Atmos on Ebay

[sparke]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Atmos-indoor-wood-boiler-DC-40SX-136-000-btu_W0QQitemZ180333891514QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item180333891514&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:3|39:1|240:1318

 

[Eric Johnson]

That's a nice looking boiler. Looks like it runs on an induction fan, rather than a blower. I wonder if that's the price, of it there is a hidden reserve.

 

[muncybob]

According to their web site, that is the actual selling price. These boilers seem to have a decent reputation in Europe but I dropped them off my potential buy list. Several other brands spoken of here on this forum seem to have much better reputation for service and tech help after the sale. I'm not saying that this dealer doesn't have good support but I have not seen it documented.

 

[jdboy9]

That was run a few weeks back at the same price I think but never sold.

 

[gorbull]

bupalos,
Do you know if your Atmos is converted for electrical adaption to N.A. standards? From the photos on Ebay it looks like they also have some Ekos in their showroom.

Thanks,

 

[cguida]

A phrase jumed out at me at the CTGreenHeat website:
"Due to very favorable exchange rate, we can offer the Atmos....etc " (something like that)
The point is -- East European currencies are collapsing in some kind of Financial Horror Show. Products from these countries (including EKO and ATMOS, and Attack (Slovokia, I think), and such are suddenly very cheap. This may not have worked its way through the American distribution channels yet, but it will. So it is not a given that gasification boilers are only going to get more expensive. In the short/intermediate run, they migh get significantly cheaper.

I have to admit (somewhat guiltily) that I am begining to hyperventilate over the EKO-60 (Two Foot Wood!).

 

[WoodNotOil]

Do you know if your Atmos is converted for electrical adaption to N.A. standards?

Only by means of a converter box to supply the right voltage. From what I understand, these run fine but the fan speed is affected 20% or so. It shouldn't matter too much since there is probably more variation in the draft conditions from install to install,and you have to tweak anyway.

I'll be reporting on the Atmos when it's installed.

I'll be asking lots of questions first.

If your Euro controller ends up being a hassle, you could probably use the RK-2001 controller that the Eko and BioMax use. For the savings on the boiler a little investment in a controller meant for American power may be worth the expense. Not sure though... Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[sdrobertson]

According to their web site, that is the actual selling price. These boilers seem to have a decent reputation in Europe but I dropped them off my potential buy list. Several other brands spoken of here on this forum seem to have much better reputation for service and tech help after the sale. I'm not saying that this dealer doesn't have good support but I have not seen it documented.

Looking at these boilers and seeing the EKO's in person, I wouldn't be that worried about the Manufacture service. On the EKO, if you had to, it wouldn't be that hard to replace all of the components with any manufacture. There are lots of controllers on Ebay that you could make work for the boiler controls, and it wouldn't be that hard to hook up some other type of fan for the front. The "U" blocks could be cast at home with the right castable mix. The only thing I would worry about was a bad weld and I would guess that hopefully they would have caught that at the factory and if not, if it failed right away a clean boiler could be re-welded in the field. For the lower price, it may be worth a hard look for someone who is not afraid of a little modification if need be. You could almost purchase two smaller units and use one in the shoulder seasons and fire both for the cold weather.

 

[starksb]

Do you know why they are so much cheaper than systems?

 

[twitch]

I really like the rounded firebox. I think that would help alot with bridging, forcing all the wood to the nozzle. I was thinking of trying to retrofit something like that in my Tarm.

 

[Gooserider]

One thing that concerns me about the Atmos and some of it's competitors of similar design is the use of fans on the exhaust side of the fire - It would seem to me like this would have a tendency to give a buildup of exhaust debris on the fan blades, and more importantly exposing the fan and motor to much more heat than it would get on an input side setup such as an EKO... I realize it's possible to make heat resistant bearings and so forth, but everything I've heard suggest that even when a motor is designed for high temperature operation, it's still going to be happier if not cooked...

Is there any data either way to suggest whether or not this is a valid concern?

Gooserider

 

[steam man]

The induction fan on some of these boilers intrigues me mainly because you should theoretically have no smoke pour out due to the negative pressure of the firebox. The downside would be more upkeep and degradation of the fan assembly. The bearings should not be much of a problem. I would think they would need a high temp synth oil periodically. This would be something you would have to accept. The motor is outside the flue path and insulated from it. I have a power vent that does the same thing on my oil boiler. There is a maintenance cost at times and the potential for higher failure rates.

I do have a question about the atmos boilers-I would like to know if anyone knows the difference in performance between the "G" models and the "GS" models given that the GS models have much greater refractory and wether it is worth the extra cost.

Mike

 

[muncybob]

Has there been any more info provided by Atmos owners that I may have missed?? Based on a recent quote by a competitor for a oil/wood boiler the Atmos pricing is starting to look real good! I guess I may miss out on the proposed tax credit but the difference in price is a lot more than the possible $1500 from Uncle Sam.

 

[cguida]

Why would you have to forego the 1500 dollar tax credit for a more efficient boiler? The Atmos (and all the others) qualify, far as I can tell.

 

[muncybob]

They may "qualify", but you may have an issue with a foreign made boiler if the tax credit calls for a statement from the manufacturer???

 

[cguida]

Maybe -- but put in for it anyway. There should be a generic letter available if IRS requests it. Try it, and see what happens. Worst they can do is dis-allow, right?

 

[Hydronics]

They are requiring a "Manufacturer Certification Statement" - http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits
I think if you were audited you would need to provide this. Are any of the manufacturers persuing this? I can't imagine why they wouldn't.
They (EPA) doesn't specifically mention wood boilers - oil, gas & biomass stoves at various efficiencies as I recall.

 

[cguida]

Isn't a wood boiler a biomass stove? I read somewhere the tax credit applied to "appliances of 76% or higher efficiency, which would include all gasification boilers, right?