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106
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Temp display in the house
« on: February 23, 2016, 02:53:05 PM »lol....it goes right along with owning a OWB, most people wouldn't get it but darn, burning wood is so fun that's hard to take your eyes off of it, hence bino's.
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There is just something about heating with wood that you have cut and split yourself. A self reliant, be prepared thing like we learned in Scouts. Keep the gun loaded and within reach kinda...
Some years ago I picked up a wireless two channel unit. Used it to monitor the hen house, outdoor temp while winter driving, basement crawlspace temp etc. Moved it all over the place as needed. Finally stuck it up in the guest suite someplace (we only heat it for company). Now it reads two degrees warmer than our bedroom but we have been trying to find the transmitter since Sept with no luck....
107
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: GEO Thermal vs. Wood Boiler
« on: February 20, 2016, 08:46:39 PM »
We did a complete reno on our 2500 sq ft house about 6 years ago.
A few points....Geothermal is NOT the same as a heat pump. We needed new ductwork and would have needed a new chimney, BUT we are on a small lake and I have a back hoe. Our geo price wound up at just over $10,000 with me doing some of the work and a government rebate.
A few weeks ago we had a cold spell and our t'sat was set for 68F. The actual temp in the house at 2am was 66F as the unit could not keep up with the minus 30 degree temps AND our back up resistance heat is locked out. Been that way since day one, but we figured it was better to have it in case the compressor quit. Meanwhile that compressor generates over forty gallons of hot water on those cold nights with a TOTAL electrical load of 2.5 KW, the same as two portable baseboard heaters.
Meanwhile our little rental house next door needed more heat to satisfy the new tenants, so I found a slightly used P&M ML36 and installed it over there (150' away). Next summer we will relocate the OWB to a point midway between the two houses and run some pipe!!
Gathered some figures and did some didlin yesterday. Seems we used $500 worth of hydro in our Geothermal unit since the middle of last August (some would have been AC, but not much) We keep the thermostat at 68 because that is where my wife likes it, if she goes out for the day I crank it up....
A few points....Geothermal is NOT the same as a heat pump. We needed new ductwork and would have needed a new chimney, BUT we are on a small lake and I have a back hoe. Our geo price wound up at just over $10,000 with me doing some of the work and a government rebate.
A few weeks ago we had a cold spell and our t'sat was set for 68F. The actual temp in the house at 2am was 66F as the unit could not keep up with the minus 30 degree temps AND our back up resistance heat is locked out. Been that way since day one, but we figured it was better to have it in case the compressor quit. Meanwhile that compressor generates over forty gallons of hot water on those cold nights with a TOTAL electrical load of 2.5 KW, the same as two portable baseboard heaters.
Meanwhile our little rental house next door needed more heat to satisfy the new tenants, so I found a slightly used P&M ML36 and installed it over there (150' away). Next summer we will relocate the OWB to a point midway between the two houses and run some pipe!!
Gathered some figures and did some didlin yesterday. Seems we used $500 worth of hydro in our Geothermal unit since the middle of last August (some would have been AC, but not much) We keep the thermostat at 68 because that is where my wife likes it, if she goes out for the day I crank it up....
108
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: explain this
« on: February 20, 2016, 07:33:59 PM »
So am I....if the boiler was not in idle mode then the fire would be high as he opened the door...
109
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Another garage heat question
« on: February 20, 2016, 07:30:19 PM »
I'd just run some closed cell quality pipe below the grass and heat your garage all winter. Don't remember it being that cold down there so I don't expect it would take much to keep the water flowing. Even if you stick a thermostat out there set for 40F....
110
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: explain this
« on: February 20, 2016, 07:02:45 PM »
Any chance your wood supply has improved for some reason? If the fire dies when you close the door and flares up when you open it, then you can't have much of an air leak. If your wood was not very dry, then you switched to good stuff your boiler could run hotter with a small air leak that you haven't even noticed in past.
111
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Keeping mouth shut
« on: February 20, 2016, 02:49:58 PM »
My neighbor just won a pile of scrap 1 1/2 and 2" copper pipe. He is presently using a sidearm heater I made him out of 2" exhaust pipe but I see some better ones in our future....
112
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Why you don't make your own ins pipe
« on: February 20, 2016, 02:23:11 PM »
I have seen/heard of a lot of people who make their own main lines, but every set that worked involves encasing them in closed cell foam. In other words, building a form, laying in the lines and then injecting foam....
I have never heard of anyone being happy with foil wrap, or bubble wrap lines that were anywhere close to ground water. It only takes a few years before the grass turns green....
I have never heard of anyone being happy with foil wrap, or bubble wrap lines that were anywhere close to ground water. It only takes a few years before the grass turns green....
113
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Where the heck do ya live
« on: February 20, 2016, 09:38:14 AM »
As a tadpole 60 years ago I spent all summer about 10 miles north of Parry Sound so when it came time to retire I wanted a spot with less rock...LOL
Picked up a used P&M last fall for our tenants house across the lawn. So impressed that I plan to tie it into our Geothermal system next spring! The lack of smoke, warmth of the house and domestic water, comunications with P&M are all amazing for a DIY effort.
When we lived over there we kept the house about 18-19C and heated mostly with a free standing wood stove. The tenants keep it at 24C, even in the basement and are burning about the same wood.....
Picked up a used P&M last fall for our tenants house across the lawn. So impressed that I plan to tie it into our Geothermal system next spring! The lack of smoke, warmth of the house and domestic water, comunications with P&M are all amazing for a DIY effort.
When we lived over there we kept the house about 18-19C and heated mostly with a free standing wood stove. The tenants keep it at 24C, even in the basement and are burning about the same wood.....