Review: MEsys Autopellet Boiler

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Ok, I went to Bethel, ME and took the 14 hr certified contractor course. It was nice to reconnect with some old friends from back in the day when I instructed @ Sunday River. I'm not a HVAC guy or a plumber and heating specialist but am a pellet stove enthusiast. Have to say, pretty cool. This thing makes just about any stove look like child's play. Maybe it belongs in the central heat section but us pellet folks should really get excited here about the notion of an economy being created here in the States. Fact: for every 1,000,000 kw of energy produced using wood pellets roughly 400 jobs are created. 99% of the money created by this new economy STAYS in the USA.

Here's the basic low down.

The Basics:
Its a wired 220 device. Get out your metric wrenches if you need to work on it. 7" venting out. Direct vent ok. The entire unit is run by the brain (computer). Its one part centralized computer and one part state of the line thermostat controlled. It's a "H" stamped ASME boiler (pressurized vessel) which is heated by pellet fuel. The fuel has a 2 stage burn mechanism. Low heat fire at the bottom and then reintroduces air about 14 inches above the fire for a secondary burn. Very cool to watch in action. There is a combustion blower which introduces positive pressure to the burn plate, igniter and secondary burn chamber. There is a secondary exhaust blower which over powers the first motor to create negative pressure within the burn chamber. The unit is auto fed pellets from an auger or vacuum system. The unit chops up the pellets as its fed to deliver a consistent sized pellet to the burn plate. The unit has an auto clean mechanism for the draft chambers and an optional ash removal system. The unit can literally run for months during the winter with absolutely no cleaning of the burn plate or combustion area. It has the ability to work cooperatively which solar, turn on other appliances such as another boiler or even a pellet stove somewhere else in the house to assist in heating the home on the coldest days. It can run multiple zones. Its internet ready and SMS capable. With the purchase of additional electronics, infinite zones can be added within the house. The unit can be scaled up or down in kilowatts by making minor adjustments. Multiple units can be linked together to heat larger spaces or a large ans a small one together so the small one can handle warmer season loads for domestic hot water. Something very cool also...the unit can shutdown and restart almost 24 hrs later with out using the igniter again. hehe.

The Pros
Its ASME certified (the largest one) but the full line will be soon. This means you can install it in my state, Massachusetts, and any other state. Its made in the USA under license from Okofen. The product line can be scaled from 20,000 BTU's to 1,000,000 BTU's per hr. Its self cleaning. It has a 17 year working history and is the leader in the world for centralized heat pellet technology. It can be completely unassembled down to about 150lbs for installation down a set of stairs in about 15 minutes. All of the troubleshooting for malfunctioning parts in done through the computer in real-time. Technicians can make adjustments and perform diagnostic testing via the internet. The unit can call the fuel supplier (if a monitoring set up is purchased) for a refill. Boasts an efficiency rating of about 87%. With the condensing units you can achieve 95-97%.

The Cons
Bulk fuel only. Sorry, no free bagging, there is no hopper that can be manually fed. The unit is pricey. Basic smaller units start at about 12k for the unit alone. Bells and whistles, with a storage container and installation will get you up to 25k, easy. Because it requires bulk delivery, you are limited in suppliers for now.

Check out some links:

MEsys Info:
http://www.maineenergysystems.com/index.php

Savings Calculator
http://www.maineenergysystems.com/savings_calculator.htm

Okofen Auto Pellet Brochure:
http://www.sandri.com/uploads/pdf/okofen_brochure.pdf

The First Autopellets installed in Massachusetts:
http://www.sandri.com/news/5/135/Grant-helps-Sandri-install-wood-pellet-boilers/
 
Interesting technology, and who doesn't want to keep money in the US and create jobs, but it's way to much money for a heating system, especially for the average Maine resident.
 
no pane said:
too much $$
other than that, not sure what to think.

It's to cover start up costs from building a assembly plant in Maine. Over time it will come down.
 
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