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

Autonom AR200 wood log gasification boiler

Discussion in 'OWB's and Gasification Boilers' started by NanFarms, May 11, 2023.

  1. NanFarms

    NanFarms

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    We are in Nanaimo, BC, and are replacing a Jetstream furnace installed in 1988. It is indoors, in a 4’x8’ concrete block room, so there are space limitations. There is no option to put in an outside furnace.

    We are looking at the Autonom AR200 wood log gasification boiler. Does anyone know anything about this model or have experience with this or other Autonom boilers?

    Froling and Hargassner won’t fit or the smaller ones don’t produce enough kW. Vedolux is no longer EPA certified (required in BC). Econoburn isn’t certified either, so these are ruled out. Is anyone aware of other potential furnace candidates that produce 60 kW (200,000 btu)? Thanks.
     
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  2. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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  3. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    Can you adjust the size of the concrete block room? I did a search of the US EPA website (assuming that Canada uses similar criteria) and was unable to find a boiler that met your criteria. Have you considered contacting several manufacturers to see if they are in process of gaining certification? Could you use a smaller boiler with more storage to help buffer changes in heat demand from day to day? Maybe Woodwidow can drag campinspecter away from whatever he is doing now to respond. Good luck and welcome to FHC!!
     
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  4. campinspecter

    campinspecter

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    How much storage do you have ? Check with Smokeless Heat they have a good deal on the big Vedolux . I'm in Port McNeill if you want to come and see a Vedolux installed , it replaced a Jetstream !The Vedolux that I have is EPA Phase 2 compliant !
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2023
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  5. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    If you're looking for a UL "labeled" pressure boiler,
    Alternet Heating Systems makes the "Woodgun" in Pennsylvania.
     
  6. NanFarms

    NanFarms

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    Thanks for the suggestions! We have a 2,000 gallon storage tank. No, we can't adjust the size of the furnace room, as the concrete block wall on one side is part of the exterior wall of the house, and the water storage tank is right up against the outside of the opposite wall. We looked at the Vedolux 650, but it's a bit squishy, and we would need to have the chimney redone to accommodate the height of the flue. Also, the 650 is about $8,000 more than the Autonom.
     
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  7. campinspecter

    campinspecter

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    I can't find much information on the Autonom. Is it Lambda controlled and is it EPA Phase 2 compliant?
    The Vedolux is easy to clean - 15 minutes compared to the 45 minutes to an hour for the Jetstream.
    The Vedolux is a couple minutes to load a light with never any smoke into the room.
    You would be more than welcome to come and see a cleaning and a light.
     
  8. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    Do you know why the Vedolux does not appear on the current US EPA list?
     
  9. campinspecter

    campinspecter

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    I do not know why , mine was approved at the time of installation without it could not have passed a WETT inspection .
     
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  10. campinspecter

    campinspecter

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    Did it use its long name "Varmebaronen"?
     
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  11. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    I wondered the same...some appliances aren't listed under their common name
     
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  12. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    They are listed as a manufacturer. But the search yielded zero results…

    4B60AF12-F8D7-4075-9A71-C211A43B3EB1.jpeg
     
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  13. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    So the Varmebaronen website has reference to firewood but no indication of a wood burning appliance. Perhaps the Vedolux has been discontinued and they withdrew their application with the EPA. Gonna do a little more research to find out.
     
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  14. campinspecter

    campinspecter

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    I could not find Garn on the list!
     
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  15. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    I contacted smokelessheat. Dean got back to me. The Vedolux is featured on the Swedish language version of the Varmebaronen website. Dean said he would get back with me on some other pertinent details related to the EPA approval. I’ll share them when he does…
     
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  16. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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  17. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    He posted this on another site...
    "Varmebaronen was sent a letter from the EPA after they requested to renew their certificates which was not too long before the certification was to expire. The letter gave 10 days to come up with a resolution to the various deficiencies they found when reviewing the test. The test was made approx 5 years prior. The test agency at the time worked to the best of their ability conducting the tests and provided the information the EPA requested at that time. The EPA accepted the results and gave them the certification. Some of the items in the request could be easily fixed like some additional text in the manual explaining what you can and cant burn, smoke detector language, how to exercise warranty etc. However some information simply could not be reproduced without a new test. These items included, close up photos of the individual wood pieces used in the original test, a signature of who performed the conditioning burn in and their qualifications, revise the report to demonstrate the fuel density was greater than 10lb/ft3 , all notes taken by the test personnel during the process, instructions the manufacture may have given to the test agency to make sure the notes were consistent with the manual, among other items. The items for the most part should not have affected the end result and a retest using the same protocol would give similar results so it wasn't a matter of a dirty boiler getting by with tweaking the system. Varmebaronen did not plan on testing all their models again so soon and was going for a renewal certification request since nothing materially changed to require a new test. The manufacturer and the test agency did try to figure out with the EPA what needed to be done but they said considering their experience dealing with the EPA it felt like they were talking past each other and there was not a clear path forward. They were not confident in conducting another test given how much trouble it was communicating with the EPA and how things could and would be interpreted. It seemed to them there was no clarity and anything they did at this time would probably be obsolete in 5 years and most likely new rounds of tests would again be required. Varmebaronen said they had to cut the losses until there is certain clarity within the regulators. I don't know if they ever will come back to USA with certified models if things get resolved with the test methods which at this time to me appear to be "up in the air". They continue to manufacture the lambda models we sell. For the foreseeable future we will continue to support users with parts including any legacy models. Dean Zook"
     
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  18. stuckinthemuck

    stuckinthemuck

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    Yup. He sent me an email indicating that he did and added a link to his site as well. I think this shows how entirely broken the system is and the law of unintended consequences. Hopefully we can get this fixed. But it is not going to happen quickly.

    here’s the link to his site. Effectively the same message.

    EPA and Varmebaronen - Is it the end of the line? - Smokeless Heat, Vedolux wood boiler, Wood heating stoves
     
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