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Author Topic: Thinking about a Heatmor 200  (Read 16284 times)

dd

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Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« on: February 11, 2010, 06:38:39 PM »

Currently heating a well insulated 20 year old 2 story with finished basement(about 3000sgft total) and dhw with propane. Using about 20 litres a day at 50cents/litre. Also have a 24x32 well insulated shop that I can keep from freezing with a 110v  micro furnace. Would like to heat shop up to 60 to work in once in awhile.  Wood is available for free.  Located in southwestern Ontario.

Can't decide if it worth the expense of installing a OWB.  Don't mind cutting wood.  Anyone have any thoughts?
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southwestern ontario

juddspaintballs

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2010, 06:44:17 PM »

I'm planning on getting one soon as well to heat my drafty old 1660 sq ft house and totally uninsulated garage.  I don't want to keep paying the oil prices with my 30+ yr old oil burning furnace.  Wood is free for me as well.
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willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2010, 07:12:45 PM »

free wood is never free..(i know you mean no cost)  DD i am guessing from your description you will be burning (depending on your type of wood) somehwere between 8 and 11 bush cords (real cords 4 x 4 x 8) a season that is about 24 to 33 cords of what you see for sale in the paper (face cords)

from your post you are likley spending near 1700 to 2000 a year for your fuel bill now

i am not sure of what a new OWB costs now but i will guess you are handy and can do a lot of the hookup yourself so lets say 8 to 10 grand
that would be about 5  years to payback (at todays price and you know they are going up)

that is also not counting any money for fuel to get wood or machinery or your time (i never consider that because most folks have the equipment on hand and time is worthless if it is not time away from a real paying job. if you cut wood instead of watch ing TV it is better for you anyway

i think they are worth it but you may not..also remember you will be married to this thing, it needs wood likely twice a day no matter how you feel or where you are . this will be a major investment,  think it through good before spending the money, make sure you are ready for the commitment.
good luck on however you proceed
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willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2010, 08:39:07 PM »

fat fingers got a smiley in there somehow...real cord 4x4x8...sorry
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dd

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2010, 08:49:14 PM »

I was thinking it would burn 4 to 5 bush cords a season.  How are you coming up with 8 to 11?  If I burn 20 litres a day at 25000btu/litre that means i need 500,000btu a day. Does this sound right?

We have alot of ash, oak, beech, cherry, elm, and maple in the bush.

What about hydro outages if no one is home at the time? I am usually down the road at the other farm, but might not be around quick enough if the circulating pump were to stop.
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southwestern ontario

willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2010, 10:02:10 PM »

I was thinking it would burn 4 to 5 bush cords a season.  How are you coming up with 8 to 11?  If I burn 20 litres a day at 25000btu/litre that means i need 500,000btu a day. Does this sound right?

We have alot of ash, oak, beech, cherry, elm, and maple in the bush.

What about hydro outages if no one is home at the time? I am usually down the road at the other farm, but might not be around quick enough if the circulating pump were to stop.
according to heat canada the average canadian home uses 100 million a year but we will say you need 60 mill a year  (500,000 a day for 120 days) aok has  about 18 million recoverable btu in a cord so you would need 3.3 cords for a winter...but  your OWB will be far less efficient so lets say it is 60 percent efficient that would be about 1.3 more  cords that brings you to about 4.4 (you are very close)  now take into consideration you will not be burning all oak and lets see what ash works out too. ash = 16 million or a cord or 3.75 + 1.4 is a little over 5 (you are in the ballpark) now you will not likely burn all wood inthe 20% range or all aok or ash..so lets add 1 cord for that that brings youout to only  6 cords and i appologise for my first figure..but i am also thinking you live in a brand new house or a very small house or you keep your house 68 or lower. ( i have been wrong before and will be again.lol) ...i forgot about your shop lets say you need to add at least 2 cords here  that would bring us to 8 cords and i am being generous i think


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lindnova

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2010, 11:46:49 PM »

The 8 to 10 bush cord estimate is accurate.   There is considerable heat loss through the chimney, so btu's are not everything. 

