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[Dillon1630]

Just wanted to say "Hey" to everyone.  I'm a new G200 owner after a lot of research (mainly from this board), and I've had it fired up for 10 days now with no problems.  I'm heating about 3600sf (1800sf basement) along with domestic hot water and a 600 gallon hot tub.  I installed my G200 in my basement walk-out which is completely underground.  I can walk out my basement door and load her up without having to travel too far outdoors.  Bringing wood down the stairs is a bit of a choir, but not having the furnace sitting out in the yard is worth it to me. The walk-out was always wasted space and it acts as a nice wind break and you would never notice the furnace if you didn't walk down a look for it.  I'm still nervous about making sure I'm doing everything correct as far as ash cleaning, coal beds, creosote, etc...  So far, the wife and kids are loving the heat.  Any tips for a new owner??  Anything you wished you had done from the beginning??  I love this outdoor furnace community and I really appreciate all the information that is shared here.  Thanks for having me.

[mlappin]

Rack the handle 5 times once a day and you pretty much have the rest covered it sounds like. Everyone in awhile I have to remove the damper on mine and clean it with a wire brush chucked in a 20volt drill. Other than that pretty maintenance free. I usually clean ashes out the bottom once a week whether it needs it or not.

[slimjim]

Welcome aboard Dillon!

[tinfoilhat2020]

Welcome to The Forum I also just installed a new g200 and I'm loving it as well Rock the handle five times a day to clean the Heat exchangers and make sure you stack your blood type and firm over the nozzle

[tinfoilhat2020]

wood*** not blood... damn voice texting

[E Yoder]

Welcome, glad to have you.
I shake my handle maybe once a week just to see if crud builds up. Three years and it's been fine. But daily is better for efficiency.
Let it burn down to coals once a week or so to cook off creosote. Cleans up the firebox. Keep a couple inches of ash in the firebox but not up on the air channels.
As was mentioned stack the wood right on the nozzle.
Enjoy your free heat!

[E Yoder]

Keeping a heap of loose coals over the nozzle at all times keeps it burning clean. You can adjust the coal bed depth by burning larger (less coals) or smaller (more coals) wood.
Overall it's a pretty forgiving unit. You'll get it pretty quick.

[Jon_E]

Welcome.  I've been running my G200 non-stop since January this year.  Almost a year now.  Things I've learned:

1.  Keep it clean.  Remove ash from the secondary burn chamber frequently, at least monthly and more often if you're inclined. 
2.  Burn the same type of wood you would use if you had an indoor woodstove.  Split small and bone dry.  A big chunk now and then won't hurt as long as there is a good coal bed.  Keep a good coal bed in it. 
3.  Let it burn out every couple of weeks and clean ash out of the firebox.   

I'm no expert but there are guys here who have run these things a lot longer than I have.  I had a Central Boiler classic model before this one, and it is a totally different process (aside from the actual tossing in firewood).  You also learn the burn patterns, smoke patterns and general behavior of the unit over time.  For example, I have learned that if I feed it 4-6 splits twice a day (7 am and 5 pm), I get a full 12-hour burn and then some, to the point where after 4-5 days I have so many coals in the firebox that I can skip a 'feeding'.  I also monitor smoke colors and patterns, to see if anything needs cleaning or adjusting.  Normally there is zero smoke coming out of the unit, even at the start of a burn cycle.  I will occasionally catch wisps of smoke (more likely steam) coming out of the chimney during idle, but it does not stink up the neighborhood like the old boiler used to. 

[hondaracer2oo4]

All good points have been brought up. I especially like yoders point of if you have your coal bed built up to much than run some larger stuff that doesn't break down to coals as fast, in turn burning your coal bed down. I don't much agree with having to burn bone dry small wood. In the summer with long idle times I can see this being necessary but during the winter when a load is pretty constant anything below 30 moisture is just fine. The harder you run it the easier it is. If you ever underestimate how much wood you need for the next 12 hours like I did last night when I woke up to 155 degree water and no wood or coals than give your ash bed a good stir with the rake and you will find plenty of hot coals in the ashes which you can place kindling on top of and then your small splits and wood load.