What would be a good price for a HS TARM MB 40? Is it worth it at all?

[AQUALUNG1919]

I believe it is from 1980, in great shape and they are asking $1300.

Is this boiler even worth putting in?
I am building a new home and the new TARMs are too much $.
Is there any good alternatives?

 

[muncybob]

I was tempted to go used on a wood boiler and was also looking at Tarms. I got cold feet though due to lack of warranty / dealer support and the fact that I have very little plumbing experience. Then I had to arrange for shipping or go pick it up myself and none were very close to me so there was add'l $$ needed. In the end I settled on a new boiler that was less than 3 hours away. I doubt a boiler from 1980 will be in the same ballpark of efficiency as the new ones so in the long run I guess you will eventually catch up on the initial savings?

Still, plenty of folk have installed used boilers and things have worked out...that's just not my life experience sort of luck!

 

[webbie]

$1300 or better is definitely a fine price if in decent shape - the least you can pay, the better...of course!

It is a decent boiler, but does not take a vast charge of wood. If your house has a relatively low heat loss it might be fine.

 

[Chris Hoskin]

parts are readily available, but make sure you stick your head in there to check for any leaks into the firebox. Heavy creosote is a bad sign. If you don't have the opportunity to actually inspect the boiler, I would steer clear and look into rolling the cost of a new boiler into your construction loan. We've got a great dealer in the Utica area if you would be interested in a quote, let me know.
Chris

 

[AQUALUNG1919]

There is a local dealer nearby, it just seems TARMs are extremely expensive new, another problem i'm facing is they fact that if i get a wood boiler i'll also have to get a oil/gas boiler also to appease the bank, and multifuel boilers seem even more money. I guess i just want the most bang for the buck. My house will be very well insulated, and also in a wind protected area. House will be 2350 Sq ft. Plus unfinished basement. Any ideas on what i should use?

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I don't think you are comparing apples to apples. The new Tarms are gasification boilers(not sure if they still make a non gasser) & the Ebay? boiler is a non gasser. There is quite a difference. My experience with a non gasser was creosote & lots of it, other members have said the same thing. BioHeat sells some nice boilers, there are some cheaper ones available though. Connecticut Green Heat, New Horizons carries some that don't cost as much, Randy

 

[Chris Hoskin]

Aqualung1919, based on the description of your home, I would think that just about any gasifier is going to be oversized so you really should be considering storage from the outset. Maybe the path to take is to put in the old Tarm with heat storage and run it until it starts springing leaks. If you get a couple of years (or five) out of the old girl that $1300 would be a bargain. When the old MB finally does start leaking, you are all set up to put in a new gasifier with storage already in place. As Craig says, the MB is not a huge boiler, but it sounds like your house is going to have a very low heat load so I would want to see you use that boiler with storage if at all possible. Sounds like it might be a good way to gradually get to the end goal of a modern gasifier with storage. Hope that helps!

Chris

 

[Chris Hoskin]

yes, the traditional (non-gasifier) boilers will produce a lot of creosote if they are left to idle frequently. Storage will solve that and get you set up for the day when you can put in a new gasifier.

 

[stoveguy13]

is the boiler still hooked up? if not you i would be carefull cloud have some leaks!

 

[coolidge]

I think i got a good deal on my 1981 MB 55 ($500) and no leaks. I did hook it too 250 gal of storage(needs more), it uses a boatload of wood, but the old leaky house is holding at 72. Going to get colder as the week goes by so we will see if the old hunk of iron can keep up.

 

[hayrack]

Maybe $1,300 is a good deal in NY, but here in Maine I have bought several for a lot less than $500. The most I have paid was $500 for an OT 45. I bought an MB 55 last February for $200. Be patient, there are some better deals out there.

 

[Reggie Dunlap]

Where is it located, I may know the seller.

 

[AQUALUNG1919]

It is located in Corning, NY. I did not find it on Ebay. I talked to the current owner and he says it works great and looks brand new. The only reason he still isn't using it is b/c he needed something bigger and had no room for water storage.
The problem with waiting for something cheaper is the fact i'd have to drive a long distance to get anything farther north where these are more prevalent. This one is only 30 mins. from my house. Also its sounds like as long as a plan on have water storage maybe 500+. it will be a fairly efficient boiler right?

 

[AQUALUNG1919]

Does anybody know anything about the "Atmos DC 32 SPL oil/wood combi unit", I found this boiler on Connecticut green?

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I have the DC32GS as you can see in my signature. I'd like to say it's a great boiler & works well, I haven't hooked it up yet though. This is basically the same boiler as the combi without the oil. If you Google Greenbuildingforum they have some experience with these, this is a UK forum, don't try to join though, you need an English keypad. The Atmos boiler is well thought of in Europe, Randy

 

[Como]

I joined, I have a US computer.