I plan on using that to supply our wood with downed and dead stuff. I bought a Stihl MS290 to start and get used to cutting with for at least a couple of seasons I figure.

Right now I'm looking for underground pipe and trying to decide how far to put the stove from the house.

I appreciate any advice that can be given for us newbies.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mschoff]

shaver 165

Hi I installed a owb shaver 165 last feb and I love it I am heating the house the garage and hotwater heater and I bought uninsulated pex pipe and I insulated it myself to save on $$$$ shaver well get you hooked up with a vender they deal with and I have to say the shipping is pretty fast and I also ran the pex in 6 inch pcv pipe you can ran it in 4 but it is tight fitif you have any bends in it anyway I would like to say that I have saved alot $$$ already

 

[blackdogon57]

Dont cheap out on the quality of the pipe or the distance from the house. Properly run OWB's do not smoke all the time but when they do it can be pretty nasty and you dont want it close to your house. Mine is 120 feet downwind from the house and I wouldn't want it any closer.

 

[abohac]

I'm in the process of getting an OWB.


My question is;

Is Oxygen barrier Pex pipe needed underground to connect OWB to heat exchanger inside?

My stove will be a Shaver 165.


Thank you in advance for your replies.

I've installed a bunch of these things (I don't do this for a living, people just call me for help for some reason). I have used both regular pex and kitec and much prefer kitec (or anything with a vapor barrier). The reason for this is that plain pex expands and contracts so much with heat an cooling that it is hard to control. Mine extends so much in the basement that I worry about fittings being pulled off. Plus, you can bend kitec and it will stay in place. Much easier to work with.

 

[mistergreentree]

Hi I installed a owb shaver 165 last feb and I love it I am heating the house the garage and hotwater heater and I bought uninsulated pex pipe and I insulated it myself to save on $$$$ shaver well get you hooked up with a vender they deal with and I have to say the shipping is pretty fast and I also ran the pex in 6 inch pcv pipe you can ran it in 4 but it is tight fitif you have any bends in it anyway I would like to say that I have saved alot $$$ already

How did you insulate your pipe? How deep did you bury it? and finally how far away from your house did you install the OWB?

I was considering putting it about 20 feet away from house, but am reconsidering now. Been trying to figure out best place for owb and wood piles etc...

I am also thinking of running the pipes thru my garage and exposing them in a few spots to help heat the garage just a little. I have lots of thoughts right now.

thanks to all those that help with this forum...it's going to be a big help!

 

[blackdogon57]

Oxygen Barrier Pex

http://www.pexinfo.com/

Check this link if you are unsure why to use oxygen barrier Pex. You use it to protect Corrosion inside your system.

 

[STEVEGODSEYJR]

Owb

I have a Heatmore stove. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Mine is 25' from the house with the smoke blowing awat from the house 99% of the time. It was kinda costly but it was money well spent. I used kitec pipe on mine with insulation wrapped around the pipe. I put the lines in schedule 40 pvc pipe(glued all joints) and burried it below the frost line. that is about 36" here.I will use 20 pickup loads of wood a yr to heay me house,hot water...thats including burning all summer. I just turn off the valvle to the indoor furnace and run FREE hot water into my water heater. It saved me at least $60/month not running the hot water heater.:greenchainsaw:

 

[LTREES]

Undeground Pipe ???

I can get nice pex W/ oxygen barrier, but the insulation they want to give me has an R rating of 2.9 . Is that enough to run through pvc pipe. do ya think that there would be alot of heat loss? I have to go 160 feet and I reserved $1,000.00 for pex,ins.,hot water exchange, and wire. whoops!! under bid that job. any info would be accepted.

 

[tanker]

I used logstor for mine.About 15.00 a foot but I think is considerably cheaper now.Either way,I'm glad I spent the money and did it right the first time.190degree water at the boiler,190 degree water at the house 140 feet away.This is the 1 thing you really don't want to scrimp on.

 

[STEVEGODSEYJR]

I can get nice pex W/ oxygen barrier, but the insulation they want to give me has an R rating of 2.9 . Is that enough to run through pvc pipe. do ya think that there would be alot of heat loss? I have to go 160 feet and I reserved $1,000.00 for pex,ins.,hot water exchange, and wire. whoops!! under bid that job. any info would be accepted.

I do not remember the R rating of the insulation I used but I am sure you could look on google and you would be able to find who knows how many brands with different R ratings. I have also seen insulated pvc pipe but never checked the price on it...if its not to high that would be a good option too. Tanker is right ....the one thing you don't go cheap on is the pipe and insulation

 

[crowbuster]

I have a Heatmore stove. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Mine is 25' from the house with the smoke blowing awat from the house 99% of the time. It was kinda costly but it was money well spent. I used kitec pipe on mine with insulation wrapped around the pipe. I put the lines in schedule 40 pvc pipe(glued all joints) and burried it below the frost line. that is about 36" here.I will use 20 pickup loads of wood a yr to heay me house,hot water...thats including burning all summer. I just turn off the valvle to the indoor furnace and run FREE hot water into my water heater. It saved me at least $60/month not running the hot water heater.:greenchainsaw:

That is right at what i used in 8 months with 2500 sq ft old farm house and hot water, not worth it in summer for me. I would also say use the foil backed bubble wrap as a barrier between your concrete pad and your stove to keep heat in stove not the pad. Also elevate your pad so you are not stooping to see in, 10 in. for me. I also love my heatmor and would not trade it, seen hardy and central boiler in action and I took the heatmor for several reasons. Have not bought heating oil in four yrs. good luck and enjoy

C.B.

 

[ericjeeper]

The most important factor

and I mean the very most, Is to keep any ground water or rainwater out of the pipe you shove the pex into. No matter what insulation you use.. If you get water around the pex you are screwed.

 

[MS-310]

and I mean the very most, Is to keep any ground water or rainwater out of the pipe you shove the pex into. No matter what insulation you use.. If you get water around the pex you are screwed.

+1

If you lose 1 deg underground that is 1000btus lost.....not cool!

 

[ms310]

oxygen barrier?

Heres is how i understand it. If you have a mild steel OWB use it if you have a SS OWB you dont need it. As far as the insulation, i was told if your ground is dry to use the pex wrapped a foam, foil type insulation in a feild tile. If your ground is wet, use the exspensive stuff that looks like a tile full of spray foam.

I do have one question i just recently diverted the OWB from my furnace so i can heat my hot water year around. And it got me to thinking about running my well water threw the heat exchanger to cool the house. has anyone done this? I was thinking this could be cheap a/c.

Love my Heatmor!

 

[ericjeeper]

It will likely condense a bunch

Heres is how i understand it. If you have a mild steel OWB use it if you have a SS OWB you dont need it. As far as the insulation, i was told if your ground is dry to use the pex wrapped a foam, foil type insulation in a feild tile. If your ground is wet, use the exspensive stuff that looks like a tile full of spray foam.

I do have one question i just recently diverted the OWB from my furnace so i can heat my hot water year around. And it got me to thinking about running my well water threw the heat exchanger to cool the house. has anyone done this? I was thinking this could be cheap a/c.

Love my Heatmor!

So make sure you have some sort of pan under it.. HINT that is why they use an A shaped coil for ac

 

[ms310]

So make sure you have some sort of pan under it.. HINT that is why they use an A shaped coil for ac

Thanks Eric, That is what i thought i just cant come up with an idea on how to build the pan and still let the air go threw it while catching all the condensation.