My gasser has been running since last March, not quite a year. I have done myself a huge faver by up grading. Its so nice to go into the boiler room and not have any dust, soot, smoke, etc. like I had before. I can breathe. Not only that, but I'm looking out at my wood pile and seeing more wood left at this time than ever before. I see improvements in plumbing and controls that I want to do after the burn season, only hoping that next year will be even better. Happy New Year !
Reformed OWB user
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sdrobertson
Minister of Fire
Its hard to describe the difference in every aspect isn't it? It ranks right up there with trying to explain dry wood to a OWB user.
Thats something else that I don't do anymore, only dry seasoned wood. I can do better with the seasoning but what I have is doable. I should be getting ahead of the game this coming year. thanks
This year I also went from an OWB to a Econoburn 200. I was a little worried about the complexity of a pressurized gasifier. I have only been running for a few weeks but I am enjoying it so far.
Really like the warm boiler room and nice dry wood. The fluorescent lighting is nice too.
My wife handles the system when I am gone for 24 hour shifts. She said this morning that she actually kind of likes going out to feed the boiler. She said it makes her feel good to heat the house.
gg
Really like the warm boiler room and nice dry wood. The fluorescent lighting is nice too.
My wife handles the system when I am gone for 24 hour shifts. She said this morning that she actually kind of likes going out to feed the boiler. She said it makes her feel good to heat the house.
gg
Someday I would love to get into a better system than the Aquatherm that I have now. Although it is not too bad the amount of wood I burn is larger than I would like.
I just ordered 10 full cord that should ne here this week, trying to get ahead of next year as it has been colder than normal. Granted the wood I burned was junk and did not have a lot of BTU's in them but you still have to cut, split, stack and haul junk wood the same as good wood. Sounds like I am complaining, I guess I am. Anyone know what I could sell this beast for? I think I would sell it if I could and cut the losses. I have burned for free minus the labor for 5 years now so the savings has been good but now I am buying and that is not cool. It is in good shape and runs like it was built to do, so what do you all think it is worth???
I just ordered 10 full cord that should ne here this week, trying to get ahead of next year as it has been colder than normal. Granted the wood I burned was junk and did not have a lot of BTU's in them but you still have to cut, split, stack and haul junk wood the same as good wood. Sounds like I am complaining, I guess I am. Anyone know what I could sell this beast for? I think I would sell it if I could and cut the losses. I have burned for free minus the labor for 5 years now so the savings has been good but now I am buying and that is not cool. It is in good shape and runs like it was built to do, so what do you all think it is worth???
Sold my 10 year old Taylor 450 OWB and 140' of Underground pex (2 lines wrapped in Microfoil in a drain tile) I got $2000. Had lots of interest, in the early fall. Could have probably asked more But I wanted to sell before winter set in.
gg
gg
Thats what I had, an aqua therm 275. I'll tell you, it was a work horse but it was making a work horse out of me. I sold it for $3500. I like to fire my boiler, always did so I'm not letting the wife do it for fear that she might like it.
Man if I could get $3500 out of mine I think it would be gone. Was yours an OWB or the inside one? Mine is inside so it looks new. I actually think I would replace it with a free standing wood stove like a Blazeking. My setup heats our house as well but to be honest I have been using the fireplace insert to heat the house this year and it does great keeping it 75 no problem when it is 0 outside. So the boiler is heating the kennel which is only 1000 sq ft and I know a stove would do that no problem with less heat and mess. We also heat the hot water for our house but if I burn half the wood I will foot the bill for that. I will have to look into this more and see if I can find a buyer.
Goosegunner, I also work 24 hour shifts and I am trying to get my system which is a Tarm solo 60 with 1200 gallons of pressurized storage to get me 24 hours of heat after the tanks are charged. Right know Im burning twice a day for my 2200sq/ft house and DHW for 4 people.
My aqua therm was an indoor unit. I bought it before they started to enclosed them. I know I got top dollar.
wvwoodchuck
New Member
Well, I know that I'm one of the few still out there using a OWB. I just bought it in mid-fall. I wanted a gasser, but this was the only one that would fit in the budget. The good news is that I'm heating the house with wood/coal and not giving the propane company my money. I should be able to pay for this OWB in about 2 years compared to buying propane. I'm hoping that this will give me some years to learn more about the type of gasser and setup I would like to have. I have no doubt that staying involved in this forum will help me with that goal.
jimdeq said:
Yeah, I am setting up 1000 gallons of storage. I know it won't go 24 hrs. I will have to figure out a simple way to manage it when I am gone.
gg
I like the humor in your thread-"reformed" like a reformed substance abuser. In this case the substance is excess use of wood.
Congrats, good to hear you're satisfied.
Congrats, good to hear you're satisfied.
jimdeq said:
My system went live recently and like many others I'm burning twice a day with 1/2 - 3/4 of the box filled. I only have 720 gallons of storage (vertical tanks), but I insulated the *$@! out of them and wrapped all pipes with Fiberglass wraps. Running a Vigas 60 and heating 4500 SF including DHW. I've been a little "giddy" lately knowing that all that comfortable heat and hot water actually is coming from burning wood.
I would like to figure out a way to have the boiler hold enough coals during the day to relight for the 2nd fire.
For people burning 2 times/day is your second fire from scratch?
or
I might just keep the fire going on the days that I work. It would mean idling the boiler on those days when the tanks are hot. But I could load boiler full before work it would idle through the day. Then my wife could just throw wood in once when she gets home. I would think that would carry it through the night.
Heat loss for my house is 50,000 Btuh at -15F.
I can get heat down to 140 with my forced air but just.
gg
For people burning 2 times/day is your second fire from scratch?
or
I might just keep the fire going on the days that I work. It would mean idling the boiler on those days when the tanks are hot. But I could load boiler full before work it would idle through the day. Then my wife could just throw wood in once when she gets home. I would think that would carry it through the night.
Heat loss for my house is 50,000 Btuh at -15F.
I can get heat down to 140 with my forced air but just.
gg
woodsmaster
Minister of Fire
On paper if I use the average of half of my design load it comes out to about 16 hours.
Like I said that is on paper so I doubt it will go that long. I will eventually be adding more loads to the system. On days when I am gone I can just use the system for the priority load, the house. Since I work 24 hours at a time my work days are less frequent than the normal schedules that people work. So running the system in idle mode won't be so bad.
gg
Like I said that is on paper so I doubt it will go that long. I will eventually be adding more loads to the system. On days when I am gone I can just use the system for the priority load, the house. Since I work 24 hours at a time my work days are less frequent than the normal schedules that people work. So running the system in idle mode won't be so bad.
gg
woodsmaster
Minister of Fire
Yes that would be an option. I will see how it goes first and then see if it is worth the extra time and money to add more.
It would not be easy though as I have a 1000 gallon tank. Stacking would be tough and height would be and issue if I use the current location.
gg
It would not be easy though as I have a 1000 gallon tank. Stacking would be tough and height would be and issue if I use the current location.
gg
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