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[Sluggo]

Hey everybody,new to the forum and so glad I found you guys!  I've been looking for years for a site like this!  Anyway,hees my question...I currently have a 10,000e (2 years old) heating roughly 4,600 sq. ft.  I'm building a 40x60 shop 150' from my house and thinking about upgrading to the 20,000e.  Does anyone have any insight or thoughts on this?  I have the chance to get a pretty good deal so I want to jump on it if it's the right move.  I don't want to find out next winter that I need a bigger stove and have the deal taken off the table.  Just as a side note I had a mf 10,000 for the first two years and then sold it to my neighbor and I got the 10,000e.  I'm a freak about wood consumption and I can attest there are absolutely no wood savings switching from a standard to an e series.  Anyway,back on topic any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[yoderheating]

 There is savings in wood consumption but when you get to that size its not that noticeable. On a 3000 it is a huge difference. 
 A 20,0000 is a big furnace. I've had guys who have bought one and had issues with it being too large. you need the furnace to cycle every couple hours to keep it running clean. The problem with the 20,000 is that during the spring and fall when you don't have a heat load it isn't as efficient. I guess my advice would be don't go big unless you have done the math and are sure you need it.

[Sluggo]

And what's "the math"?  My guess is that I will need it mid November thru early march but not September,October,or late march or April.  So as I see it I'm damned if I do,damned if I don't and this is why I see that bigger is better in this case.  I'm not necessarily looking for the efficiency part but more for the "multiple night time fills".  I love my stove but it should be a slave to me and visa versa!  I have gas backup but when I come out to fill the stove and I see the gas backup running I get quite irritated!  So one more time,what's the math?  Thanks a lot!

[Scott7m]

Have to realize to your hundreds of miles farther north than yoder, if he has sizing issues on a 20k its highly exxagerated by a much milder climate than you would have in wisconsin.

[yoderheating]

 Scott is correct, we are in a warmer climate than you. But my point remains and it applies to more furnaces than just a 20,000 or a heat master for that matter. Do the calculations on how many btu's you are going to need and go from there. After that its simply a matter of deciding if the 10,000 will pull it or not. I've just seen some people have the attitude of get the biggest baddest one available and then wish they had done a little more math before buying. The worst one I've seen is the guy who installed a 20,000 on a 3,000 sq ft ranch home because he wanted a bigger stove than his buddy.

[slimjim]

Come on Yoder, let us know, How did that work out for him?

[yoderheating]

 It works I guess, heats his house. But it also uses too much wood and needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. After 3 years he is talking about trading it in.

[slimjim]

Lesson learned, buy the right size unit, it's not the boilers fault that it's oversized, if it were me, the libertarian capitalist that I am I would try to sell the neighbors some heat!!!!

[yoderheating]

 Exactly right, the furnace isn't designed to run a 3,000 sq ft home. But that is what he was determined to buy and so I sold it to him. Looking back I wish I would have told him I couldn't get one or something to keep him from making that mistake.

[Sluggo]

I will be heating about 8,000sq ft and the stove will be 150' from 3,000sq ft of that.  Lines will be buried below frost line in the common insulated drain tile tube.  Average temp December true February has been about 0 this year!  I'm just afraid Heatmasters 10,000 sq ft heating capacity claim is overrated.  Look what what happens to your truck if you tow the maximum limit everyday!  You know what I'm getting at.  Thanks for the replies guys and this site was sent from heaven!  What a tool for fellow wood burners!

[racnruss]

Sounds like you should meet Yoder's customer with the oversized 20k and work out a trade with him. No, seriously.

Also, it surprises me that you mentioned the E model uses just as much wood and the basic model.  Bummer about that.

Yes about boiler sizing.  Mine is rated for 6000 ft but I am heating about 3000.   It could heat 6k for sure but you'd have to feed it twice as much.  Getting 12 hour burns now, would hate to have only 6 hour burns.

[Sluggo]

Sounds like a good idea!  Balls in your court Yoder.  I live by La Crosse WI.  My stove is a 10,000e with the delete kit installed.

[Scott7m]

In regard to Wood usage, your the first person to say there wasnt a difference in Wood usage, its normally very evident.  hope ur underground line wasn't compromised when switching between the models befause exhaust temps on the e series are much lower

[yoderheating]

Sluggo, I can pm you his number if you like. No need for me to be involved and also want a cut of the action.

[Sluggo]

Who knows?!?!  Don't worry about the swap.  I will just sell mine or trade it back to Heatmaster.  Then I can start with a fresh warranty.