Being one of the newer members of this forum, I dont want to suggest any changes to what seems to be working for all you guys. I do, however, have an observation to make and PhinPhan can evaluate it for what its worth.
I believe that the forum division by mfg. is a good thing for subjects that pertain ONLY to one particular brand of boiler and NOT to other brands. Most issues, however, might better be broken down by topics as they relate to the OWB technology in general.
For example, the Woodmaster guys, naturally, will tend to gravitate to the Woodmaster group, but might have much to gain from guys in the Central Boiler group who are discussing heat exchangers. If ALL those guys were to input to a "heat exchanger" oriented topic, there would be less having to search all over the forum for info on heat exchangers. The subject of PEX line burial, insulation, waterproofing, protection, length, etc. pertains to all brands of boilers, not just Johnsons or Shavers, and would better be kept in its own subject category. Breaking threads down by manufacturer will lead to duplicate postings on those technical issues that aren't necessarily brand specific. I think you get the idea.
What is the answer here? Not sure. Maybe just that those of us who seem to be assuming the role of "charter members" be aware of this in our initial postings and post accordingly. Having a good "search" feature on the forum will be valuable for visitors to be able to pull out threads based on keywords.
As all forms of liquid and gas fuel become even more expensive in the future, there will surely be an increasing number of people out there who will be looking for alternatives. They will be searching for information on OWB technology Google will inevitably bring them here. They will be questioning our methods, decisions, and logic, and depending on our observations and input. With a little forethought and planning, we can deliver that information in an organized fashion.
It was wise of PhinPhan to ask this question, because the function of this forum, as I percieve it, is both to grow the technology of OWBs in general AND to discuss pros and cons of different brands.
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Topic: Manufacturer List (Read 21239 times)