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46
Fire Wood / Re: Stump grinders
« on: August 21, 2017, 12:34:04 PM »
Check out the ones from Woodland Mills. Have not heard anything negative about them yet.
47
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Input on New Boiler
« on: August 21, 2017, 09:17:00 AM »
I had an old CB Classic (non gasser), replaced it this past January with a G200. Very happy with the furnace and the dealer I bought it from. Mine has been running continuously since January 4th 2017 and I have run a bit over six cords through it since then. 4300 sf of heating space (will be closer to 6000 sf come this fall) plus hot water for five people and occasional pool heat this summer. A couple minor issues, a slight learning curve, but overall it's been great.
If I could have found a nearby Polar dealer at the time I would have looked more closely at them as well, heard good things, but mine was somewhat of an emergency purchase owing to total failure of the CB unit.
If I could have found a nearby Polar dealer at the time I would have looked more closely at them as well, heard good things, but mine was somewhat of an emergency purchase owing to total failure of the CB unit.
48
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: How Much Money Does Your Outdoor Wood Boiler Save You? w/ poll
« on: August 21, 2017, 09:09:01 AM »
I designed and built my house around the use of an outdoor wood boiler, so technically it hasn't saved me a dime. However.... the background is that our old house, which is half the square footage of the current house, used anywhere from 900-1100 gallons of fuel oil every winter, depending on the weather. Now, the new house is more energy efficient, but it's much larger, so there's a small trade off. Let's assume that the new house might use 25% more fuel than the old one. Probably a bit too conservative but whatever. So 1000 gallons of #2 oil at $2.50 a gallon (again a reasonable assumption, based on historical prices in my area) x 1.25 = $3,125 per year. This is probably a bit low.
Now, the old house was simple. Automatic delivery, no hassle, pay the bill. No problem (well, except for that "pay the bill" part...)
Today it's different. Outdoor wood boiler means equipment for wood processing. I don't buy wood, I harvest it off my own land and my parent's land, so there's no cost for me for the actual wood. However, this has necessitated the purchase of a fair amount of equipment - a tractor and bucket loader, a log splitter, several chainsaws, wood and log handling tools (i.e cant hooks, log tongs, maintenance stuff etc.). All told I've probably invested $15,000 in the equipment (although I use it for a lot of other things besides firewood). The initial investment for the first wood boiler I owned was not counted because every house needs a heating system, so it was either spend it on a OWB or spend it on a gas or oil furnace. The second wood boiler (my current one) was a $10,000 investment to replace the first one. So let's say I've spent $25,000 over 12 years on wood heat. That's about $2,100 annually. If I had to buy wood, I'd get it in tree length delivered to my back yard and probably not need the tractor (but I'd likely still have some kind of ATV or UTV to do other things), I'd also be out another thousand bucks a year for purchasing the truckload of wood. So, if I had to buy wood all this time, it probably wouldn't have saved me any money and I would have saved countless hours spent busting my ass outside in all kinds of weather, processing wood and feeding the OWB.
However, I still feel I've saved a lot of money over the years, because I have a really hard time writing that check to the oil company and I would rather spend 2-3 weeks worth of time every year gathering firewood. Now that I have a new OWB and all the rest of my equipment is in good shape, now it's just the annual value of the BTU's harvested, measured against the depreciation of the equipment. I tell my wife that I save so much money burning wood that she ought to let me buy a new chainsaw every year, but so far it's not worked, I think she's smarter than that.
In ten years maybe it'll be time for a new tractor or a UTV or something like that.
Now, the old house was simple. Automatic delivery, no hassle, pay the bill. No problem (well, except for that "pay the bill" part...)
Today it's different. Outdoor wood boiler means equipment for wood processing. I don't buy wood, I harvest it off my own land and my parent's land, so there's no cost for me for the actual wood. However, this has necessitated the purchase of a fair amount of equipment - a tractor and bucket loader, a log splitter, several chainsaws, wood and log handling tools (i.e cant hooks, log tongs, maintenance stuff etc.). All told I've probably invested $15,000 in the equipment (although I use it for a lot of other things besides firewood). The initial investment for the first wood boiler I owned was not counted because every house needs a heating system, so it was either spend it on a OWB or spend it on a gas or oil furnace. The second wood boiler (my current one) was a $10,000 investment to replace the first one. So let's say I've spent $25,000 over 12 years on wood heat. That's about $2,100 annually. If I had to buy wood, I'd get it in tree length delivered to my back yard and probably not need the tractor (but I'd likely still have some kind of ATV or UTV to do other things), I'd also be out another thousand bucks a year for purchasing the truckload of wood. So, if I had to buy wood all this time, it probably wouldn't have saved me any money and I would have saved countless hours spent busting my ass outside in all kinds of weather, processing wood and feeding the OWB.
