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[jd9610]

I'm thinking about purchasing an outdoor boiler and was looking at the new central boiler E-Classic series and was wondering what everone thought about them or had any other suggestions

[kjw58]

 Last spring I was looking at the new gasifier stoves on the market and I was told by a Central Boiler dealer to stay away from there gasifier model and he tried to sell me one of there conventional models.  When I questioned him as to why, he would only say that he would not advise buying one.

[mikenc]

Friend of mine has a central boiler not a gasifier and really likes it. Not sure what model.

[ryan4030]

A guy that I work with ran into the same thing .He was checking on the CB units and the dealer's employee told him to stay away from the gassification unit. Don't know why that would be the case . My regular old 4030 works wonderful. It's not the fanciest or stainless steel or forced draft,but I really like it and I am pretty picky about maintaining it properly so hopefully it will last a long time.

[yoderheating]

 The biggest down side to any gassification outdoor furnace is that none of them have been on the market long enough to be certain how they will hold up. I know for me and my business I have not pushed the one built by Heat Master. So far they operate wonderfully and preform just as advertised. The big question is how will everything hold up over time. To work properly they need to run at temps far above a traditional furnace. Over a 20 year period how will the furnace hold up to these temps? Look at the warranties offered, most brands do not offer the same warranty as their traditional furnace.  This tells me they do not have full confidence in their products. I don't want to be the guinea pig and I don't want my business to be either.
 I don't know anything about Central Boiler, I'm speaking about furnaces in general.

[tulenutn2o]

The dealer also maybe trying to unload a boatload of regular units before the laws change. Who knows for sure.

[Scott7m]

The dealer also maybe trying to unload a boatload of regular units before the laws change. Who knows for sure.

not true...    I also tend to steer people away from gasification units.  The downdraft gasification is a whole other animal that I'm sure all the bugs havent been worked out of.  There has been a lot of problems with the eclassic stoves that I know of.  I don't push natures comfort downdraft either, I've not heard of any problems with them but I don't see the added benefit at this time for my customer base.  However having a gasification unit similar to the 325G that blows air the full length of the fire box top and bottom, it's basically a regular boiler that provides enough oxygen to the lower and upper parts of the fire to get a good clean burn. 

[tulenutn2o]

The dealer also maybe trying to unload a boatload of regular units before the laws change. Who knows for sure.

not true...    I also tend to steer people away from gasification units.  The downdraft gasification is a whole other animal that I'm sure all the bugs havent been worked out of.  There has been a lot of problems with the eclassic stoves that I know of.  I don't push natures comfort downdraft either, I've not heard of any problems with them but I don't see the added benefit at this time for my customer base.  However having a gasification unit similar to the 325G that blows air the full length of the fire box top and bottom, it's basically a regular boiler that provides enough oxygen to the lower and upper parts of the fire to get a good clean burn.

Notice, I said maybe. From the state fair this year, the dealers there were really pushing to sell their inventory of regular units due to proposed legislation. Units were heavily discounted. I still bought a gasifier and am pleased with its performance. Burning wood is not new science and stoves will develope  issues that need to be dealt with on a routine basis. While I understand your reluctance to embrace the newer stoves for fear of more service calls/questions, I also do not believe it is justified to steer a customer toward an older unit that may very well get outlawed in the near future.. Give customers all the facts and let them make an informed decision and then help them out with any issues they may have. Just my .02

[Scott7m]

I welcome any govt official to come to my part of KY and tell some redneck he can't use his OWB lol.  KY is probably 20 years behind on all this green movement anyway, but people here don't want to hear anything about gasification.  I've had a couple hundred customers in and out here and only had one guy who would even talk about gasification in terms of a down draft. 

Also, I'm not sure that they'll be able to make you give up your exsisting owb.  They can force companies to follow new guidelines as far as producing stoves but it is my understanding that it will be done on the manufacturer level.  It would be way to costly to go out and search out anyone using owb, also way to dangerous in some parts of the country.

I do give the customer the facts on the stoves.  I say this gasification unit is far more complicated, has a lot more maintenance to be done, and from what I've seen the difference in wood usage isn't enough to justify the added cost or hassle.  Not to mention they haven't been on the market for very long. 

[scissorbill]

Central Boiler is fine just stay away from Heatmaster... total garbage.

[Scott7m]

Central Boiler is fine just stay away from Heatmaster... total garbage.

I sure haven't heard of many problems out of heatmaster.  Great looking stoves and work great too.

[yoderheating]

 Scott, I have to agree with you.  All the gasification units I have messed with have preformed very well. However there is really no way to tell how well they will do over a 20 year time period without waiting. I'm not that worried about it, however there is no need to push them on people who are perfectly happy with a efficient conventional outdoor furnace. 
 Tulenutn2o, I assume you are speaking about the coming regulations in PA. It may be true that some dealers are trying to sell innovatory ahead of this. However, if they are they must not be selling very much innovatory.  Most dealers I know turn over innovatory every several months.  I don't know why anyone would have a years worth of innovatory on their lot. 
 I'm with Scott, while there are some states that will be cracking down on furnaces I really don't expect Va to be one of them. At a time when energy prices are continuing to rise and money is tight I don't think it is going to be politically viable to regulate predominately rural states. I have been preparing for this however by getting to know a good number of state representatives. If it does come up I will have some friends in government fighting for me.

