OWB!!!

[bioman]

Would appreciate any input/knowledge/opinions on outdoor wood or biomass boilers. New to this game,any help will be great. should I buy or build? Plan to heat 2500 sq ft house & 1200 sq ft shop & domestic water.

Thanks Larry

 

[Como]

First step is your heat load, what size boiler do you need?

Do you pay for your wood, what supply do you have?

 

[Tennman]

Merry Christmas!! just returned from servicing my boiler. I have access to all the skills and equipment to build a gassification boiler and for what they cost wouldn't dream of it (an enormous job). Read here and you'll quickly learn about the old smoke making boilers and the new gassification type like the EKO, Atmos or like mine the BioMass. Read about these types of boilers because it will save you tons of time gathering wood. To get in the ballpark you're probably looking at a EKO or BioMass 60 size boiler minimum. That can be your starting point to get rough pricing. You do need to get a handle on you heat load depending on how well your buildings are insulated, average temps, etc. Research and read at some of the advertisers here. Realistically plan on spending approaching 10K to do what you want.

Now start reading the old posts of folks asking the same questions you have. Been answered here a million times.

We're having a WHITE CHRISTMAS here in southern Tennessee!! WOHOOOO

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Would appreciate any input/knowledge/opinions on outdoor wood or biomass boilers. New to this game,any help will be great. should I buy or build? Plan to heat 2500 sq ft house & 1200 sq ft shop & domestic water.

Thanks Larry

Hi Larry, welcome. Think gasification not OWB(there are a few OWB gassers though). Plan on buying one & there are lots of good ones. Start gathering wood now as it needs to be dry. Start looking for 2 500 gallon propane tanks for storage, I feel you need storage & is mandatory for some gasser models. Randy

 

[flyingcow]

Hello Larry,
Good place to ask questions. This is where I learned everything that i forgot. These guys will be great help. The only OWB i might consider is the Econoburn, a true gasser. Anyone got one of these, or see one in action?

My (indoor) boiler is next door in my unattached garage. The garage is now classified as a wood storage facility.Keeps the ins co happy. Heat is piped under ground to house w/820 gals of storage in my basement. Basically, i fire once a day( in winter, less in the shoulder season). Takes about 10 minutes to start and leave. For me, the wood stored in an out building with the boiler makes it easier for handling wood. Put the wood in the building and don't touch it again until I put in boiler. I've also put my wood on pallets, move wood in garage with tractor. Yes, I'm spoiled. Also, my house is 1800 sq/ft, 2 story,average insulation, family of 5, in northern maine(on top of hill), and we burn 6 1/2 cord year round. Heat DHW in summer with wood also. Probably going to burn closer to 7 cord, we are keeping house warmer than last winter. 72+ in living room. Used to leave at 70 degrees.

What do you use for heat now? And how big is the unit?BTU's?

Heat load calc is a good thing to do.

Having properly seasoned wood is a must. Ideally, cut/split/stacked for at least a year.

Enjoy learning and chatting with a good group. It can get addicting.

Curious, what part of the country you located?

 

[bioman]

Hello everyone and thanks for the input, as far as heat load don"t know but will study that one. we have a 3 yr old earth contact super insulated i rushed trough and didnt install pex in the floor, not good! went with heat pump works good but uses electric,bad, have a pellet stove in living room that heats the house 2 tons of pellets per year. not bad but still $400.00 have unlimited supply of hedge or osage orange have a hotblast furnace in shop so i"m cutting wood anyway thougt if i could heat house& shop with same wood might be better.also have 2 500 gal. propane tanks setting empty could use for storage. have lots of hay every year, been working on compressing hay into logs to burn prototype worked ok 4 " logs burn good will try to get them compressed to 1.5 " so i can feed with an auger simlar to pellets. still in the thought process on that one. would like to produce heat without wood. thinking of placing boiler 250 ft from house, next to shop appreciate your thoughts on that .


Thankyou all very much,and happy holidays.


Larry,

ps i live in central missouri,henry county

 

[2.beans]

i have my boiler inside my shop 250' from my house. i didnt want the wood mess at my house. dont skimp on the underground piping.

 

[Como]

With a super insulated house you may find the cost of a wood boiler system is just too large compared to your limited need.