Opinions please

[jim_n_nh]

On another forum I stumbled across this http://www.hydro-to-heat-convertor.com/index.html and would like your opinion. I have a very efficient home that at peak requires 21k btu. Most boilers are to big but this seems hopeful. I already have solar dhw and a PV array. I am heating about 2600 sq ft with about 2 1/2 cords of wood. Currently I use a Woodstock fireview which I love.

Thx,

Jim

 

[pwschiller]

I hadn't heard of Hydro-to-Heat previously, so I don't have anything to say about the brand, but the one thing that I noticed is that they have a rather small firebox and require short lengths (13.5" max) of firewood. They do recommend heat storage with their units, just as is usually recommended with other gasification boilers. If you have an appropriate amount of water/heat storage, I wouldn't think that one of the smaller traditional gasification boilers would be too big at all and it would require less tending than the Hydro-to-Heat stove/boiler, but you would lose the fireplace/woodstove aesthetics that the Hydro-to-Heat unit provides.

 

[Chris Hoskin]

I have no personal experience with the products, but have met the owner a few times and he is clearly very knowledgeable. What ever you do, you will want to incorporate thermal storage. There is a nice opportunity to bring the solar thermal and the wood burner together in the same tank - because you have such a low heating load, I would expect that these past few days you could be heating your home with the solar. Pretty cool.

 

[jim_n_nh]

I love the Tarm setup but I think this is more inline with what I need. The house already has radiant floor heat. Thx for the feedback.

 

[Karl_northwind]

I'm in the same boat. my heat load is a little higher, around 30,000 btu. I have a 200 gallon solar tank, a 120 gallonwater heater and infloor. I'm trying to decide between the BJ100 and the B100,
I have a lot of conctrete floor I can dump heat to, so I'm leaning toward the BJ100. installing this to replace my Lopi Answer saves having to add a second chimney, which helps make up for the cost of the unit. and it lets me get heat into the basement, which is my major goal.

karl

 

[goosegunner]

I recently found that site also and thought that would be nice to have in the home to see flames and get radiant heat off of the unit itself.

The one thing I did notice was the maximum log length is only 13.5 inches. If that is your only wood burning appliance it might not be an issue but cutting two lengths would be a pain.

I would add caution about fly ash also. Almost all of the photos of units on this site if you look close you can see dust on piping or boiler housing. It doesn't seem to matter if it is pressurized or induced draft.


gg

 

[Karl_northwind]

That's the Gassifier that's imported from Italy. It's a super nice unit, but too small for me. the made in the USA ones handle 20" logs which is longer than my Lopi unless I try to cram them in diagonally, find out the door won't close and I need to run with a burning log to heave it into the driveway. inconveniences of an ittie bitty stove.

K