OWB shopping (kind of)

[OH_Varmntr]

I used to have issues with shoveling out chunks of unburnt wood with my Central Boiler 6048. The reason was I did not agitate the ash/coals when I loaded new wood, I would just throw new wood on top of the coals and go.

Now, every time I go to load wood, I scoop up a big shovel-full of coals and agitate everything like you would a compost pile. Just turn it over onto itself 5 or 6 times to keep the coals under the ash on top and burning. I have almost doubled the time between ash clean outs now, and I can go longer without adding wood so I'm burning less.

As far as cost goes, I'm about $15,000 into my entire system, and that's just in parts as I've done everything myself. But my house was electric heat with zero ductwork, air handlers, etc...

I wouldn't get rid of mine...unless I decide to build my own OWB and sell the one I've got now. My woodpile measured just over 8 cords this year, and I've got a few weeks before I have to start on my reserves. As bad of a winter as we've had I'm extremely happy with how it has performed.

 

[Schinny]

There are lots of good brands for sale. Get the best insulated pipes you can get. Also remember this do you have chainsaw/chainsaws? maul/axes? how far are you from the cutting area ? Do you acess to truck/tractor? can you do some or all of the install yourself ? can you replace parts (water pump/blower motor) on the OXB ? if need be or are you going have to call someone. Are you the only person who will be processing the wood ?

An OWB is a different animal. You need to feed it everyday

It might not be as simple as picking which stove to buy

 

[Grandriverrat]

I have been getting 24 hr. burns with my CB 5036 even in this colder weather. Really can't say that i go thru more wood than when i heated 24/7 with my insert. I love my CB!

 

[mhyme71]

I am a happy central boiler owner. This has been the coldest winter i can recall and i am at 9 cords od wood used since the end of october. The biggest problem I have with the unit is cleaning out the ashes. It is a monthly chore versus a daily with the ash grater style units. I shovel my ash out into galvanized trash cans and put it down in the driveway when it's icy, does a great job. I also dump the ashes through a 1/4" screen and either burn the leftover chunks of coal or use em on the charcoal grill. I am in year five with zero issues. Like the others said you better have equipment,access, and desire to cut wood to make any owb worth while. It is a way of life. As far as your dealer, I buy all my stuff online and I cut out the middle man. Central boiler has the best website out of any of the manufacturers. Mine is the 5036 model which would be maxed out on a house your size, but it is the most simple design ever. A thermostat controls the fresh air damper solenoid, which stokes up the fire, all the while the pump runs 24/7. By the way the pump is 1/25th horsepower, it requires very little power. I hear people complain about this theory with the pump running continuously, but it eliminates cold spots in the water lines, which creates a surge in the process. Also, nothing is harder on a electric motor then starting and stopping dozens of times a day. The only thing I wish my cb had was a low temp shutdown for the pump. If the temp gets low it continues to pump water thru the system. A aqua stat on the return side would a nice feature. All that being said, I love having an owb, it is one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

[super44]

I live in east central Minnesota and I put in a portage and main unit the summer before last and I like it. I did a lot of research and it was gonna be either p&m or cb. I liked the ash pan and the top heat exchanger on the p&m so that's what I got. Probably about 15 cords last winter. I heat a 2 bedroom home and 30x40 shop with it and my hot water. Dealer I got it from is in trego, wisconsin. Where in Minnesota are you?

I just got my P&M boiler ( from the same place as yours ) plumbed in and now I waiting for it to actually get cold so I can fire it up, it's a little warm for this time a the year in our neck of the woods. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

 

[andydodgegeek]

I just got my P&M boiler ( from the same place as yours ) plumbed in and now I waiting for it to actually get cold so I can fire it up, it's a little warm for this time a the year in our neck of the woods. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

My advice is, cut lots of wood. I have my P&M burning right now. I really like it, been a great investment. Not a single problem with it yet.

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[Guswhit]

My advice is, cut lots of wood. I have my P&M burning right now. I really like it, been a great investment. Not a single problem with it yet.

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I'm jealous! I just got my BL3444 a couple weeks ago and probably won't even get it hooked up this year. They are finally getting my garage floor poured today. I had big hopes of being in the house by now and would have November and December to fine tune the system, relax and enjoy the heat but it will have to wait until next year. I'll have even more wood attacked up to burn then!

 

[andydodgegeek]

This will be my 4th winter with my Portage & Maine boiler. It has been great. It has paid for it self already. The winter before last propane was over $5 per gallon. My first year in my home I burned 1400 gallons of propane between the house and the garage. Since I installed the boiler I've gone thru about 100 gallons for cooking, and summer time water heating.

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[super44]

We had been looking at wood heat but after the LP prices of a couple years ago burning wood became an easy choice. We chose the Portage & Main BL 28-40 after looking at any boiler I could get a look at. It seemed well planed out. I did all the hookup myself and the only thing left ( almost, old 2 wire LP furnace in my shop is making the fan control a bit interesting ) is to light the fire. Instructions said to wait until it stays cold out, bring the boiler up to temp and then the pumps one at a time. I have not plumed in to heat our hot water yet but plan to after our old hot water heater is replaced and the plumbing updated. I used a mixture of Shark bites and crimp style. After having used both it seems the Shark bite are easy to use and work most of the time if you don't take them apart. The crimp style have worked every time but if you don't like the way it turned out it's more farting around to fix. It's nice to know of someone else with the same boiler. My time out cutting wood is my therapy time, so far. LOL

 

[Iska3]

I ended up with the CB 5036 and heat the house, hot water all year and the garage. I'm more than pleased with my OWB but a larger water tank would be better. What made me buy a CB was seeing all the abuse my friend did to his CB. He had his for over 25 years and just sold it for $2,000.00 he picked up a new old style CB because they were on sale as a close-out. I think his is a 6048... I wish I had the larger like his..

 

[Guswhit]

I am not going to try and disparage my old unit here. I had a central boiler 5036 and it did pretty well heating my home and garage. The only issues I had were from operator error, but it burned ALOT of wood. I did some more research and decided that for the new house; which is going to be set up with infloor heat in the basement, the garage and under the ceramic tile in the master shower/bath as well as a water/air exchanger in the furnace plenum; would be a better fit for me with the added features it has. I will also be incorporating 1000 gallons of water storage, and that should greatly reduce the amount of wood consumption. I will not be putting in DHW at the present time, but I'll only need an exchanger and a little more pipe if I do change my mind, in the last house it just didn't seem to be worth the effort, although I never did all of the calculations, plus it was a pain in the @#$ to burn year round. Time will tell if I'm on the right path.

 

[abner]

First time posting, long time lurking.
I want to add my 2 cents on OWB's.
I am 50 years old and have owned a Hardy OWB for 24 of those years. I built my house 25 years ago and after 1 year of propane I couldn't see burning cash while I sat in the middle of a forest.
As a machinist by trade I chose the Hardy strictly because of the stainless construction. Mine is not under a shed yet just sits outside in the open. Over 24 years I have replaced 1 water pump, 1 blower fan, and just last year my original grates finally burned through. (welded some new ones out of scrap steel drops) Therefore I am a big fan of the Hardy.
I will add that I tell everyone who thinks of buying an OWB that you better not mind cutting wood and preferably enjoy cutting wood. Oh, 24 years of only hand splitting also.

 

[super44]

Just fired mine for the first time and I'm a little surprised by how much this PEX grows!