Looking at several used units, most are 10-20 years old in the $500-$1500 range. I am kinda interested in this one unit a Energen 190,000 btu unit. Cant find any info online, assuming the company is outa business, anyone ever hear of or have one? It has a 36dx28hx22 w firebox, it's top loading, it's 20 years old, BUT, NEVER been fired ,brand new. But will this thing eat my firewood like it's goin outa style, is it a waste, basically saving money upfront but using it up in firewood as opposed to saving up for a more efficient unit, or is it possible a unit with 20 year old technology could possibly be efficient?
Help With Buy Decision ON Used Boiler Is it Worth It???!!!
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I have never heard of that brand but I can tell you my experience with a 1980's era boiler.
I was given one of these old boiler that I installed in my detached garage which supplies hot water to a heat exchanger inside of my forced air furnace.I will probably finish the year using about 25 face cord of wood to heat a 1500 sq. ft. home here in Michigan.Granted most of this wood was either Aspen ,dead Elm and various other woods most of which that wasn't seasoned properly since I didn't even receive this boiler until late last fall.Knowing what I know now I probably wouldn't buy one of these older boilers,but in my case I was able to gain a ton of experience with minimum set up expense and I probably wouldn't of been able to run a gasifier on the account of my unseasoned wood.
Having said all that, I have all ready purchased a EKO 25 that will install this summer and while I was cutting wood all winter long I started setting aside another 25 face cord of good quality hardwood that I expect to seasoned and last for the next 2 heating seasons.
I was given one of these old boiler that I installed in my detached garage which supplies hot water to a heat exchanger inside of my forced air furnace.I will probably finish the year using about 25 face cord of wood to heat a 1500 sq. ft. home here in Michigan.Granted most of this wood was either Aspen ,dead Elm and various other woods most of which that wasn't seasoned properly since I didn't even receive this boiler until late last fall.Knowing what I know now I probably wouldn't buy one of these older boilers,but in my case I was able to gain a ton of experience with minimum set up expense and I probably wouldn't of been able to run a gasifier on the account of my unseasoned wood.
Having said all that, I have all ready purchased a EKO 25 that will install this summer and while I was cutting wood all winter long I started setting aside another 25 face cord of good quality hardwood that I expect to seasoned and last for the next 2 heating seasons.
Thanks for the response, thats kinda what I figured. Also was thinking of the EKO25 with an oil backup, does anyone know of a good oil backup thats efficient.? As I heard the combo oil/wood units are not that efficient on the oil side, so its better to get separate units. Do they make a direct vent oil unit or would that be a less efficient unit? Anyone else with old wood burner horror stories, are they really that bas as the story we just heard. I feel for your shoulders or wallet Jeff S. LOL
Jeff S Im curious how long is your wood? You say 25 face cord but are you buring 16" or 24" or what logs? IE how many actual cords of wood did you burn?
We have a similiar size house and looks like we will have burned 10 cord this winter for both heat and DHW, the oil boiler ran less than 40 hrs and that was mainly for when we were away and some use during the fall for DHW.
We usually burn about 500 gallons of oil and 5/6 cord of wood so to me we would expect to burn more wood as we did to compensate for the drop in oil useage.
We are using a old conventional wood boiler and I spend less than $2000 for the boiler and all the fixes (which there was alot) to get it hooked up, Also installed a used indirect DHW tank. Its not the coolest or the prettest but since our wood is free other than sweat and about 4-5 gal of gas a year I cant see spending $10K for a gassifier..
~ Phil
We have a similiar size house and looks like we will have burned 10 cord this winter for both heat and DHW, the oil boiler ran less than 40 hrs and that was mainly for when we were away and some use during the fall for DHW.
We usually burn about 500 gallons of oil and 5/6 cord of wood so to me we would expect to burn more wood as we did to compensate for the drop in oil useage.
We are using a old conventional wood boiler and I spend less than $2000 for the boiler and all the fixes (which there was alot) to get it hooked up, Also installed a used indirect DHW tank. Its not the coolest or the prettest but since our wood is free other than sweat and about 4-5 gal of gas a year I cant see spending $10K for a gassifier..
~ Phil
I don't know why but it seems in my area most people talk in face cord rather than full cord.My boiler will only take pieces up to 16"
I don't know for sure but I believe I will finish the year using 8 - 9 full cords to heat the house but not DHW.Like I said earlier a lot of this wood was of low quality and not properly seasoned so there were wasted BTU's drying the wood out.From what I understand about gasifiers is that they would not operate efficiently with such wood.So in reality it was a blessing that I had this conventional boiler for my first year of burning,besides I was able to clear a lot of dead fall in my woods and never used an ounce of propane to heat the house.
