Hi I am looking to get a new OWB. Is there a common band people are using? What size is needed to heat a 4300sf home, small modine in barn and future ice melt in driveway? Also what size pipe do you run to the boiler in house. The house has hot water baseboard thru a propane fired Weil McClain pro boiler. 6 zones . I was thinking 1 1/4. I live in Lakeville, MA if anyone is close to recommend the best location for it also. Any info will help. Thanks Brandon
Brandon. Welcome to FHC! 1. I would suggest you do a heat loss calculation on your house, and the modine. I do not know how you figure for melting ice on the driveway. But with that amount of heat demand I would definitely suggest you take your time and do a heat loss calculation to see what your heat demand is. You can find the calculators on the net and it will give you a good idea what your boiler will be up against. 2. I would also suggest you purchase a wood gasification boiler. They are much more efficient and will save you a lot of time and work by burning far less wood. You can buy them in the outdoor wood boiler versions as well. Several of the OWB manufacturers are making gasification models now. Or you can buy an indoor gasification boiler and place it inside of a small boiler building outside. 3. As far as pipe size goes, it is very important to get this right. Some have found out that they went too small with the pipe size and no matter what size pump they used it simply can not carry enough volume to move the BTUs you need. It is also very, very important that you get the insulation right in your underground work. That water from the ground can not infiltrate in any way possible or you could end up trying to heat the ground instead. That can make heating what you want to heat next to impossible. Take your time. Read about gasification. Start getting your wood ready for next year if you plan to install the boiler and have it running for next season. No matter what heating appliance you plan to get, dry wood is the best! So if you have Ash, Maple or other quick drying wood you can get cut, split, and stacked outside for as long as possible this year, try to get your wood supply going as soon as you can. If you want to stay with an OWB, here are a few gasification models. BETTER EFFICIENCY/HEAT = LESS WORK AND TIME FOR WOOD PROCESSING WITH GASSIFICATION! http://www.altheating.com/outdooreconoburn.htm http://www.portageandmainboilers.com/#!pm-optimimizer-series/c17sl http://www.centralboiler.com/e-classic.html Keep us posted!
Hi Brandon welcome to the FHC! I agree with Gasifier about the gasifier systems for efficiency as well as cleaner burns.. BTW guys I work with Brandon in Boston.. Brandon did you sell your True North woodstove yet? If not you can list it here.. Ray
Hi Men. Ok so I been to 4 different sites that are all running the central boilers. One was a 2006 model maybe? It was a ugly beast that heated 2 houses and the owner said they burn thru 30 cord. They burn everything. Wet dry hard and soft. It works for them but why to messy for me. It was not a gasfier model. 2 others where central boilers 2400. Nice units. They both did not prepare and where burning green wood. Houses where warm but the fireboxes where loaded with creasal. Final one was a central 3200. Nice unit but to me they seem cheaply made. Like cookie cutter. The LED light where not bright and the fan failed in one year. I am heading to Westport to look at a Portgage and Main. The Optimizer 250. This unit reminds me of a tank. Double welded welds and think steel. It was design similar to Swiss boiler. I will keep you posted but I am leaning to the PM. I talked to a rep today and he was down to earth. Came right out and told me the bad things about the PM. But he said those bad items are what make the PM better.
Welcome to FHC Brandon, my name is Darrin and I'm in Rockland. Thats alot of square footage you have to heat and you want to heat the driveway?
Well I was thinking putting a loop in drive way that I can turn on the night before a storm. I have left over pipe from a job and I need a driveway installed. Was going to put some insulation down, then the pipe and put it on a cir. Pump with a simp,e one off switch. Once snow is plowed and removed shut it off. Use glycol in this loop
Whatever unit you get, get a pressurized system, and not an open vent system. The open vent ones are much less efficient. I think all Central boilers are open vent, even the gasification ones. My father always was a fan of the heatmor, especially since many here in this state know the Central boiler name. He had his own boiler and plumbing shop and is still well versed in any type of hydronic heat. I worked for him for a couple years and gained a bit of knowledge, but nothing like he has. My aunt has a non epa Central boiler and while they have the supply of wood, lots of oak, they are sick of the amount of wood it eats. Granted it heats 2 houses and a large pole building, but it she goes through the wood even with a few able bodies feeding it.