Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: brohnson on August 16, 2012, 09:48:57 AM
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Well with my Township rules I have to have an EPA approved OWB so I must get a gasser. So To all you dealers and wood boiler veterans, what gassers would you recommend if "You" had to own one. Right now I am stuck between the NC GT-220, Hawken GX-10 or maybe the Heatmaster G-200. Please any info on good or bads about these would be great.
Also I dont want to make this into a "Bash the Competitor" post so please lets respect peoples opinions on dealers OWB's.
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Well the gt-220 isn't phase 2.
There has been a lot of issues out of the hawken as well.
I am a heatmaster dealer and won't sell a g200 if that tells you anything lol
There is only 2 brands of gassers that I will reccomend.
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Sent u a pm
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I have a Central Boiler E-Classic 2300. Manufactured in 2009 and installed in 2010. I shopped around quite a bit and bought the boiler that I felt had the backing of the manufacturer. So far, it has been great. They have stopped making the 2300 as they improved upon their product and now sell a 2400. No matter what you buy, please keep in mind these 3 things when dealing with a gassifyer/EPA approved OWB: Burn seasoned/dry wood. Keep all air holes free and clear of ash or creosote. Load the stove based on the conditions outside.
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I am going into my second year as an OWB and although my state and town didn't require an EPA phase 2 unit, I bought one anyway. All I have to say is I absolutely love mine so far. I would suggest you check out Portage and Main. The unit was here 7 days after I paid for it and the company has been great to work with.
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Gassers are tempermental, a little extra work to keep clean but well worth it. I have a Wood Doctor that is no longer available for reasons you can read about elsewhere on this site, but WHEN my WD poops out I am strongly leaning towards Portage & Main. From what I understand they have a good product, CB seems to get high marks on here too. Either would do well in my opinion
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I am also a dealer for Heatmaster and while the G200 isn't my favorite stove there isn't anything wrong with it. If you have to have a gasser it will work as well as any other. I personally don't like gassers of any brand because of the additional cleaning that normally comes with them. I prefer a furnace where you throw wood in and dump the ash pan once a week and nothing more.
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I am also a dealer for Heatmaster and while the G200 isn't my favorite stove there isn't anything wrong with it. If you have to have a gasser it will work as well as any other. I personally don't like gassers of any brand because of the additional cleaning that normally comes with them. I prefer a furnace where you throw wood in and dump the ash pan once a week and nothing more.
Trust me, there are gasifiers that don't have all those cleaning/clogging issues. Actually there is less time in maintaining a gasser I beleive. Now I haven't ran one a full winter yet, but know of several that have here in my area. Tube cleaning time with just ok wood is only every 2-3 weeks, with good wood I know guys going 6 weeks and still just fly ash. The guys cleaning every 2 weeks were burning 35% moisture wood.
On the models I mention, it takes about 6-8 minutes to clean it, including removing the bit of ash. About the same amount of time that it takes to empty ashes only u don't do it as often. Now throw in the fact that it only burns half the wood, if a guy was burning 12 cords before and now cuts 6, I think he saved a heck of a lot of time. That's why I'm saying there is much less work in a good gasser.
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2 full winter heating seasons on my Eclassic 2400 after 7 years with a CB Classic. Went to the gasser for the wood savings and I'm not disappointed. 11 full cords down to 6 full cords in a cold northern climate my first season...only 4 1/2cords during the last mild winter! Maintenance takes no more time than it did cleaning my Classic if you do it right. Vertical heat exchange tubes clean themselves on my E2400. I honestly did not have to clean them the whole heating season. Just keep the coals loose in the bottom the firebox and scrape the walls regularly. Does not take more than a few minutes. Performs best with dry wood.
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I have a Hawken GX 10 and have have several creosote clogging issues that cause the unit to suffocate. I've been religious about cleaning it, but it clogs so fast that you can't keep up. The company has been trying to solve the issues, but are clearly in over their heads. I'd say stay away from this one.
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I've been running a Portage and Main Optimizer 250 since last September and am very happy with it. Only takes 20 minutes a week to do a full cleanout of tubes and burn chambers. It is much nicer to burn and cleanout than my old non-gasser. I could recommend this unit to anyone looking for a gasification furnace.
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Where are you from brohnson, I'm from Pa. and had the same issue's with my township. I wanted a simple burner and through research I found out in Pa. and other states if u purchase a OWB with grates and a ash pan it can be used as a coal burner and in Pa. there are no EPA emissions on a coal burner. I don't know the regulations where you live. If you want a burner that's a EPA phase 1 something simple check with your state regulations and and see if you can install one with grates and a ash pan it might be legal as a coal burner. I found this info on Shaver's web site then I purchased a Earth and I'm very happy. Hope this helps out and good luck.
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This post is a pretty old one, not sure how it got revived lol
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I cut my wood consumtion down by 1/4 by cutting my wood shorter.There is a baffle in my furnace and wood longer then 24'' is wasted up the stack.
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2 full winter heating seasons on my Eclassic 2400 after 7 years with a CB Classic. Went to the gasser for the wood savings and I'm not disappointed. 11 full cords down to 6 full cords in a cold northern climate my first season...only 4 1/2cords during the last mild winter! Maintenance takes no more time than it did cleaning my Classic if you do it right. Vertical heat exchange tubes clean themselves on my E2400. I honestly did not have to clean them the whole heating season. Just keep the coals loose in the bottom the firebox and scrape the walls regularly. Does not take more than a few minutes. Performs best with dry wood.
How come your classic only lasted 7 yrs?? I've got a 5036 and hope it lasts longer than that. Where are you in NE?
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I think he just upgraded, don't think it was hurt