Currently heating a 1700 sqft home with a Nemco wood boiler built here in Maine back in the 70's. It uses 10-12 cords which is way too much and the fire only lasts 4 hours. I would like to replace it with a gasification boiler but do not know much about them. Looking for a system that will heat the home effeciently but will also have the capacity to heat 1200 square foot shop intermittently. Planning to use a storage system. Currently looking at a 90,000 btu Seton for $ 1500 and a solar +40 made by HS Tarm for 4500. Does anybody have any input into what I really need or either one of these would be a good choice. Thanks
Replacing wood boiler
- Thread starter Coldwife
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Hi and welcome
Spend a bunch of time reading on here.
I thought i had a plan to build a system,then i found this site and started reading and realized that i was going to build a system that would not have preformed the way i wanted and would have been a big waste of money.
I have an Econoburn with 1000 gallons storage and it works really well for my area and my life.
Is it the best? Probably not.
But with help from this site it keeps getting better.
Will i replace it with another Econoburn? I hope that is a decision that is another 15 years away.By that time i expect there will be lots of new things to consider and look at.
I built my system in a stand alone building,i live in a remote small town with a volunteer fire department.
When i built it my wife and daughter had asthma . I don't have fire insurance.I can't afford it living in a log house.
Read a bunch,then ask more questions.The traffic will pick up as fall gets closer then there will be quicker answers to your questions.
Spend a bunch of time reading on here.
I thought i had a plan to build a system,then i found this site and started reading and realized that i was going to build a system that would not have preformed the way i wanted and would have been a big waste of money.
I have an Econoburn with 1000 gallons storage and it works really well for my area and my life.
Is it the best? Probably not.
But with help from this site it keeps getting better.
Will i replace it with another Econoburn? I hope that is a decision that is another 15 years away.By that time i expect there will be lots of new things to consider and look at.
I built my system in a stand alone building,i live in a remote small town with a volunteer fire department.
When i built it my wife and daughter had asthma . I don't have fire insurance.I can't afford it living in a log house.
Read a bunch,then ask more questions.The traffic will pick up as fall gets closer then there will be quicker answers to your questions.
With a wood boiler of that vintage its highly unlikely its got storage and that means its eats a lot of wood and probably requires frequent chimney cleaning. I have a similar vintage Burnham that I got for free from a house without storage and it was a wood hog. I only used in in very cold weather or to heat the house back up when I was gone for the weekend. I then installed storage and I started using it full time. I am in northern NH and 3.5 to 4 cords is what I burn for an entire winter. One fire for about 2 to 3 hours heats up the storage and then I just run off the storage for 24 hours unless its extremely cold.
Most companies who sell wood boilers have a line of thermal storage tanks. Sad to say it looks like American Solartechnics in Searsport is no longer making them. A lot of people built their own pressurized storage tanks out of old propane tanks. It requires a good welder.
Be prepared for sticker shock plan on spending 10 to 15K for a boiler and storage.
Most companies who sell wood boilers have a line of thermal storage tanks. Sad to say it looks like American Solartechnics in Searsport is no longer making them. A lot of people built their own pressurized storage tanks out of old propane tanks. It requires a good welder.
Be prepared for sticker shock plan on spending 10 to 15K for a boiler and storage.
Thread 'My Switzer install'
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-switzer-install.189820/
There is a post that has some pictures of my Switzer wood boiler install. Switzer boilers have integral storage, so there isn’t need for a separate storage system. Like has been mentioned, expect to spend quite a bit of money for an install on any gasifier done correctly.
Definitely do as much research as possible before you buy. People vary so much on what they are willing to put up with, so you’ll have to decide for yourself what you want. One constant will be that any system will work much more efficiently with dry wood, 20% moisture or less, aged at least two years.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-switzer-install.189820/
There is a post that has some pictures of my Switzer wood boiler install. Switzer boilers have integral storage, so there isn’t need for a separate storage system. Like has been mentioned, expect to spend quite a bit of money for an install on any gasifier done correctly.
Definitely do as much research as possible before you buy. People vary so much on what they are willing to put up with, so you’ll have to decide for yourself what you want. One constant will be that any system will work much more efficiently with dry wood, 20% moisture or less, aged at least two years.
The Heatmaster G4000 would heat that load no problem, and has some built in storage...can be installed outdoors or in.
I bet it would cut your wood usage in half too...maybe more. My coworker has one heating his 3k ft home and he said there are many days that it only uses about half a load in 24 hours. (he short loads it...not saying that it goes 2 days on a full load)
They aren't cheap, but the 26% tax credit to the end of this year helps take the sting out of it.
@hobbyheater has experience going from old school to gasser also.
heatmasterss.com
I bet it would cut your wood usage in half too...maybe more. My coworker has one heating his 3k ft home and he said there are many days that it only uses about half a load in 24 hours. (he short loads it...not saying that it goes 2 days on a full load)
They aren't cheap, but the 26% tax credit to the end of this year helps take the sting out of it.
