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[johnmn]

Been looking into boilers to buy another before I can't anyone know anything about these?

[dirtdigger]

Are you talking about the pressurized units made in Wisconsin by Arc Alloy?

[johnmn]

Yes

[dirtdigger]

I've typed this up three times now and for some reason I can't get it to post.     I'm going to shorten this up and make several posts and see if it goes through that way, sorry about taking so long to reply.   

There are a few of their boilers in my area, a few of the local plumbers sell their product, mainly because they are pressurized units, which fit better with a plumber I guess you could say.   

I've talked to them many times over the years, toured the plant more than once, talked to both good references and bad, and yes they will give you bad references if you ask, they did me anyhow, most everyone who didn't like their product was not prepared to burn wood from what I could tell, it wasn't an issue with the actual product per say.   

If you've looked at their design at all, you know all the sizes are similar in design, a rounded top and straight sidewalls, firebrick set on a slant and shaker grates in the bottom, same for their coal boilers they sell.   

[dirtdigger]

The water is never in contact with the ash zone, or basically you can torch off the ask system and weld it back on new and not touch the water jacket at all, talked to a few that have done just that in fact and were very pleased with being able to do just that to a old boiler. 

While touring the plant I talked to the workers and fabricators doing the actual work, a very knowledgeable bunch that do top notch work, from a welding and fabricating standpoint.   

I don't know if they still make them, but at one time they made forced air wood burners that you set out beside your house and piped the hot air in, there are a few of those still going in my area, the people seem to love them.   

A few of the local repair shops that repair all makes of wood furnaces and boilers recommend them to customers, mainly because they give product support and if their is an issue that's no longer covered by warranty, the local shops can call and get help and answers as to how go  about fixing or repairing one of their products, even if they are 30 years old, most of the rest of the companies won't do this, I'm told. 

All in all, people are happy with their products and their products last a long time, is what my research has found. 

Before jumping the gun and buying any boiler before laws kick into place, call and talk to the folks at Arch Alloy and ask point blank, are they going to be in business, and what if any changes they'll have to make to their product to continue building owb's, the last time I did, they told me they were not too worried about it.   

I'm a pessimist by nature, so I'm going to wait it out and see who's left in the industry to deal with, whatever I buy this time around, I hope is going to be a good company dedicated to meet whatever challenges and law changes and still be there decades down the road to serve customers and their needs, not like the last company I bought an owb from.   

I should have bought one of royal's boilers the last time, but didn't do my homework good enough beforehand, I feel they are a good company, with a great product and will be here decades from now, guess time will tell if I'm right or not.