However, I still feel I've saved a lot of money over the years, because I have a really hard time writing that check to the oil company and I would rather spend 2-3 weeks worth of time every year gathering firewood. Now that I have a new OWB and all the rest of my equipment is in good shape, now it's just the annual value of the BTU's harvested, measured against the depreciation of the equipment. I tell my wife that I save so much money burning wood that she ought to let me buy a new chainsaw every year, but so far it's not worked, I think she's smarter than that.
In ten years maybe it'll be time for a new tractor or a UTV or something like that.
49
HeatMaster / Re: wood placement testing
« on: February 07, 2017, 07:17:32 AM »My result has been shorter burn times, more wood consumption and less coal and more powdery ash.
^^^ None of this is a good thing. Also running on one month's experience, I have found my best results to be raking as much of the coal bed into the center, directly over the slot. Actually piling coals in the middle, along with any unburned or partially burned pieces. Any new wood goes on the sides and top. The results seem to be that, once the blower kicks on, it lights the coals over the slot immediately, and will draw air from the sides right through the coal pile. I get instant gasification, no smoke.
If there's still a full load of wood in there, I don't touch it, I just add some more. I get a full 12-hour burn or more out of a load of wood, and most of the time I load so the top of the pile is level with, or just above, the bottom of the door. This past Sunday I loaded it at about 10 am and did not touch it again until 6:30 on Monday morning, and it was down to a full bed of coals and still hot.
50
HeatMaster / Re: Placing wood in G400
« on: February 04, 2017, 03:40:46 PM »
I cut all my wood to 20", I may start cutting to 18" or even 16" and start stacking crossways in the firebox. Makes them easier to handle anyway.
51
HeatMaster / Re: G200 on the way!
« on: February 04, 2017, 03:39:02 PM »
Well, here's the one month anniversary report on the G200. Installed January 4th, today is February 4th.
By my best estimate (basically looking at photos on the day of installation and what's left today), I've used just at or just under one full cord of wood since the new G200 was put in. This puts my wood use slightly under what I estimated, which was a cord every 21 days. Big difference from the old Central Boiler, I am certain that I would have already exhausted my entire winter's wood supply by now and been burning more-or-less green beech and white oak already, which is actually next year's firewood. I've BTDT (been there, done that) in the past and it ain't fun.
Ash - what ash? I've cleaned out twice and gotten enough ash in total to fill a couple of #10 cans. There's a bit of pine and a fair amount of heavy bark (locust & butternut) mixed in my firewood stacks and that's probably most of it right there. I'm keeping cardboard and paper out of the OWF unless I need to start a fire, and so far I've only had to do that once since the first day.
Sticky damper - this has been covered in other threads, but every five to eight days it sticks again, I spend all of fifteen seconds slipping a thin flexible putty knife behind it and it pops right off and I'm back in business. I'm waiting until spring to shut down and give this critter a permanent fix, but it's no longer a major concern for me. I know there are other with the same problem and some have come up with solutions. I don't like seeing the red light blinking but at least it's not overheating, and I know how to fix it.
Smoke - virtually non-existent. If the OWB is low in the cycle (160-165 degrees) or in cold-start mode (see sticky damper above), and the firebox is mostly empty, I get some startup smoke. Once it starts gasifying, forget it - you can see some steam and heat but that's it. No gray, black, brown or stinky smoke clouds pouring out of this thing. During a full burn, high in the cycle, when the firebox has been "baking" for several hours, you can't see a thing. I mean nothing. If you stare at the chimney with some background, you might be able to make out a faint heat signature - like heat waves off pavement in the summer. When the unit is off and there's no demand, there's also nothing to be seen unless it has just finished the burn cycle - then I'm getting some residual smoke as the fire uses up what's left of the air in the firebox. Highest I have seen the water temp go so far is 182 degrees.
Overall, given the wood use, ease of operation, smoke, customer support from the dealer, build quality and personal satisfaction, I'd give the G200 a solid 9 out of 10. Just need to clean and fix my sticky damper and I'll be one very happy G200 user.