I have a Heatmor 200 and have been happy with it.  The first winter it seemed like I used too much wood.  I put some foil bubble insulation on the inside of the doors since it seems underinsulated.  I also pulled the sheet metal back and filled in gaps in the fiberglass under the roof.  One thing I did not do was insulate underneath it - got the instructions after it was already sitting on the slab. 

My other problem has been the Taco circulation pump only lasted 2 years.  I replaced the cartridge last time, but would recommend getting a Grundfos pump.  They last longer.

As said before.  Major commitment.  Come about February, I am ready to be done filling it with wood. 
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willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2010, 06:24:13 AM »

The 8 to 10 bush cord estimate is accurate.   There is considerable heat loss through the chimney, so btu's are not everything. 

I have a Heatmor 200 and have been happy with it.  The first winter it seemed like I used too much wood.  I put some foil bubble insulation on the inside of the doors since it seems underinsulated.  I also pulled the sheet metal back and filled in gaps in the fiberglass under the roof.  One thing I did not do was insulate underneath it - got the instructions after it was already sitting on the slab. 

My other problem has been the Taco circulation pump only lasted 2 years.  I replaced the cartridge last time, but would recommend getting a Grundfos pump.  They last longer.

As said before.  Major commitment.  Come about February, I am ready to be done filling it with wood. 
lindnova i am not sure why your taco did not last, i have a taco 0011 and iam on winter number 9. My stove is 250 feet from the house, but my stove is also higher than any of my heating appliances and i put my pump in the basement. (i am not sure as i am no pump guy but perhaps this setup does not work the pump as hard?)
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dd

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2010, 05:23:35 AM »

After alot of thought and worry I went with a Heatmor 200. Not feeling 100% sure it is the right move.

Working on my pile of wood for next season. Have one row 5' by 30' long piled. More waiting to be split and piled. Thinking I need about 6 rows total.
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willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2010, 02:09:56 PM »

dd i dont push any model of stove as i have little knowledge on any one brand but i ahve a brother inlaw who has had a heatmore for (i think) over 12 years and has had good luck with it. it will be an older model though. Is the one you are buying a new epa certified model or the older non certified?

if it is the newer EPA certified model i hope you will keep us informed of the wood useage (which if performs as well as they say you should get by with your 5 or six cord estimate)

there have been good and bad reports on some of these EPA models but i think if you have one, you need to be sure and burn the driest wood possable

Good luck and keep us posted. we all love pictures too!
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willieG

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2010, 02:25:35 PM »

After alot of thought and worry I went with a Heatmor 200. Not feeling 100% sure it is the right move.

Working on my pile of wood for next season. Have one row 5' by 30' long piled. More waiting to be split and piled. Thinking I need about 6 rows total.
if your row is 16 inches deep  and you get yoruself 6 rows like that i would guess you have near 9 or 10 bush cords and with your  new stove (if it is the EPA model you may at best have 2 years wood and at worst one years wood (older model) or somewhere inbetween?

care to tell us if it is an EPA model or not and what the dealer told you, you may burn?
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dd

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2010, 06:39:34 PM »

The stove I bought is a 200css.

Heatmor has a second EPA stove that just came out in the last few months. It is called the Response 2 or SSR2. Green Valley Heating has one hooked up and running. The firebox is 24" long versus 36" on the 200css. It also goes to a lower water temp(maybe 140) before starting the blower fan. Holds more water, 377 gallons. The smoke has to go though 2 passes of 2x2 square tubing heat exchanger  before exiting.
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snuggleme

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Re: Thinking about a Heatmor 200
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2011, 04:49:05 PM »

wHAT DID YOU PAY FOR THAT UNIT IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO, PLEASE
THANKS
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