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[farmermike]

Hi,I'm new to posting on this very informative site.Up until I found and read through many of the posts,I was the proud owner of a HE 8000.Now for some obvious reasons I'm kind of worried.It's done two winters heating two houses plus hot water.So far I'm very happy with it even though it is a dirty sob to clean.Makes a pile of heat,but the wood has to be very dry.Corosion is weighing heavy on my mind.Why would the new wooddoctor claim that pressurizing the system will stop their corrosion problem when all along I thought that it was wet wood/creosote was the problem.Does anyone know where they tend to rot out first?

[oldchenowth]

I'm in the same boat as you  are Mike, with my 5000.  A little concerned and a watchful eye on cracks and/or corrosion.  The main reason I bought mine is that plate steel can be welded much easier than stainless.  I knew it was a matter of when a crack would rear its ugly head, not if.  Still makes me nervous, I spend that much money and factory warranty and support are non-existant.  I bet a 40# spool of wire will be laid on by my Miller 251 before I retire this thing.  May the burning Gods have mercy on us!

[thelogboiler]

I was at the factory in Maryland where Arthur was going to build the new stoves and we cut a bad 5000 apart the corrosion takes place inside the fire box below the fire brick on the right hand side the cause is moister after the burn cycle runs down the side wall behind the fire brick . It can be fixed from the outside by cutting a hole though the fire box . You can use high temp motor to seal the brick joint in the corners , if you take out the fire brick on the outside perimeter you will find a 1/2" piece of wood I am not sure why ,it gets wet and corrodes right behind that . Aurther turple has known about this for some time  and continued to sell these stoves and claim they were 100% boiler plate , they are A 36 mild steel . The main problem is moister going down the side walls of the fire box if you can stop  that it should last a while  . Close pressure loop will not solve that problem , sodium nitrate open loop is always best for outdoor wood boilers

[farmermike]

Thanks oldchenowth,I'm sure you researched and thought you were getting what you paid for like myself.I guess we can sympathize with each other.And thanks Logboiler for the advice.I had never thought about water running down behind the bricks,but it makes perfect sense.Even with really dry wood there is always a little bit of water around the firebox door.What? it's not even boiler plate?This is getting worse all the time. I'll clean it out ,take the bricks away and see what I find. I'll keep you posted.

[oldchenowth]

Kinda surprised myself that there is wood inside to collect moisture.  Mine will come apart for inspection as soon as she cools off to get inside.  So much for research!  I wonder if P&M or CB will ever have a push, pull, or drag sale like the old used car dealerships, so I can trade up to a Chevette from my Yugo.  Terry Hanks said he'd take anything in on trade, bet he makes an exception in this case.  The problem is my burner does a really good job.  I hate to see it eat itself up.  I wonder if a small fire 24/7/365 would be better than idle for the summer.

[boilerman]

I believe CB does have a trade in program towards their Eclassic furnaces. I think they will give $1,500 for whatever you trade-in to one of their dealers on an Eclassic 2400.

[farmermike]

I wondered about keeping a fire all the time,but as Logboiler said ,the damage is being done when water runs down the sidewalls after the burn cycle when everything shuts up.No matter how dry, all wood contains some moisture.The wetter the wood,the more moisture will be condensing on the sidewalls.

[Arthur Turple]

Wood Doctor has moved totally to pressurized boilers to prevent corrosion.
The HE8000 was designed by Neil Hoofer, at Silverwinds Hutterite Colony, in Manatoba, Canada.
The Logboiler is Tom Lubber of Hudsonville, MI.
Tom sold the Logboiler company to Brian Nadeau, and the furnace Tom made for Brian never worked.
Tom Lubber refused to give Brian instructions on how to fix the electrical problems.   The furnace was never able to be deployed.
Brian Nadeau purchased 3 furnaces, plus gave Tom a huge deposit of $105,000 on the company, but would not give Tom anymore because Tom cheated him.  The furnaces cost double what Tom told Brian they would cost before he sold him the company.  Now Tom is hoping to sell the company to someone else.  Any takers?
Tom Lubber lied when he said that the HE8000 was made of mild steel.  Tom knows that is a lie.
Tom also knows that all open systems are prone to corrosion in the water jacket, as any plumber will confirm.
The sticks saves the brick from being beat up in transport and usually burns out in the first fire.  We had taken the furnace there to try to redesign it to make it last longer.  It burns incredably well.
The furnace Tom referred to was also an HE8000 and not a 5000.
Arthur Turple

[boilerman]

Outdoor wood furnace companies have been building open systems since the early 1980's...ie Central Boiler, Woodmaster, Heatmore, Hardy. Taylor, with very few water jacket failures, unless it was caused by stainless expansion/contraction stress fractures. Virtually no water jacket corrosion failures should occur when using and maintaining a water treatment/corrosion inhibitor. Most OWF fail because of trash burning or lack of proper maintenence in the firebox side. Your "Boiler Plate" or "Pressurized Boilers" won't stop that corrosion either. Sounds like your new sales pitch has a lot of "holes" in it....Maybe you should spend more time on better instructing your customers on proper operation and maintenence and less on making up false sales pitches to try to justify past failures.

[farmermike]

This fall I took Logboilers advice and sealed the gap between the firebrick and sidewall of the firebox.I also went to great lengths to season my wood last summer.I don't see as much moisture around the door this winter.