atmos boiler dealer in ct

[mass hills]

New to the site and I've been reading this forum for awhile now. Been looking at a decision between the EKO and Tarm. I was leaning towards an EKO then happened to see information on an Atmos at a dealer in CT. Read a lot of good things about Atmos over in Europe. Haven't heard much about these boilers in the US, wondering if anyone has any information on these boilers. Probably going down to CT to check these out first hand.

 

[firebird400]

hi mass hills i dont know o much about them was wondering who the dealer in ct is thanks

 

[mass hills]

The dealer is Connecticut Green Heat in Broad Brook CT. If you check them out let me know.

 

[muncybob]

info & pricing here....wish I lived in the free delivery area!!

(broken link removed)

 

[muncybob]

I have sent 2 emails to this dealer and both were replied to promptly. Here is a quote from the last email:
Attached is the Atmos DC32SPL manual.
The manual says 89-92%, on light fuel oil and gas.
They are set up for 220v. 50hz.
We just received the Atmos units last week, we just unpacked it on Saturday so we are just getting to know them.
We plugged in a DC20GS to a 220v. 60hz. transformer and have been running it all day long with no apparent problems (getting hot/not working), the electrician that I talked to about 50/60 hz said that the motor will run a little faster.

I have not read the entire manual yet, but is motor running fast the only concern here? Isn't the oil efficiency a bit high? The manual states that the wood efficiency is around 82-87%.

 

[overshot]

I can say that Atmos does not have any licenced dealers here in the states. They dont like the rules, regulations and lawyers. Any Atmos products found here are from second and third party sales. It looks like this "dealer" is importing them from "Kotly.com" - same products. All the research I have done says the Atmos is a very nice unit. It is a negative draft unit that pulls air out instead of pushing air in. It helps with keeping the smoke out of the house when you load it. They are also 230V from the factory.

 

[pybyr]

I have sent 2 emails to this dealer and both were replied to promptly. Here is a quote from the last email:
Attached is the Atmos DC32SPL manual.
The manual says 89-92%, on light fuel oil and gas.
They are set up for 220v. 50hz.
We just received the Atmos units last week, we just unpacked it on Saturday so we are just getting to know them.
We plugged in a DC20GS to a 220v. 60hz. transformer and have been running it all day long with no apparent problems (getting hot/not working), the electrician that I talked to about 50/60 hz said that the motor will run a little faster.

I have not read the entire manual yet, but is motor running fast the only concern here? Isn't the oil efficiency a bit high? The manual states that the wood efficiency is around 82-87%.

motors designed for 50hz will almost always run safely on 60hz, only they run at roughly 120% of their original design speed.

Don't ever try to do the same in reverse, though (running a 60 hz motor on 50Hz), as a motor designed for 60 only (which are separate from some that are designed for either) is at bad risk of overheating at 50

 

[overshot]

I have sent 2 emails to this dealer and both were replied to promptly. Here is a quote from the last email:
Attached is the Atmos DC32SPL manual.
The manual says 89-92%, on light fuel oil and gas.
They are set up for 220v. 50hz.
We just received the Atmos units last week, we just unpacked it on Saturday so we are just getting to know them.
We plugged in a DC20GS to a 220v. 60hz. transformer and have been running it all day long with no apparent problems (getting hot/not working), the electrician that I talked to about 50/60 hz said that the motor will run a little faster.

I have not read the entire manual yet, but is motor running fast the only concern here? Isn't the oil efficiency a bit high? The manual states that the wood efficiency is around 82-87%.

It almost looks like the numbers should be reversed 89-92% for wood and 82-87% for oil.

Is a transformer realy needed? All homes in the states have 220-240V 60 Hz. The stove, oven, clothes drier, electric HW heater all 220-240V.

 

[mass hills]

The volts are fine . It`s the frequency running from 50hz to 60hz is not good for any type of motor.

 

[muncybob]

So, a transformer should be used? I wonder what the additional cost would be to run the transformer? They quoted me under $500 to have the unit shipped to my home. After reading the manual on the combination boiler it appears that the unit must be manually switched from wood to oil and does not make the switch over automatically once the wood fire extinguishes...a feature I was hoping to have in the event we are away for an extended period of time.

Slightly off topic.....but I am told that using an indirect hot water heater with a combination boiler that has onboard "storage" is not a good idea especially when you are using oil only to heat your hot water since the oil boiler is not a cold start type and you must keep the 60+ galloons of water up to temp in the boiler itself...does this make sense?

Since the Atmos boilers all appear to be gasifiers can I use my existing terra cotta lined chimney(since it's in good condition) and not worry about a ss liner in place(for at least the first heating season)?

 

[overshot]

Transformers dont change frequency - they change voltage. Thats why I asked if the transformer is needed - all homes have 220-240V. Why go from 110V-120V to 220V-240V with a transformer if you already have 220V-240V?

A motor that is designed to run on 50 Hz will run faster and hotter at 60 Hz. Some can take it - some cant.

 

[pybyr]

The volts are fine . It`s the frequency running from 50hz to 60hz is not good for any type of motor.

