In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Owb at end of rope

Discussion in 'OWB's and Gasification Boilers' started by Blackop555, Aug 28, 2016.

  1. Blackop555

    Blackop555

    Joined:
    May 5, 2016
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    222
    Location:
    U.P mi
    The old big Johnson is almost a decade old. Won't be long till she burns out. Saving up for a new one. But was doing some reading on outdoor gasification units. Would I really see that big of a difference I hear people claiming using 2/3 what they used to some even having usage. Any experience here?
     
  2. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

    Joined:
    May 29, 2015
    Messages:
    20,441
    Likes Received:
    127,197
    Location:
    NE Ohio
    I don't have a OWB but the "gasification" technology makes a big difference in all the other forms of wood heaters so it should apply to OWB too...and from what I have read from actual users here and on others sites, it does.
    Adding hot water storage makes for a pretty slick system too...
     
    Minnesota Marty and Horkn like this.
  3. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    26,985
    Likes Received:
    150,600
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    Is that Johnson an open system?

    All open systems are far less efficient than a closed system.
     
  4. Blackop555

    Blackop555

    Joined:
    May 5, 2016
    Messages:
    102
    Likes Received:
    222
    Location:
    U.P mi
    It's closed. So is it worth the upgrade price in your opinion? Like I said I'll have to replace the owb anyways in near futur
     
    Minnesota Marty likes this.
  5. goosegunner

    goosegunner

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    6
    Simple

    Smoke is fuel, you burn it with gasification units.

    Another big factor is you absolutely need to burn dry wood. I weighed one piece of green oak. It was 13" diameter and 17" long, it weighed 59 lbs. Dried it in my boiler room for 6 months and it weighed 34 lbs.

    So for every chunk like that getting tossed in has 3 gallons of water that needs to be cooked off.
     
  6. yooperdave

    yooperdave

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2014
    Messages:
    32,035
    Likes Received:
    194,024
    Location:
    Michigan's U.P.

    Welcome aboard goosegunner

    Don't know if it applies to Blackop555 or not, but some burners around here with OWBs just don't get that part of burning wood!

    Now this would be easy to turn into an OWB bashing thread. I have one myself (the first I've had was back in 93) and wouldn't trade the advantages of it.

    Still, around these parts, every fall starting in Sep but primarily in Oct, you'll see lots of people scrambling to get their firewood! And there are a lot more indoor stoves around these parts than OWBs. The wood is just as wet for them!
     
  7. JCMC

    JCMC

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2014
    Messages:
    1,600
    Likes Received:
    10,111
    Location:
    Just outside of Shushan, NY
    Check with member Jon_E The Big Swap on this fourm