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[Daped01]

Has anyone had any experience with the dual fuel boilers?  This seems to be a very attractive option  to me if its anything more than just hype.  I would like to have the LP backup in case I end up working out of town and the wife can't make it out to fill the boiler or something like that.

[Mrplow]

I have a buddy that talked me into purchasing a OWB since he likes his so much and we both have wood readily available, he has a dual fuel setup.  He really likes it since the OWB is his only source of heat and things always come up in life that make it hard to get home all the time.  He says he even uses it to start his fires sometimes.  However, he also says it isn't the most efficient and wouldn't want to use it very offen or for long periods of time as the propane really disappears fast.   

[Daped01]

Thats kind of what I figured, but it would be a nice safety net in case, as you said, life gets in the way and we aren't home to fill the stove right away.  I figured somewhat first hand knowledge from someone that has a unit is better than my assumption.  It did verify my assumption though, and if its feasable, i think thats the type of stove i'm going to try get when i pull the trigger.

[Mrplow]

I would have to confirm this, but I believe that the dual fuel feature can be added to the central boiler units even if they are not "ready" from the factory.  My dealer didn't have one with the option at the time I bought and didn't really want to wait to order so I went with one he had in stock without it.  I do think I remember him stating that he can add it at any time if I want.  I will see him this week and ask about it again as it is a "backup" that I would like to have also. 

[Ridgekid]

I believe they have to be "built" for dual ready fuel.

http://www.centralboiler.com/dualfuel.html

[RSI]

The only dual fuel option for an OWB that makes any sense is waste oil.
You are way better off just using your existing furnace / boiler as the  backup because it is way more efficient. Also if it is being used a lot you can get it setup so the OWB would only get heated enough to keep it from freezing.

If you don't have any backup heat, I would add a gas boiler. You can get them fairly cheap used.

[richsei]

I like the dual fuel on my e2300 for lighting my wood. But for use as a back up I use the house furnace it is a lot more efficient. Also in reading on the new dual fuel setup it looks like if you have it the clean start mode it will be using gas every time it starts a heat cycle to get the firebox up to temp not sure I would like that that means it is burning LP or Gas every time it heats the water back up to temp now that is how I read this. (Clean Start™: This wood burning mode allows the Dual Fuel Burner to operate for a selected period of time in the beginning of each burn cycle to create immediate high temperature in the secondary combustion area of the Ripple Top® and Heat Lock Baffle® firebox design. This mode also provides automatic backup with alternate fuel.)

Now on the E2300 it only lights if the boiler goes below I think it is like 165 not sure on that temp. or you push the relight button then you can tell it how long to burn and when it is done with that time it shuts off tell you push it again, But as long as you have the other button on (Wood relight) it will try to light the wood up to 3 times when the temp drops below 165.

And then if you have it in gas back up it will go to gas to heat up the water.

Hope this helps out some I know the E2300 are setup different then the new ones.

[Daped01]

good point on just using the house furnace.  I have a double wide trailer house, with a LP furnace.  That might be a better option.  How long can I feel safe leaving a boiler without a fire in the winter.  I'm thinking if me and the family go out of town for a weekend, and say we can't find soemone to fire for us.  Will 2 or 3 days of no fire in the middle of winter hurt the system?

[richsei]

Daped01
I have had mine set for like 12 days with no fire (I'm in Colorado 10,000 feet) But I do leave the bypass valve off that way the water runs through the heat exchanger, and set my house furnace to around 68 that way it will heat the water as it blows hot air through the heat exchanger.

[Daped01]

how cold does it get in CO at that elevation?  (sorry for the ignorant question)  We get temps of -40 F to even -60 F every now and then.  Now at that temp we usually hunker down and don't go anywhere, but i'm thinking extreme situations here.

[muffin]

I was told by CB this cannot be added to an exsisting furnace.  I too was interested in this as a backup should we need to leave for a couple days or something.  Kind of bummed out, seems like something that could be retrofitted.

[richsei]

Daped01
It gets cold -20 but we dont see -40 or -60 that is cold we live at 10,000 feet.

muffin
I have the backup and you had to order it when you got your CB. They dont even offer it any more on the new 2400 or the 1400. I have yet to ever use my backup other then just to make sure it works.