-NO- it's really well established that if you run a motor designed for 60 hz at 50 hz (such as if you took a US motor to Europe), it'll be running slower and building up heat, because the reactance/impedance of the motor's windings will be less at 50 than 60 and more current will be flowing even though it's trying harder to do the same work while running slower.

At the same time, a motor designed for 50 but being run on 60 (bringing a European motor to the US) will run a bit faster, and at the same time, the increased reactance/ impedance of the motor's windings at the higher AC frequency will actually cause it to draw a little less current than it would have at 50 hz, so it's drawing a bit less current and having less heat buildup.

Only if a motor were being run at the ragged edge of its torque and horsepower abilities could I see trouble in running a motor designed for 50 at 60- it's when you go in the other direction, running a motor designed for 60 at 50, that you see trouble. Same thing applies for transformers- a unit meant for 50 will be happy as a clam at 60, but a unit designed for 60 is at risk of heat trouble at 50.

The EKO gasifiers that lots of people here in the Boiler Room are happily using have motors that were designed and built for 50 Hz, and I can't recall a single complaint or concern around here about how they do when fed with 60 Hz.

 

[muncybob]

Yep,one of my close friends is an electrician and we discussed this last night...he pretty much agrees with you. My next question is given the good track record these units have in Europe...the apparent good quality of the boilers based on some UK discussion boards and what appears to be true gasifier technology going on here...why are these not more popular in the US? I really like the Tarm combo but $11,500 + shipping is too much for me...while the Atmos at apprx $7k delivered is looking real good! The "dealer" in CT and KOTLY have both stated parts are available(although I have no idea how long it would take to get them). I guess lack of tech support may play a part here? I am very tempted to try one of these and in the first few years of use may even look at buying replacement parts just to have them on hand. If I could afford to install the double flu chimney I probably would rather go with the Econoburn but since my funds are limited and I need a combo unit the Atmos is looking very appealing, although I do question their rated efficiency on the oil burner!

 

[Hansson]

I think the efficiency on wood is wrong. The Atmos GSE models that cost like a Tarm Innova has 90% efficiency.
The other inexpensive models is around 80%

 

[Stammon]

I know this is an old thread, but;

I had a washing machine purchased from a PX in Italy. It was 110 Volt 50 Hz. Here in the states it ran for years, just real fast. So a 50 hz motor will run under heavy load on 60 Hz very well. Even time it spun the clothes it went for a walk around the house.

I am looking at buying an Atmos duel fuel wood/coal unit. Anyone buy from the Connecticut dealer yet?

 

[Atmos]

I have an Atmos DC40GS since 2003. The boiler is well made and the design is well thought out. The down side is the ceramic refractory. It is hard to get parts, the Atmos factory will not ship to individuals in the USA. I tried to get parts from Connecticut Green Heat and after initial contact they would not answer emails or take my phone calls. I do not understand that behavior and would caution that customer support could be a problem. The Atmos company gave me contact info for company in Alaska but with shipping it would cost over a thousand for 99lbs of ceramic parts. I would be surprised if others get more than four years before the ceramic fails.

 

[Stammon]

Try this gentlemen for Atmos.

Bill Maloney

Managing Director

Choice Heating Solutions
Coolymurraghue,
Kerrypike,
Co. Cork,
Ireland
Tel: +353 21 4876689
Mob: +353 87 2754012
(broken link removed)

I bought an EKO 60 from Rich at Conn. Greenheat. I know he reads this thread. What about this Rich? Why didn't you turn this customer over to Bill?

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Now that Kotly no longer ships to the USA & the ceramic appears to be a fortune I'll probably need to cast this myself. Firebrick engineers will fire the ceramic as well as supply the material. Thanks for the link & this might be a big help with relays etc, the heavy ceramic would be kind of costly to ship from Ireland. Now I know why there is such a price difference between the S & GS, Randy

 

[radarblip]

I have an Atmos DC40GS since 2003. The boiler is well made and the design is well thought out. The down side is the ceramic refractory. It is hard to get parts, the Atmos factory will not ship to individuals in the USA. I tried to get parts from Connecticut Green Heat and after initial contact they would not answer emails or take my phone calls. I do not understand that behavior and would caution that customer support could be a problem. The Atmos company gave me contact info for company in Alaska but with shipping it would cost over a thousand for 99lbs of ceramic parts. I would be surprised if others get more than four years before the ceramic fails.

Custer:
You might want to try Zenon Pawlowski at New Horizons, the USA importer for the EKO. His brand of boiler, the Biomax seems to have identical lower ceramics as the Atmos GS. Hope this helps!
Bob

 

[Atmos]

Thanks again fire starter. I have emailed the two sources you have provided. I tried to upload my installation to this site that is in word and am to dumb. But if anyone has an interest my email is [email protected] I would email it to anyone on request.
When I installed my system I wish I would have had the information this sight provides. I purchased my Atmos fron Zenon
(New Horizon) in 2003. I have cast some ceramic refractory in the past and it would last a season an break. Some parts are not difficult to cast but unless you are expert having them last is not as simple.