@hobbyheater has experience going from old school to gasser also.
G Series | Wood Burning Furnace Heaters | HeatMasterSS
The HeatMasterSS G Series is widely recognized as THE outdoor furnace of the industry. See why customers choose this wood burning furnace!
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Both boilers you are looking at IMO are a bad choice. My history with the boiler types you are looking at starts in the early 80s with burning 22 cords a year with many small chimney fires. With one boiler, fire was the only way to clean the chimney. My first gasification boiler, a Jetstream, cost $4,500 in 1983 dollars. You could buy a real nice full size car for that. There are very few indoor boilers that are EPA phase 2 compliant: Vedolux, Froling, Garn, and one other I always forget. You are going to spend $ 20,000, maybe a little less in American Dollars! On wood consumption, the Jetstream only burnt 4 cords a year and I never had to clean the chimney. My wife was not too happy about the $4,500 when there were 20 other boilers for $750.
Much as I like the concept I dont think the OP is going to even be able to find a Jetstream. A Solo Plus is an 80% efficient boiler but early ones are starting to get old but Tarm biomass still supports them (give them a call) but they need external storage. I have an 8 year old Tarm Solo plus 40 in my garage that will get installed one of these years.
Last I looked the G4000 was around $12k...was $8k just a couple years ago!
I was not suggesting that he buy a Jetstream. In our area you cannot pass a WETT inspection on a new installation if your unit is not EPA Phase 2 compliant. Your Burnham will pass because its already hooked up, but your Tarm Solo becomes a new installation and will not pass!
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For Sale - Jetstream Boiler for Sale
I have a Jetstream boiler that I will never use. It needs to move out of my warehouse asap. I am posting it locally. $500, we will assist with loading. It is Heavy! It is on a wheeled dolly that is included. Should be gone through. I bought it a couple years ago from an older fellow who had it...
www.hearth.com
I think the shipping to Maine from Vancouver Island BC would be prohibitive
Tom in Maine had one for sale awhile ago a little closer. In much of Maine a WETT inspection is not an issue. Last thing I knew Maine allowed a wood boiler to discharge into the same flue as an oil boiler. The Tarm I have was removed from a 500K house in NH sharing a flue with an oil boiler and it was installed by a local "pro". He also installed it without any storage voiding any Tarm guarantee.
Tom in Maine had one for sale awhile ago a little closer. In much of Maine a WETT inspection is not an issue. Last thing I knew Maine allowed a wood boiler to discharge into the same flue as an oil boiler. The Tarm I have was removed from a 500K house in NH sharing a flue with an oil boiler and it was installed by a local "pro". He also installed it without any storage voiding any Tarm guarantee.
The add is from Tom In Maine ,and is posted on Hearth!I think the shipping to Maine from Vancouver Island BC would be prohibitive
I live in Maine and used a solo plus 40 to heat our 200 year old 3400 sq ft house last winter. We use 6.5 to 7 cord and it did a great job. We have no storage but looking for some kind of tank to use for it. The only issue with the tarm is age, I worry about that as it was new in2005 but I took out a tarm that was made in 1979 that still worked fine with no leaks. Can only hope this one lasts as long. I live in the town where memco boilers were made
Thanks Pettibone, solo+ is still for sale, won't go below 4500 is that a reasonable price ? It is a 2009 but was only used for 5 years. The Seton 90 is also still for sale. Does anybody know anything about them? I've read older posts stating that it is not a true gasifier. What does that mean?
Hey Pettibone, if you see this would it be possible to talk for a minute about your boiler. If so please send me a text @ 207-458-4129. Thañks
If it helps, I paid $1,500 for a 7 year old Tarm Plus 40. The owner was hoping for more, that was what it was worth to me when I figured the time and trouble to remove it. She just wanted it out of the house before she left for the winter. It had not been run for a few years. She was renting the house for the winter and did not want the tenants to use it. I showed her what to watch out for on removal as most weekend warriors would have a tough time moving a 1200 pound boiler out of a basement. She was still hesitant, so I told her to keep advertising it for a couple of weeks and if she didnt get a better offer, give me a call. I got the call a week and half later. I took my time to remove it since it was nearby and made sure I did it right.
My last wood boiler was free, if I had not taken it the owner would have had to pay to have it removed. A lot of folks who paid for installations are really confused at the value of a used boiler. I have seen similar offers to take them out for free over the years but in a market with high heating oil demand the deals are going to be harder to find. I would not pay $4,500 for a used Tarm Solo 40.
My last wood boiler was free, if I had not taken it the owner would have had to pay to have it removed. A lot of folks who paid for installations are really confused at the value of a used boiler. I have seen similar offers to take them out for free over the years but in a market with high heating oil demand the deals are going to be harder to find. I would not pay $4,500 for a used Tarm Solo 40.
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