[tulenutn2o]

Given the changes this country has endured in the past 10 years, I would not trust that things could not get ugly quickly, as far as regs are concerned. I love Kentucky, and I have said what u say for years. People down there will not stand for meddling in their business. My entended family is from arkansas. They don't care much for regs either. My observations were based on the uproar in the NE states and proposed legislation that would require replacement in a particular timeframe. Heck, they are trying to regulate dust in Iowa. Lots of things have changed here very quickly. For the record, I have a downdraft unit and do not find it to be complicated at all. Maybe some are, with lots of electronics and such. I find that I am intrigued by my unit and monitor and log the temps, wood used, cleanouts, etc. more than is required. I fill/check it  twice a day. Seems to give the best burn. Been laid up the last week , so son has been stuffing full, and getting a much longer burn, but sometimes more smoke on start. So it all boils down to proper use. Anybody who opts for an OWB has got to commit to its proper operation or we all may pay in the long run. My decision was made by the tax incentive. Unit was same price as regular unit, but is phase 2 cert.

[Scott7m]

Given the changes this country has endured in the past 10 years, I would not trust that things could not get ugly quickly, as far as regs are concerned. I love Kentucky, and I have said what u say for years. People down there will not stand for meddling in their business. My entended family is from arkansas. They don't care much for regs either. My observations were based on the uproar in the NE states and proposed legislation that would require replacement in a particular timeframe. Heck, they are trying to regulate dust in Iowa. Lots of things have changed here very quickly. For the record, I have a downdraft unit and do not find it to be complicated at all. Maybe some are, with lots of electronics and such. I find that I am intrigued by my unit and monitor and log the temps, wood used, cleanouts, etc. more than is required. I fill/check it  twice a day. Seems to give the best burn. Been laid up the last week , so son has been stuffing full, and getting a much longer burn, but sometimes more smoke on start. So it all boils down to proper use. Anybody who opts for an OWB has got to commit to its proper operation or we all may pay in the long run. My decision was made by the tax incentive. Unit was same price as regular unit, but is phase 2 cert.

Yea the tax incentive got a lot of people on board with gasification units.  As far as your thoughts on ky, most people don't have a clue that there is places on earth still like that.  These people have worked in coal mines or the mining/timber industry for generations and they don't like  people messing in there  business.  Especially those on the left.  For those hillbilly's who are running there owb's here to be able to afford to heat there home I feel sorry for the guy who comes to try to stop them lol. 

Electric rates here are absoutely insane.  However, they say we have the cheapest power in the country.  I don't buy that.  An average 2400 sq foot home down  here is having electric bills in the 600-800 range in the worst winter months.  All totaling out to be over 3000 per year in heating costs. 

[tulenutn2o]

Given the changes this country has endured in the past 10 years, I would not trust that things could not get ugly quickly, as far as regs are concerned. I love Kentucky, and I have said what u say for years. People down there will not stand for meddling in their business. My entended family is from arkansas. They don't care much for regs either. My observations were based on the uproar in the NE states and proposed legislation that would require replacement in a particular timeframe. Heck, they are trying to regulate dust in Iowa. Lots of things have changed here very quickly. For the record, I have a downdraft unit and do not find it to be complicated at all. Maybe some are, with lots of electronics and such. I find that I am intrigued by my unit and monitor and log the temps, wood used, cleanouts, etc. more than is required. I fill/check it  twice a day. Seems to give the best burn. Been laid up the last week , so son has been stuffing full, and getting a much longer burn, but sometimes more smoke on start. So it all boils down to proper use. Anybody who opts for an OWB has got to commit to its proper operation or we all may pay in the long run. My decision was made by the tax incentive. Unit was same price as regular unit, but is phase 2 cert.

Our rates here for electric now are 12 cents/kwh. They just raised again. Seems utilities will always have us by the _ _ _ _ _ ! As soon as people conserve and figure out a new way to save, they come knockin for more money. Talkin hillbilly, my grandfather was still cookin a batch or 2 of shine before he died about 7 years ago I guess. Great granddad spent a few in the gray bar motel for this also. Too many people following these days for my taste. Somebody is always wantin in someone else's business.  Great chattin with ya!
Yea the tax incentive got a lot of people on board with gasification units.  As far as your thoughts on ky, most people don't have a clue that there is places on earth still like that.  These people have worked in coal mines or the mining/timber industry for generations and they don't like  people messing in there  business.  Especially those on the left.  For those hillbilly's who are running there owb's here to be able to afford to heat there home I feel sorry for the guy who comes to try to stop them lol. 

Electric rates here are absoutely insane.  However, they say we have the cheapest power in the country.  I don't buy that.  An average 2400 sq foot home down  here is having electric bills in the 600-800 range in the worst winter months.  All totaling out to be over 3000 per year in heating costs.