lindnova
ArboristSite Operative
I have had a 200 since 2006. It has been a great unit. I have replaced 2 fans and 3 Taco pumps and the grates are warped real bad and need replacing.
Sounds like you got a fair price for it, so if things do go bad with leaks you aren't out too much. Lots of risk in buying a used boiler.
That 10 guage 409 stainless might be hard to weld, but sounds like you have help on that. I woudn't expect an old pump to work if it has sat for a while - figure a new pump into your budget.
Also consider the placement location of it. It is good to have the unit sit higher than ground level if you are tall - I wish I had mine higher (6'-4"). Also consider prevailing winds; have the door facing the wind so the smoke blows away from you when loading - mine blows at me. Also 100 yards is fairly close considering how much smoke these units can make from starting up or burning junky wet wood. Even with clean wood mine will smoke a lot on restarts and reloads, but does burn clean once the fire gets going.
+1 on the recommendations for good insulated pipes. Loosing heat to the ground can be real bad, especially if water gets around the insulation against the pipes. I have 4" pvc with foam insulation on the outside. Has worked good so far, but I have well drained soil. I don't think it would work very well with wet soil. Knowing what I know now I would only use foam insulated pex like logstor or thermopex. I wouldn't use the bubble wrap type.
Sounds like you got a fair price for it, so if things do go bad with leaks you aren't out too much. Lots of risk in buying a used boiler.
That 10 guage 409 stainless might be hard to weld, but sounds like you have help on that. I woudn't expect an old pump to work if it has sat for a while - figure a new pump into your budget.
Also consider the placement location of it. It is good to have the unit sit higher than ground level if you are tall - I wish I had mine higher (6'-4"). Also consider prevailing winds; have the door facing the wind so the smoke blows away from you when loading - mine blows at me. Also 100 yards is fairly close considering how much smoke these units can make from starting up or burning junky wet wood. Even with clean wood mine will smoke a lot on restarts and reloads, but does burn clean once the fire gets going.
+1 on the recommendations for good insulated pipes. Loosing heat to the ground can be real bad, especially if water gets around the insulation against the pipes. I have 4" pvc with foam insulation on the outside. Has worked good so far, but I have well drained soil. I don't think it would work very well with wet soil. Knowing what I know now I would only use foam insulated pex like logstor or thermopex. I wouldn't use the bubble wrap type.