By my best estimate (basically looking at photos on the day of installation and what's left today), I've used just at or just under one full cord of wood since the new G200 was put in. This puts my wood use slightly under what I estimated, which was a cord every 21 days. Big difference from the old Central Boiler, I am certain that I would have already exhausted my entire winter's wood supply by now and been burning more-or-less green beech and white oak already, which is actually next year's firewood. I've BTDT (been there, done that) in the past and it ain't fun.
Ash - what ash? I've cleaned out twice and gotten enough ash in total to fill a couple of #10 cans. There's a bit of pine and a fair amount of heavy bark (locust & butternut) mixed in my firewood stacks and that's probably most of it right there. I'm keeping cardboard and paper out of the OWF unless I need to start a fire, and so far I've only had to do that once since the first day.
Sticky damper - this has been covered in other threads, but every five to eight days it sticks again, I spend all of fifteen seconds slipping a thin flexible putty knife behind it and it pops right off and I'm back in business. I'm waiting until spring to shut down and give this critter a permanent fix, but it's no longer a major concern for me. I know there are other with the same problem and some have come up with solutions. I don't like seeing the red light blinking but at least it's not overheating, and I know how to fix it.
Smoke - virtually non-existent. If the OWB is low in the cycle (160-165 degrees) or in cold-start mode (see sticky damper above), and the firebox is mostly empty, I get some startup smoke. Once it starts gasifying, forget it - you can see some steam and heat but that's it. No gray, black, brown or stinky smoke clouds pouring out of this thing. During a full burn, high in the cycle, when the firebox has been "baking" for several hours, you can't see a thing. I mean nothing. If you stare at the chimney with some background, you might be able to make out a faint heat signature - like heat waves off pavement in the summer. When the unit is off and there's no demand, there's also nothing to be seen unless it has just finished the burn cycle - then I'm getting some residual smoke as the fire uses up what's left of the air in the firebox. Highest I have seen the water temp go so far is 182 degrees.
Overall, given the wood use, ease of operation, smoke, customer support from the dealer, build quality and personal satisfaction, I'd give the G200 a solid 9 out of 10. Just need to clean and fix my sticky damper and I'll be one very happy G200 user.
52
General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Rip off
« on: January 31, 2017, 05:15:16 AM »
I recognize that bill format. Suburban Propane strikes again. 
After ten years I'd had enough of being ripped off by them and switched to Irving.
Best advice is to find a small local supplier with a couple of trucks and a service tech, and sign up with them. Buy your own tank too.
After ten years I'd had enough of being ripped off by them and switched to Irving.
Best advice is to find a small local supplier with a couple of trucks and a service tech, and sign up with them. Buy your own tank too.
53
HeatMaster / Pine
« on: January 21, 2017, 11:12:00 AM »
Last night I had a thick bed of red hot coals in the G200, and it's pretty warm here (42 deg). I put half a dozen splits of old, dry white pine in there, full of resin.
This morning, still had the same thick bed of red hot coals and the pine was gone, nothing left but fine powdery ash coating all the coals. It's interesting that some woods will coal up well and others turn to ash without coaling, but this provided the best actual demonstration that I have seen so far.
My lesson learned here is - use pine or other non-coaling woods for a quick initial burn, but mix it up good with other long-burning species (black birch and black locust being most common in my wood shed this season). Funny thing is, though - butternut, which is a very soft wood and has a BTU rating only slightly better than pine, leaves a nice coal bed. I have a lot of that too, and I have loaded nothing but butternut in the firebox a couple times, and been pleasantly surprised.
This morning, still had the same thick bed of red hot coals and the pine was gone, nothing left but fine powdery ash coating all the coals. It's interesting that some woods will coal up well and others turn to ash without coaling, but this provided the best actual demonstration that I have seen so far.
My lesson learned here is - use pine or other non-coaling woods for a quick initial burn, but mix it up good with other long-burning species (black birch and black locust being most common in my wood shed this season). Funny thing is, though - butternut, which is a very soft wood and has a BTU rating only slightly better than pine, leaves a nice coal bed. I have a lot of that too, and I have loaded nothing but butternut in the firebox a couple times, and been pleasantly surprised.
54
HeatMaster / Re: New G200
« on: January 14, 2017, 07:34:44 AM »
Hey man, good to see you made the right choice. I was the guy over on the Forestry Forum ("Engineer") pushing you to get the G200 . You're gonna love it compared to that old Central Boiler.
