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Author Topic: Looking to buy OWB  (Read 6738 times)

Iceman

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Looking to buy OWB
« on: January 05, 2010, 10:03:20 AM »

I'm heating a 2240 sq ft house that was built around 1880. I use an insert that will burn about 3 1/2 hours whitch means I get up once a night to put wood on it. I use my 19 yr old propaine furnace as a back up. I called for propaine yesterday it's $3.40/ gal. Ouch! I have used about 250 gal so far this winter.  I can only get the main living area to about 58 deg during the day. unless I want to crank the furnace, but I figure I could burn money cheaper. I have been looking at OWB for about a year now. Information overload.

Finally my question: can anyone recomend a brand?
Money plays a role I've looked at CB they seem costly. Looked at shaver look good. Any issues? I've also looked at Houser welding. Any thoughts? Other brands people like?
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Matt
Husqavarna 455 rancher
Husqavarna 305
Blaze King insert

yoda

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2010, 11:34:52 AM »

 I have a Shaver 290 and am happy with it after making a few modifications, In my opinion the Shaver is poorly insulated with no insulation on the bottom, but if you are a little handy, more insulation can be added fairly cheaply, Also if they still come with the cheap thermostat, a digitall auquastat is a huge improvement (aprox. $75)

 Whatever brand you buy, my biggest piece of advice would be to go 2 sizes bigger than what they recommend, With possibly the exception of CB, from what I've read they are about the only company that size their boilers correctly.Soooo, knowing what I know now, CB probably isn't overpriced when you take that into consideration.

 
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Northern MN

Russ Brumit

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2010, 06:02:55 PM »

I also have a shaver 290 .  Will heat up to 7,000 sq. ft.  as per shaver . I agree with yoda  you will need to go at least two sizes bigger. Shaver works good and the hot water set up is perfect.  Give me a call if you want and i can help you out with so more info.    Russ   443-907-7455
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Shaver  Series 290
443-907-7455

tmielke

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2010, 08:18:13 PM »

I am in the same boat as you and have been doing a lot of research.    Contact Blaine at www.woodboiler.us  No hype or outrageous claims.  I am leaning in this direction for my OWB for next winter.

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dmorris

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2010, 11:59:44 AM »

I've been heating with a CB for the past two years. Have not had to by propane since. If you don't mind spending some time in the woods it a great way to save some money. Not to mention keeps the house at a steady 74 degrees. I looked at several diffrent types of stoves before buying a CB. I went with a CB becasue the dealer is only 15 minutes up the road.
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unaslob

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2010, 01:00:57 PM »

what kind of heating do you have now ie. forced hot air, radiators, baseboard, radiant, ect.  it is important to know..  my father runs wood with a natures comfort 175 for about 2000 sqft but he uses radiant heat in the floors... can run water temps around 130 and get great heat... I have a 3500 sqft home and a small office that i heat with an ncb-250, when i used wood, it works like a charm...coal not so much...  the natures comfort is a great wood burner... wood that is.  their prices were reasonable i thought.   i have fin-type baseboard and radiators and require higher water temps.. 160 min to be effective, 180 even better but not necessary. 
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mikenc

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2010, 07:00:59 AM »

I have a NCB-175 heating 3600sq ft. w/domestic hot water. Heat basement to 65-70 house to 74. If you don't mind spending time to get wood OWB is a great way to heat your home, sure beats propane or oil bill. If i lived farther north I would probably have bought 250. Better to have one to big than not big enough.
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dgohn

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2010, 03:35:52 AM »

I would stay away from anything made by Global Hydronics, Mine just developed major leaks, company will not honor warranty - I wrote the BBB of Canada as I wish others would that I have read about that have had problems. Just spent last 4 days cleaning up all their welds and putting on 33 lbs. of SS wire to hold me over until I can build my own. All the research that I have done it sounds like Central Boiler is the best one out there. Definetly do your research and get all warranty in wording to detail of coverage.
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rosewood

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2010, 03:19:11 PM »

  after building a furnace,and reading all the post about diff furnaces, i would consider having a welding shop build me one. only because you can over size your material ,insulation, etc. i think water capacity and insulation are the key to efficiency. i really dont think it would cost any more,if you did some work yourself , insulation , shed. i think the payoff would be in the long term.
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Iceman

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2010, 01:11:22 AM »

what kind of heating do you have now ie. forced hot air, radiators, baseboard, radiant, ect.  it is important to know..  my father runs wood with a natures comfort 175 for about 2000 sqft but he uses radiant heat in the floors... can run water temps around 130 and get great heat... I have a 3500 sqft home and a small office that i heat with an ncb-250, when i used wood, it works like a charm...coal not so much...  the natures comfort is a great wood burner... wood that is.  their prices were reasonable i thought.   i have fin-type baseboard and radiators and require higher water temps.. 160 min to be effective, 180 even better but not necessary. 
I have forced air I was not awaire that the delivery system for the heat plays a role in what size OWB I should get.
Thank you to everybody's input. I have 25 acres and plenty of friends with land so getting wood is not a problem. I've used about 3 cords so far this winter in my insert. That's also running my furnace.
Has anyone looked at houserwelding.com. A local welder who is making OWB. One drawback I see is they have no ash pit/pan. I would need to let it burn out to clean ashes. Would this be a big deal? The price is right, and I like supporting local economy. However I want to buy the right unit the first time.
Thanks again for everyones help!
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Matt
Husqavarna 455 rancher
Husqavarna 305
Blaze King insert

Russ Brumit

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2010, 07:22:26 AM »

I dont think shoveling some ashes once a month would be a problem at all.  Make sure the welder uses a thick gauge steel and i would order a big door . 24x24 at least.
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Shaver  Series 290
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NewToIt

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2010, 12:59:29 PM »

Couple things about their boilers that I noticed (good, bad or indifferent)....

* says on web site that fire box is 1/8", where as a lot of bigger name brands are 1/4"
* door appears to be very close to ground.... tough on back when loading.... may have to raise the unit somehow
* how thick is water jacket, and it must not go under the fire box w/ door so low
* no ash pan = no problem.... a lot of them don't have ash pans
* cheap price
* local to you

With not much thought into it, those are some of my first thoughts.

I would love to have one local built.... at least you know where to go to get help if something goes wrong rather than playing phone tag with some distant company!
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Not so "NewToIt" anymore..... up and running for 3 yrs. now!!

unaslob

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2010, 06:22:53 PM »

you would need to be an umpa-lumpa to load that thing... loading that thing that low will get old fast.   if you put it up on a couple of blocks that would not be unreasonable... it would be important though if you do lift it up to insulate the bottom.  Since it is a small place that is building it I am willing to bet you can ask to make some modifications that would only slightly affect the price..
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markc

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2010, 09:54:58 AM »

I CAN SELL YOU A HOMESTEADER IV WILL HEAT 5000 SQ FT 250,000 BTU FOR 5307.00 PLUS SHIPPING

MARKC

http://www.outdoorstokerboilersofky.com/
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markc. coalman 400,000 stoker boiler
once you burnt black you never go back
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hawken08

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Re: Looking to buy OWB
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2010, 10:04:28 AM »

I have a hawken energy he2100. I love it, this stove is not made by global. despite what has been said on this board, i have no complaints with the service or from hawken energy. when i was looking as well price was a factor. Hawken was 2500 cheaper then all the others.
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