Most of the fellows on this forum that switched from conventional boilers to gasifiers testify to half or less the wood consumption so hopefully by making the switch and having the properly seasoned wood coupled with water storage that I would use only 3 - 4 full cords to heat the house and DHW.I don't think this unreasonable there those here on the forum that have bigger houses in similar climate and only burn 3 - 4 cords.Eventually I would like to install radiant heat which I believe would even be more efficient than running the heat exchanger through my forced air system but one step to a time.
I don't know for sure but I believe I will finish the year using 8 - 9 full cords to heat the house but not DHW.Like I said earlier a lot of this wood was of low quality and not properly seasoned so there were wasted BTU's drying the wood out.From what I understand about gasifiers is that they would not operate efficiently with such wood.So in reality it was a blessing that I had this conventional boiler for my first year of burning,besides I was able to clear a lot of dead fall in my woods and never used an ounce of propane to heat the house.
Most of the fellows on this forum that switched from conventional boilers to gasifiers testify to half or less the wood consumption so hopefully by making the switch and having the properly seasoned wood coupled with water storage that I would use only 3 - 4 full cords to heat the house and DHW.I don't think this unreasonable there those here on the forum that have bigger houses in similar climate and only burn 3 - 4 cords.Eventually I would like to install radiant heat which I believe would even be more efficient than running the heat exchanger through my forced air system but one step to a time.
Hi Jeff, so we are in the same range of wood consumption. My setup also is not piped correctly and allowed ghost flowing and thus let the boiler run more and over heat the house, which My wife realy liked. May use slightly less next year
Let us know how it goes after next year in comparison to amount of wood used.
~ Phil
Let us know how it goes after next year in comparison to amount of wood used.
~ Phil
6,000 pounds of coal and four cord of wood, between the insert and the wood boiler... and about 250 gallons of oil. Slightly more than 4,000 square feet in Maine... including the basement.
Don't seem to have done too badly.
Don't seem to have done too badly.
New, but not a gasser...
Spent a whole bunch on a new heating system, and wanted to go "all the way" and reduce oil even more. It's a New Yorker WC90, in my sig line... Here's a pic... or two...
Burns much better on coal than wood. No smoke, ever, with coal. No creosote and burn times that go way past twice that of wood.
On wood, I can get as much as 5-6 hours since putting a damper on it. It burns cleaner now too...
Spent a whole bunch on a new heating system, and wanted to go "all the way" and reduce oil even more. It's a New Yorker WC90, in my sig line... Here's a pic... or two...
Burns much better on coal than wood. No smoke, ever, with coal. No creosote and burn times that go way past twice that of wood.
On wood, I can get as much as 5-6 hours since putting a damper on it. It burns cleaner now too...
mtnxtreme said:
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Door gets pretty hot.... as you can see by the paint burning off center left. I think it's actually the over fire vent burning coal gas off during light off... that's about where the flame hangs when the blower is turned on with a fresh load of coal in it. Or wood, so far as that goes...
One little ditty I have noticed is you have to watch overfire venting... as it will allow the chimney connector to draft flaming gasses out of the boiler into the pipe. If you haven't been attentive in cleaning that pipe, you will have a fire in it, which will most likely extend into the chimney with "negative" effects if that is dirty as well.
One little ditty I have noticed is you have to watch overfire venting... as it will allow the chimney connector to draft flaming gasses out of the boiler into the pipe. If you haven't been attentive in cleaning that pipe, you will have a fire in it, which will most likely extend into the chimney with "negative" effects if that is dirty as well.
It was a little over 5,500 installed, and yes, I have oil "back-up"...
Main boiler is Burnham V8/4 180K at 130 with the smaller nozzle. Supposed to be 86% or so efficient at that rate. Indirect hot water heater, and ten circulators to spread the heat out where it's needed, only. The wood/coal boiler is 90K. Only have an 8x8 chimney with a 6.5 x 6.5 stainless liner in it. That's the biggest boiler I could get to vent through it. Might have like the WC130 too... larger firebox and longer burn times, but you take what you can get.
Main boiler is Burnham V8/4 180K at 130 with the smaller nozzle. Supposed to be 86% or so efficient at that rate. Indirect hot water heater, and ten circulators to spread the heat out where it's needed, only. The wood/coal boiler is 90K. Only have an 8x8 chimney with a 6.5 x 6.5 stainless liner in it. That's the biggest boiler I could get to vent through it. Might have like the WC130 too... larger firebox and longer burn times, but you take what you can get.
mtnxtreme said:
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