55
HeatMaster / Re: G200 on the way!
« on: January 13, 2017, 05:32:08 AM »
Nice and warm out (40's) the past couple of days, burned nothing on Wednesday, only about six splits yesterday, everything's working the way it should.
Going to clean the outside of this thing (finally!) tomorrow, and do my first ash cleanout, even though it probably doesn't need it yet. Want to see what I have.
Going to clean the outside of this thing (finally!) tomorrow, and do my first ash cleanout, even though it probably doesn't need it yet. Want to see what I have.
56
HeatMaster / Re: Weekend trip G200
« on: January 13, 2017, 05:28:28 AM »....turnip greens and grits.
^^^^ what you eat when you're starving to death and there isn't any food around.
57
HeatMaster / Re: Weekend trip G200
« on: January 12, 2017, 06:06:31 AM »Thank you sir! I know from a freeze standpoint that the oil boiler will take over, but won't the "problem light" flash all weekend?
Replace the red LED with a green one, then you'll be lulled into a false sense of security that everything is working OK.
58
HeatMaster / Re: G200 on the way!
« on: January 11, 2017, 04:43:42 PM »
Turns out my issue was neither of the two suspects. I got home tonight, red light was flashing, water temp was around 119 and damper only at 9.4%. Called Richard @ Mainly Custom and told him what was going on, he suspected it might be a voltage issue with the new Honeywell actuators. Got off the phone and said to myself ... wait a minute.....damper at 9.4%? Calling for heat? Damper should be at 100%, right? Disc damper is closed all the way. Fire is getting no air at all. At the least it should be cracked just a little. Turned unit off, then back on. Watched the damper percentage rise from zero to around 11.4% and stop dead, the actuator was trying to open the damper and could not do it. Turned out that the damper disc itself was actually stuck to the steel panel behind it. Don't know if it was paint or creosote making it stick, but after loosening the shaft of the actuator, gently tapping the disc with a dead blow hammer and a prybar (no I did not whack it hard) it suddenly freed itself and spun. I retightened the shaft on the actuator, lubed the disc with some dry graphite, turned the furnace off and on again, voila - it worked. Opened right up to 100% and the fire was getting air again. Not sure why it stuck but it will be something I keep an eye on from now on.
59
HeatMaster / Re: G200 on the way!
« on: January 11, 2017, 11:35:49 AM »
Well it was either a bridging issue or it just didn't catch, I haven't messed with the factory settings and don't plan to, but I usually try to stir up the coals every time I load, even did it with my old boiler.
Oh well, no harm no foul. It was amazing with that forced draft to see how quickly the whole bottom of the firebox was glowing hot coals after only a few minutes. Temps here today and tomorrow are in the high 40's approaching 50, so tonight's load will be a light one.
Oh well, no harm no foul. It was amazing with that forced draft to see how quickly the whole bottom of the firebox was glowing hot coals after only a few minutes. Temps here today and tomorrow are in the high 40's approaching 50, so tonight's load will be a light one.
60
HeatMaster / Re: G200 on the way!
« on: January 11, 2017, 06:20:27 AM »
Well, this morning was a first. 
Headed out to feed the boiler before I went to work. Immediately noticed red light on side was blinking. Got there, checked temp, unit had shut down due to low temp and was at 130 degrees.
Opened smoke bypass, opened firebox door and still full of wood! Not sure why the fire went out but all it took was 15 seconds with a propane torch and the wood was lit right back up. I pressed the cold start button, stirred it around a bit, added a few more small pieces, and babysat it for about 15 minutes. Went up to 135 and then I had to take off for work. I could hear it gasifying when I left, sounded like a jet engine.
There appeared to be a lot of coals in the bottom of the firebox, and they lit up very quickly, which tells me that they weren't cold. What would have caused this?
Headed out to feed the boiler before I went to work. Immediately noticed red light on side was blinking. Got there, checked temp, unit had shut down due to low temp and was at 130 degrees.
Opened smoke bypass, opened firebox door and still full of wood! Not sure why the fire went out but all it took was 15 seconds with a propane torch and the wood was lit right back up. I pressed the cold start button, stirred it around a bit, added a few more small pieces, and babysat it for about 15 minutes. Went up to 135 and then I had to take off for work. I could hear it gasifying when I left, sounded like a jet engine.
There appeared to be a lot of coals in the bottom of the firebox, and they lit up very quickly, which tells me that they weren't cold. What would have caused this?