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Author Topic: Ontario  (Read 7365 times)

Farmer Rob

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Ontario
« on: March 03, 2018, 07:33:36 AM »

Hello group I have to ask if anyone around here from Ontario Canada who has a P&M unit? I would like to learn from a local person how good or bad these are before I make up mind..
 Rob
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wreckit87

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2018, 07:58:18 AM »

Are you looking for conventional or gasification? I know there is a couple in NY that bought a new EGR250 a few months ago that has been mighty troublesome since day one. There were some missing parts from the factory and a bent turbolator that the owner of P&M and a tech found and replaced, but the unit is still not gassing like it should. The conventional units have had great reviews though
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Revx1000

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2018, 07:21:22 PM »

I have a 3444 p/m  it is a great unit ,trouble free . Running it now 4 seasons and has never missed a beat . It took me a few weeks in the first season to get the temp and fan setting right .  Brian from p/ m has been great ,helped me alot on the setup/startup . I live in north western Alberta, I did go to the factory in Manitoba to pick the unit up,  impressive place, kinda nice to tour it  see all the parts as they come together. For the most part I burn white poplar, tamarack,  there is no hard wood around here .it handles the soft wood good ,in most cases I get a 12  hour burn. Some people on here say poplar is not worth  the gas to cut it up ,I say maybe it's just the brand of heater , some are more efficient then others . I can't say enough good about Brian from p/m he has always helped with questions even some of my off the wall ones!!!!  I have  never had warranty issues but there has been a few updates and he shipped them out prepaid ...  In my opinion you can not go wrong with a p/m heater !!!!!  Vernn
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Farmer Rob

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2018, 05:50:34 AM »

Thank you for that information. How much wood do you use in a season? Here where I live in Ontario we also have Poplar for the most part and some Birch our farm has a 2acre bush with some Maple trees but that is all. I have been cutting and burning Poplar for many years now and agree the stove has alot to do with things.
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Mr. Maple

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2018, 03:18:11 PM »

  You have heard one good post,now it is time for the bad. I had a BL 4044 for one season,was so elated to see that thing go down the road to the next sucker I can't even describe in words.
  Started out with an Empyre 450, rated at 8000 square feet,did the job but liked it's wood,not a real specific measure,but took 2 wheelbarrow loads at 10:00 at night to last until 6:00 a.m when it was real cold.
  P&M BL 4044, took 3 wheelbarrow loads at 10:00 at night,furnace would be down to 140 and screaming for more wood by 5:00 a.m.
  Now Heatmaster MF 20000 E,  2 wheelbarrow loads at 8:00 at night,didn't have to worry about more wood before 10:00 or 11:00 next morning,even now into drier wood 1 wheelbarrow load of wood for a 12-14 hour burn.
  In summary,first furnace did the job,just really hard on wood,second furnace,took even more wood,p.i.t.a to get ashes to go through the firebrick,had to makeshift a poker out of threaded rod,to which I would be breathing in ash dust from trying to clear the brick. Rory at the company told me I was burning the wrong type of wood ( imagine that,dry elm) ,loading too often,but what do you do when you need more heat?,must have too big a heat load on the furnace,yet the smaller rated Empyre did the job,and placing the wood in wrong,how do you figure that?
   Now with my Heatmaster,doesn't matter what type of wood I toss in,how I toss it in,and the ashes are a fine powder that drops through the grates,about a 5 gallon pail full weekly,less than half the amount of the previous two furnaces.
  It has been a cold winter,getting down in wood,but even my wife remarked if we still had the P@M we would have been out in the cold a long time ago
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Farmer Rob

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2018, 06:56:15 AM »

[quote author=Mr. Maple
 Thank you for that review and I must say it does not sound good at all.
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Crow

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2018, 10:34:43 AM »

