I'm looking to purchase my first OWB and have been looking around and doing a lot of research. I've looked at Central Boiler, but am worried about quality of build first and foremost. The top names that I keep on seeing come up are HeatMaster and Crown Royal. I live in northern NC and I am looking for a OWB gasifier to be able to heat 5k+ square feet in multiple buildings along with hot water. The units that I've been looking at are the HeatMaster G400 and Crown Royal Pristine 7400e. Both of those may be a little bigger capacity than I need currently, but want to make sure I am able to be able to expand. Does anyone have experience with both brands, if so how would you compare them? How do build qualities compare? How does support from the company and dealers compare? Any info to help me differentiate between these two would be greatly appreciate, thank you.
I am interested in this topic as well. I believe JonE installed a Heatmaster G200 in the last year or so, he may have some valuable insight. I currently have a Central Boiler 6048 it’s 14 years old & it’s worked well for us heating 2 older farmhouses & domestic water to our milk house in the barn. It does however have a voracious appetite for wood. I would like to update to something more efficient it’s just not in the budget right now with our daughter in college. We would need something larger like the G400 as well. I’ll be following this closely!
I'll expand a little on my answer from last night. I have experience with both manufacturers. My FIL has an older Crown Royal gasser that is heating 3 houses. It has been in service for 7 or 8 years and trouble free. The only things that have been replaced are door gaskets and the nozzle a few times. I installed a Heatmaster a couple seasons back and it hasn't given me a single issue. It is super easy to maintain (shake the turbulator handles once per day, empty the ashes 2 or 3 times per season). It's amazing how little wood it actually burns. Like I said earlier, in my experience you can't go wrong with either....pick the dealer you think is going to treat you the best in terms of price and service.
I'm interested in this too - currently running a Woodmaster 4400. It's been trouble free but has a real appetite for wood...would love to move into something more efficient sometime in the near future. Heatmaster has been on the top of my list too, seems to be very well built.
This is the 4th winter for me running a g400, overall i am happy with it. Have had a few hiccups here and there that were mostly my fault, when i did have issues i managed to track down the owners of heatmaster after hours (live 10 minutes away from factory) and they were very helpful! Local dealer not so much, but luckily found a different dealer that is more than willing to help me out if i have any issues
I wood love to hear more about your G400 sir. What are you heating with it? Sq. Ft. Etc. More than one dwelling? Heating domestic water? Using heat exchangers? Can you tell us roughly what your annual wood consumption has been these past 4 seasons? Sorry I’m being so nosy but I am seriously considering one of these if my Central Boiler 6048 gives up the ghost. It does a fine job meeting our heating needs but uses tremendous amounts of wood to get the job done. I love to cut back on our wood consumption as I get older. I really enjoy cutting wood but it seems to occupy every spare minute I have and I’m slowly growing weary of that.
I know what you mean! As I get older I find it harder to keep up and I only go thru 8 - 10 cord. Been looking at both of these brands I don't think you would be disappointed with either one from what I've read. I currently have a 21 year old Central Boiler CL-40 I think the CB6048 replaced it. It has the cyclone side draft unlike the door draft. I only have one 24" x 24" heat exchanger and a sidearm exchanger for DHW. Will be following this also. I am considering the G200 or the CR 7300E
this was my first thought, which warms you faster, a shot of Crown of course. As far as the ops question I got nuthin
Not nosy at all!! Well, I'm heating my 4000sqft shop (16' ceiling) with radiant floor, then I'm heating my 1200sqft house with rad in furnace plenum Shop i like to heat to about 18°c, house i like a bit warmer Average consumption is 10 to 14 cords, But will say that I've been struggling with wood thats dry enough (mostly ash and poplar, a bit of oak) Last winter here was insanely cold!!! Used 14ish cords This winter on track to do 10 to 11 cords
We are good for 24 full cords minimum a season. Sometimes more depending on the temperature/ weather.
Wow! My dad and brother use a common large CB (I don't know the model) to heat both their houses on the family farm...and 2 shops...houses are about 2k ft each, the one shop is 1200 ft with 10-12 ft ceilings, and the other at least double that sq footage, and 14-16' ceilings...they go through a boatload of wood...I don't know how much, but after baby sitting it one cold weekend when they were gone, I'd say that they use as much in a few weeks as I use all winter in my indoor forced air wood furnace! It doesn't help that the underground lines may be partially waterlogged or something...they didn't use cheap line, but it has been down there a long time...they realized that there was a problem when wood consumption dropped a lot after digging a sump pit and "dewatering" one end of the underground line... A G400 is on their shortlist for the CB's replacement when it pops...its, I dunno...at least 20 years old. Also looking at some amish/mennonite built lambda controlled unit too I guess...pretty funny buying "tech" from the amish!
.[/QUOTE] I am thinking seriously about a Polar G2 plus as they look like a great unit.I also like the Heat Master G200 Gasser models but am leaning still towards the Polar .The price I have found also seems to be a little better on the Polar
Both seem to be solid brands and use stainless (which is what will give you the longevity, avoid a mild steel unit). I guess both heatmaster and crown royal will be coming out with new/updated models this year. So you may find a deal on a current model or be enticed by a new model.