Need a new boiler

[jason kuhlman]

Im new to the site and really need advice on what to get now. I currently have a centeral boiler that I bought used and it is now leaking. It has been overheated by previouse owner but I couldn't afford new so I had to get what I could afford. I could try to repair it but im afraid that the metal is just to thin to weld on properly. So now I have been looking at refractory boilers such as greenwood and heiss. I have read the problems with greenwood but I will be installing outside. My budget is about 5000 and I have a 1600 sq/ft home with a basement and I also heat the hot water as well. What I have considered so far greenwood frontier cx, or the model 200. also the heiss model 3000 elite. Any help or advice or wisdom will be so very appreciated. Im stressed by the whole decision and want to make the right choice for my family.
thanks jason

 

[arbutus]

The EKO and Attack boilers are in your price range. There are several users of the EKO on the board, and a stickied thread with tips in this forum along with several others.
(broken link removed to http://www.newhorizonstore.com/Category/54-gasification-boilers.aspx)

My budget was similar to yours. I got a deal on a new Empyre Elite 100 but likely have gone with the EKO 40 otherwise.

There are some threads on the Heiss, use the search function to find them.




Edited to add: It will be well worth your time and money to have a heat load calculation performed and size your boiler from there.

Are you looking to have an indoor installation or an outdoor installation in the same place as your current OWB?

 

[jason kuhlman]

I have looked at some of the threads on the heiss. Im going to put the boiler outside where the current boiler site as I have all the pipe ran and electric ran already. I don't know if it matters for a heat load circulation test but I have a forced air furnace that has the water to air exchanger. I will check into the one you mentioned. I do also have to admit that I don't burn perfectly split and seasoned wood. I like to leave in log form as much as possible.

jason

 

[arbutus]

If there's one thing that will be repeated around here it is that gasifiers like dry split wood.

The water boiling out of poorly seasoned wood lowers the temperature of the flue gases enough to condense inside the combustion chamber and eventually corrode it. Additional wood is also required to provide the heat required to boil the water out in the first place.

The reason I asked about your plans is that the boilers I listed are for indoor installation.
They can go in a shed, but need to be protected from the weather.

The Profab Empyre is made in various sized outdoor models too but most are a little pricier.

If you have the central boiler already, determine if it can be welded and the cost for doing so before dropping a pile of money on a new one.




I'm new to wood boilers too and am working on an install currently.

 

[JP11]

You don't like to split.. and say your wood isn't perfect..

Well, I'm sorry. Physics apply to you too.

Water is trapped in the wood if you don't split it. It takes energy to boil out that water in the wood before you can burn the wood. In the long run, or heck, even in the short run, you are going to do much more work gathering and burning more and more wet wood, than you would splitting and burning DRY wood.

Anyone telling you their boiler prefers, or burns GREEN wood.... is trying to sell you something. The laws of physics apply to them too.

Good luck with your purchase. Take my post in fun as it's meant.. But GET AHEAD on split wood. It's a religion around here.

JP

 

[Tennman]

New Horizon should have several brands of gasification boilers in your price range for your size house (BioMass, EKO, Attack, etc). Ditto on all JP11 said. My first season I had no choice on the condition of the wood. I was burning it as fast as I drug it from the hills. Most of it had been on the ground a long time and heck it looked seasoned to me! As burning seasons went on I was able to finally be burning 1-2 year seasoned wood and the difference in energy output and ease of operation was dramatic. Once you get the wood ahead and being seasoned you're not cutting MORE you're cutting/splitting LESS. But if you can't commit to burning split/seasoned wood then an efficient gasification boiler will drive you nuts. Just split and stacked my wood for the 2014/2015 heating season. 2013/2014 wood's been up. But sounds like an indoor gasification boiler will drop onto your pad. You just need to buy or build a small enclosure to keep the weather off it.

Invest the time reading here and don't be hasty. You're posting during the time of year when most of us are thinking of Harley ridin', fishin', and boatin'. Read.

Also in your reading here, look at the number of posts the Poster has. Folks in the 500 and up posts have been around here a long time and read a bunch of stuff and helped a bunch of folks. They've generally picked boilers they're happy with and have 3-4 seasons of successful heating. Not dis'ing any new guys, but the old guys kept me out of the weeds 5 years ago. Best wishes and maybe some of the old guys will check in after fishin'.

 

[rwh442]

Jason,

If you want to keep it simple and not worry about storage, controls etc then just get a good conventional boiler for your basement (nothing outside). I have a Thermo Control 2000 which does fine in an outdoor garage (1600 sq ft) feeding the house (2000 sq ft). For your 1600 sq ft house and basement install I would estimate no more than 8 cords - that's about he max I use now keeping the house at 72 degrees. That thing should run you out of your basement. It will use more wood than a gasser but on the splitting end of things (time involved) you will come out even in my opinion.

 

[woodeagle]

Im new to the site and really need advice on what to get now. I currently have a centeral boiler that I bought used and it is now leaking. It has been overheated by previouse owner but I couldn't afford new so I had to get what I could afford. I could try to repair it but im afraid that the metal is just to thin to weld on properly. So now I have been looking at refractory boilers such as greenwood and heiss. I have read the problems with greenwood but I will be installing outside. My budget is about 5000 and I have a 1600 sq/ft home with a basement and I also heat the hot water as well. What I have considered so far greenwood frontier cx, or the model 200. also the heiss model 3000 elite. Any help or advice or wisdom will be so very appreciated. Im stressed by the whole decision and want to make the right choice for my family.
thanks jason

I own a greenwood frontier cx. I have nothing but problem with it. Very hard to clean the heat exchanger. refractor parts keep cracking. Just the other day Greenwood informed that they would pay not for labor on defective parts.

 

[GENECOP]

I have the older Greenwood 100, saw them new being liquidated for $3,000, so far so good with ours, no cracks, no heavy buildup.....

 

[henfruit]

Give the greenwood a season or two. The cracks will appear.If it is the older one, you will need to grind the welds off to gain access to clean it,

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

If you need heat now. Just go buy a CB classic smallest one is in your price range. You wont get into a new gasser this year with a 5000 dollar budget. You could used. but your wood is not dry for this. also look at Portage and Main non gasser I here they are performing well. not sure of prices on them. If you can get through this winter with welding up your existing boiler and waiting you will better off.
I would get more wood for next year now. call a welder and tough this one out.

You could also look into a Kumha furnace if you can hook up inside but again you need dry wood.

 

[maple1]

This thread started last June.

Would be curious on the outcome though...