Rob, keep in mind that there is and has been a lot less traffic on this forum so your responses will be limited. You might want to post your question on the Facebook pages if you're on FB as well as there are more PM owners there now as well as other manufacturers. Two I follow are "outdoor wood boilers" and " the truth about outdoor wood boilers".
As with almost anything, you rarely hear people raving about how good something is, usually just complaints.
As Mr Maple has mentioned, and his accounts are consistent, he has had different results with 3 different units. I also have read that he is now seeing different results again with really dry wood. So who knows, maybe his PM would have been better with that wood, or maybe not.
I am very happy with mine, it's soon to be finishing it's 5th season and the only part I needed is the float for the water level. I replaced the firebrick grates to the new style ( wider with built in spacers)as mine had the narrow original style that would move when raking coals.
I used less wood this year than previous years as it wasn't a cold year here in Eastern Ontario.
Seeing as your handle is Farmer Rob, have you thought about going to either the London Farm Show or the Ottawa Farm Show? You can see many of the manufacturers there and compare build quality and price.  Good luck with the research.

PS, I'm not a dealer or an employee of any boiler manufacturer.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2018, 10:41:11 AM by Crow »
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Crow

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2018, 11:08:26 AM »

London Farm Show started today, March 7 and goes to the 9th.
Ottawa Farm Show March 13, 14 and 15th.
I know over the last number of years that Pm, Polar, Central Boiler, Heatmaster and Heatmor were in Ottawa, I am assuming that they all would be in London.
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tinfoilhat2020

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2018, 08:09:14 PM »

ive heard nothing but great reviews about their BL series on Facebook. its seems to one of the best HE conventionals on the market.

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dutch

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2018, 06:58:31 AM »

I too have a bl-2840 , I heat a new 4100 sq ft house & a 2000 sq ft garage in nova scotia , I clean it once a week , no troubles , works very well for me, dry wood makes a huge difference.
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Revx1000

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2018, 09:32:47 PM »

How much wood I use in a year really depends on the weather. This year for example looking like  13 cords or so , we have had extreme cold this year . There was three weeks of - 40 -45 plus some wind . This week along few nights of - 30  now thd weather man's says plus 3 to 6 for highs next week.  Size of bulding you heat ,the age etc all factors .  This year we started the unit in Sept and will run into April, so this year will be a long and bigger season . Do I think it uses to much wood NO , setting the unit and having seasoned and dry wood are big factors. I like to use the rounds cut to 3 ft in the colder time then the split stuff when warmer . I do find the split stuff does not last as long but that may be do to the fact that I don't stack it I  there as neat as the rounds  they are very robust unit with very good welds unlike some of their competitors that are having some leaks due to pour welding . I too also clean on a weekly bases and scrape and sweep the upper chamber to help maximize heat transfer . I season my wood in a shed then stack it into the crates in spring cover then ready for the next season . The math tells me that it has paid for it self in four short years by not having monthly gas bills.    For the record iam not a dealer nor am I paid by  p/m . I spent close to a year looking at all the different units beore I bought , service , sales and knowledge  were all factors for me . Brian has been great to deal with before and after the sale . My opinion you can't go wrong with this brand   
    Vernn
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Farmer Rob

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2018, 07:04:03 AM »

Revx1000
 Thank you I am looking at ether this company or perhaps Polar with a third choice being Heat Master.
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CornFarmer416

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2018, 02:36:34 PM »

On my 4th season with a BL 3444 heating my 2600 sq ft ranch house +basement, also a 4car attached garage with 11ft ceiling.  I plan to build a barn and also heat it. It’ a great stove with no problems. I really like that you can unbolt the water jacket for future replacement. Good stove if you ask me.
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Stihl 461
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Elguano

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2018, 04:55:12 PM »

I also have a 4044 , Am in Ottawa, first season using it so far loving it... Went from a 5000$/Propane to 1600$ in wood this year and a 80$ Propane Bill for the entire winter :)

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blmike

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Re: Ontario
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2018, 07:41:37 AM »

I have a bl 2840 it has been good ,lite it in the fall and never again till the next fall . It does have some short comings ,# 1 smoke when trying to fill it ,it is not to bad if you can fill when it has burned right down .#2 the temp and on off switch should be at the front with a light . #3 door should  open to the right ,unless you are left handed . As others have said Brian has been great to talk to . I heat 1000 sq home + basement ,and garage 30x30 that i try to keep just above freezing ,with about 12 cord of tamarack.
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