Wood Doctor Converter Better For Canadians?

I came across a wood boiler from the Canadian company Wood Doctor called the Converter. The Converter is an OWB that is also certified for installation indoors and has only one size - 250,000 BTU (though real world experience suggests it is lower according to the rep).

The company claims it is a wood gasification unit and has had this model available for years but has just never called it that. The EPA testing scores (though evaluated by a private lab) they have produced appear better then the Garn so it seems to be worth a closer look for me.

From website:

Satisfactory preliminary test by a Certified Lab have been completed.

See test results below:
Models WD8000BP (Medium) 0.344 lb/MBTU
Model WD30000BP (Industrial) 0.070 lb/MBTU
Model WD10000BP (Original Converter) 0.239 lb/MBTU

Wood Doctor will now conduct Method 28 test, as required by EPA in compliance with the EPA Partnership program.

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Unlike the Garn, it comes with no significant hot water storage so some indirect water heater is necessary even though the manufacturers rep didn't think so. Unlike the EKO, it seems to be of a simpler design with less constant fiddling (but I only say that based on what I've read from some EKO owners).

The big thing here is that the Converter is being made in Canada and the cost is significantly cheaper for us (25% right off the top) and no further customs or duty and especially tariffs for boilers that originate in places like Poland or the Czech republic. It is pretty significant in that I figure it costs a Canadian about 50% the price of an equivalent Tarm or EKO brought up from the US.

The sales guy I spoke with, Neil Rob - 519-295-0055, is definitely one of the better boiler sales persons I've spoken with. He gives you the no guff - bitter/better drawbacks and benefits of this unit which is a refreshing change from the "greatest thing since sliced bread" mantra of the other boiler salespeople I've spoken with..............if the others actually take or return your calls that is.

But I'm not here to pitch the company or product. What I want to know is:

1. Anybody out there using this unit or been exposed to it?
2. Are the manufacturers claims exaggerated or false and why?

http://wooddoctorfurnace.com/converter.html

603doug said:

I have the older style and am very happy with its performance.

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So then you actually have the "Converter" model or is it a different Wood Doctor unit?

WD won't have the phase 2 ready until late fall or early winter...........maybe. They are still in the test phase and making changes.

But please tell me everything about the unit you have.

gorbull said:

It sounds like we're in the same boat searching for gasifiers readily available in Western Canada is almost barren of options. Don't know if you have contacted Advanced Biotechnology Inc. (http://www.gomixer.com/) in Airdrie they sell Atmos and they've set up some very big systems using external storage.

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I called them and found the larger units a bit more pricey and the biggest they can get is a DC 75 anyway. But I do like how close they are and in comparison to American prices it is probably a good 25-40% cheaper.

gorbull said:

I've got a line on an old Kerr Jetstream circa. 1983 but if that unit is too worn out I'll be going with an Atmos + storage. There just doesn't seem to be many reasonable options for us Canucks.

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In BC there is a guy selling a unit that looks like a rebadged Seton manufactured in Maine. Their prices are in the 9-13,000 Cdn range. This is the company: http://www.greenhorizonboilers.com/