Trying to decide on OWB

[Corley5]

I've got a Heatmaster. I like it

 

[iCreek]

I've got a Heatmaster. I like it

Corley5 - Nice looking Wood stove. Tell us more, how long of burns do you get? Does it have a blower for forced draft? Looks like an ash door up front? What is the small door for by the light? (I like that light!).Was the install difficult, do you heat your domestic water at the stove? etc. etc.. I really like your setup with the wood shack right there, I bet you stay dry loading it

 

[Corley5]

I usually completely fill it around 6PM with hardwood. Sometime the next morning I'll stir it up and maybe throw in a few chunks of basswood. It's not always necessary though. That's heating my 1,200 sqft house to around 82 degrees and burning green wood. I don't find much difference between green and seasoned. It has a forced draft and shaker grates with an ash pan. The shaker grates were the main selling point for me on this design. Dad has a Heatmor without shakers that I don't like. Grandma got a Heatmor with shakers and it rocks but I'd rather have an ashpan than an auger. The top door houses the aquastat control and switches for the light and to shut off the furnace systems. I started out with a brazed plate heat exchanger for my domestic hot water but it plugged tight with lime scale. I've got a stainless tube and shell exchanger that comes apart for cleaning that I haven't installed yet. The house has two zones of radiant baseboards. It's nice going out to fill the stove in nasty weather

 

[tr21]

http://heatmor.com/

lifetime warranty i have had my heatmor for 4 years and they sent me my warranty card.

 

[Madspeed]

any luck with getting the Heatmaster? I'm in the works of getting one myself. I like their design and look, and for those of you who have been arguing the steel versus stainless, it was mentionered earlier about the 304 ss being inferior, well, right from their website "Heatmaster SS uses 409 Titanium Enhanced Stainless Steel"

 

[woodguy105]

I don't own a OWB yet but when I do it will be one of the new CB gasification stoves. Agree with letting them get the kinks out of new products but CB is not new to the scene and a OWB is not an overly complicated product.

I looked at the new CB OWB the other day at the Woodstock Fair here in Ct.

It's a pretty cool set up. The salesman said they had been running the new Gasification (E) unit at the CB plant for 2 years now?? It is a bit more complicated than the others but as more and more laws start shutting down or limiting OWB's, increased efficiency units are going to be the requirement.

When we get an OWB it'll be a Central Boiler.

 

[NC4AB]

I wound up picking up a used Hardy H2, the Heatmaster was a close runner up but the price of the used Hardy was too good to pass up.

 

[abohac]

I've been lurking in the shadows for a few weeks and studying the previous posts.

I spent all day Thursday at the Southern Farm Show looking at OWBs and spent this morning looking at a dealer about 2 hours from my house. I am currently supplementing the house heat with a wood stove in the basement and want to replace the stove in the basement with a OWB that will heat the house (~ 2,000 sq ft) and a future 1000 sq ft shop.

I had pretty much decided on a Hardy H4 based on its proven track record and 304SS construction, with the only issue being its reduced efficiency from its flue venting straight out the top.

I looked at the Heatmaster MF-5000 today, it is slightly more $$$ than the Hardy but appears to be a more efficient design, has a larger fire box and 409SS construction. I haven't had much luck on finding many owner comments (good or bad) about the Heatmaster.

I don't want to start a Hardy versus Heatmaster war, but would like to hear from some Heatmaster owners. You can e-mail me or reply to the forum.

Thanks in Advance

Andy

Stihl 011, Stihl 029

You can drive yourself nuts trying to figure which one to buy. Basically you have a tank with a fire in it. It is not going to be very efficient and don't believe anyone that says it is (just throw another piece of wood in). Try to keep things simple (less welds and less electronic crap the better) and try to do the underground right (it's the most important part of these things) then go with a dealer that you are comfortable with (parts on hand and sold a few). I've had one for seven years and couldn't be happier but it will use wood.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Was up to visit the dealer I bought my CB 5036 from on Sat, got some immersion thermometers, chemical....he is expecting his first E-Classic gassifier in about a week, going to set it up at his place of biz as a demo. A friend of mine down the valley just had his Hardy delivered, going to see it soon. As long as you go by the mfr. instructions on water treatment, the steel boiler should last a long time.

 

[Madspeed]

Corley, any feedback now that you've been setup with the Heatmaster for a while?

 

[Madspeed]

nope?!

 

[blackdogon57]

I started out with a brazed plate heat exchanger for my domestic hot water but it plugged tight with lime scale. I've got a stainless tube and shell exchanger that comes apart for cleaning that I haven't installed yet. :

Where dd you get this exchanger ?? I am having the same problem. Thanks.

 

[Woodcutteranon]

I went with a Hardy H2 and have been very happy heating my 2700 sq ft house. My main reason for going with the Hardy was price. I paid $5k three years ago for it and I installed it myself saving me $1k. My freinds recently installed Central Boilers and they both paid over $13k for them. They claim they are more efficient but how much fire wood can you buy for $8000?? I never split wood only if it wont fit in the door.

 

[porta mill]

owb

sorry to jump in on your post but there was a comment on 304 being an on inferior grade of stainless . 304 is very good grade of stainless many industrial boilers are made of 304 ,

 

[kalib stock]

I've had a Taylor for two years now and love it! The reason I like the Taylor is their double flu system and water capacity. I burn about 7-8 cords heating my house and hot water. The tubes, the top flu, and the whole bottom of the water jacket are 304 stainless and the firebox,front and back walls, and sides are carbon steel. You def want a carbon steel firebox!! :biggrinbounce2:

sorry to jump in on your post but there was a comment on 304 being an on inferior grade of stainless . 304 is very good grade of stainless many industrial boilers are made of 304 ,

 

[NC4AB]

Time flies !!! I started this thread a year ago.

I purchased a 22 year old Hardy H2 this summer, installed it and got it fired up in late September. Since then neither the heat pump nor the hot water heater have come on, and I figure it is saving me ~$150 each month.