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[Ridgekid]

We have had a US Stove Model 1500 in our basement for 15 years. Wood has never been a problem since we live on 15 acres. Now that the children have grown we don't have any help stocking our weekly supply of wood in the basement. It hasn't been the cleaniest heat, but at 150K BTU it kept us warm. We have a Trane heatpump for those warmer days we we don't have to burn firewood.
 
Our son, who lives nearby, is using oil heat and it is killing his monthly budget with the recent rise in oil prices. He also owns 15 acres.

So it was time to look into alternate heat that could still use our natural resources. We looked at the construction of differant models and were satisifed with Central Boiler. With the stack coming out the back and the water jacket design it appears to be a well built unit. The hieght of the flue pipe was also impressive.

We are working with the "local" distributor who happens to be 1.5 hours away. We worked out a deal to include the installation of two CB's. I'm getting the CL 5036 and my son the CL 4030. We agreed to provide the foundation and trench for the thermo-pex and the electric. We also made arrangements to have a "lifting device" to pick and set the units on the foundations. Otherwise our distributor would have to make two trips.

I've poured the foundation, and by chance the distributor had Thermo-pex availalble. So my trench has been dug and the electric and thermo-pex is installed. I've set this up 80' away from the house. I live on a ridge and my closet nieghbor is my son, 1/4 mile away.

Our units left Minnesota March 29th and I hope to get a phone call today letting us know the delivery/installation date. Ironcially we removed and sold the US Stove two weeks ago. Who knew winter wasn't over yet?

I look forward to sharing our expierances on this board.

[MTJAG]

I have a 5036 that was picked up today and will be installed late next week.  I poured the foundation today and dug the trench to my house, which wasn't easy since most of it was through granite.
All of my firewood will come from the National forest in the area.  There is alot of standing dead timber here of both ponderosa pine and aspen.  So, I will be burning a combination of these two species.
I will keep you posted on the amount of wood. 
By chance, did your dealer talk to you about  getting a damper put in your 5036?  I have one coming with mine and am interested to see if it really reduces the amount of wood used as my dealer claimed.

[Ridgekid]

My dealer never mentioned the damper. I'll shoot him off an email and ask him about it. I assume this goes in the chimney? I see in the accessories listing a restrictor T that can be added.

He also did not recieve my unit yet. 

I feel your pain about rocks in the trench. We dug ours by hand. We did not want a backhoe digging it up as it would leave massive ruts in the yard. We took our swimming pool down at the same time. We used the sand underneath it to cover the pipe. Then slowly backfilled pulling out the rocks. I don't know how, but we had just enough backfill to cover the pipe. Thats how many rocks we pulled out!

Most of our wood is oak. We season one year. So what I cut last year will be this coming winters burn. I have 2.5 cords left out of 5 we normally stock. I know this will need to be increased. We have already extended the area for the woodpile. We normally cut in the fall. Will have to start building the pile as soon as the weather breaks. It's been snowing for 4 days now.

[mober]

OH MAN   

LOOKS LIKE CENTRAL BOILER  IS KICKING EVERYONE ELSE IN SELLING BOILERS LATELY!!!!
ALL WE HEAR LATELY IS PEOPLE BUYING CENTRAL BOILER....IN MY OPINION THEY PROVED THEMSELF
IF I WOULDNT BUILD MINE 2 YEARS AGO I WOULD HAVE GOT ONE OF THEM TOO.

[MTJAG]

I think the restrictor T is the item that fits in the chimney.  Supposely, they've had this out for a few months and it is reducing the amount of wood needed.
I have about three cords of aspen and pine cut, stacked and split now.  My goals is to have about 8 cords set up by the end of May so that it has time to season.  With it already being standing dead timber, that should pretty much do it.  Typically, the forest service up here doesn't want you in the area cutting wood during the summer when we have so many people up here camping during that time.

CB is a pretty solid company from what I have seen on various forums.  Not to say that other ODWB aren't good, it is just that CB has a good reputation for building dependable stoves and standing behind them.

[kjw58]

Hey  MTJAG
 You better get cuttin,  If you are heating even a average size home you are gonna go thru way more than 8 cord in a  Central Boiler, unless you live in the south.,  they are wood hogs. 

[MTJAG]

thanks for the head's up.  You are probably right about that.  No, I don't live in the south anylonger.  I now live at about 8600' elevation in south central Colorado.  I have infloor radiant heat in just less than 2000 square feet.  I have 2x6 exterior walls with foam insulation.
Originally, with the e-classic 1400, my dealer was thinking I could make it on about 5 cords of wood.  Now with the 5036, I probably need to adjust my volume...maybe alot.     So, what are you thinking?

[kjw58]

I wouldn't be suprised if you went thru 15 cord, the radiant floor heat may save you some though   

[MTJAG]

Whew! 15 cords a year is alot more than I expected.  I've got three cords already and was planning on cutting another five this month.  Looks like I better enlarge my storage area.

[Ridgekid]

Wow- Thats more then I expected too. My 15 acres is going to look pretty good by the time I finish cutting the down trees. I have alot of tree top timber laying around after a select cut 5 years ago. If that isn't enough we have a sawmill 2 miles away.

BTW- I uploaded a few pics in the Gallery.

[MTJAG]

That's a nice pad.  I wish I would have thought of putting that additional step pad in front of mine.  I just followed the pad specs for the 5036.  That would have been nice in front, instead of standing in two feet of snow.  But, I do have alot of granite in the ground.  That is one reason I only dug my trench down about a foot.  Chipping through granite bedrock with a pick and shovel is not a lot of fun.  I will have to cover my pipes with 1" foam board to give it a bit more insulation.

Looks like you have a lot of hardwoods (oak) standing around your property from your picture.  Good fuel source.  I will be burning (apparently alot of)aspen and pond pine.  You location  looks alot like my home back in Louisiana.

[martyinmi]

I like that saying at the bottom of your posts. Who originally came up with that?
   Marty

[Ridgekid]

I called one of the co-owners of the sawmill. $600 for a triaxle load. Yeilds about 6 Cords of wood. If I do this I would have 8 cords to start off next year. In the meantime I would continue cutting what I have available and hopefully would be up to 12 cords my next fall.

[MTJAG]

I like that saying at the bottom of your posts. Who originally came up with that?
   Marty

The author of that quote is Rev. Philip Henry (1631-1696).  Kinda puts things in perspective, huh?

[martyinmi]

Would you mind if I re-quoted that? I had to re-read it a few times before I could fully grasp the meaning. It's actually a great perception on how we all should view our lives. I just read it to my wife and she rolled her eyes at me and went on to explain how old she thinks I am getting. Thanks,
   Marty