Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: Hammersquash on March 06, 2014, 11:31:59 AM
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Hey All,
After taking a merciless beating from my propane and furnace oil company this season i finally pulled the trigger on a boiler. I have tried to do as much research as possible over the last year and chose an Empyre 200pro gasification unit.
The company I purchased it from is kind enough to store it until I have my base made. That way I only have to make one move with it when it arrives.
My first question for the forum (first of many I am sure) is if anyone has any recommendations for the base. The manual that comes with the boiler shows optimal measurements for a concrete pad with openings for electricity and water lines. Does anyone have any input to this process? Build bigger/better/patiostones vs concrete?
I am planning to do a nice install so I am open to suggestions. I don't want to pour a pad big enough to park a transport load full of rounds but I also don't want to be tripping over the lip while filling the stove!
Thanks in advance!
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How about a nice radiant slab for snow melt and pre drying the wood?
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I put my pro 400 on 8" solid blocks and made a 12x14 pad with crushed stone. It works well and is a lot easier and less expensive. I also was thinking if I ever had to dig up my lines for some reason they go under the pad so it would be easier.
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I put a 5 ft. wide by 12 ft. long pad. When it's going to be bitter cold I stack wood right in front of the furnace so I can throw the wood in and run back inside' Also you are not standing in the mud when you're loading.
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Pour the concrete pad exactly to their specifications and any additional slab you want to stand on or stack wood on pour at the same time and use an expansion joint between the two.
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Pour a slab big enough to where you can set the stove on plus have extra room on both sides of the stove for tools and one side to stack express wood. Then pour additional in front of the stove to stand on while loading. You won't regret it I am glad I had my poured extra big.
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I have my boiler on a concrete pad..Before I poured my pad I dug below frost line and filled with crush stone and sand..Also I have steel rods in the concrete...Pad has never moved or even cracked..Do it right the 1st time and you'll never have a problem
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Pour a slab big enough to where you can set the stove on plus have extra room on both sides of the stove for tools and one side to stack express wood. Then pour additional in front of the stove to stand on while loading. You won't regret it I am glad I had my poured extra big.
There is nothign worse than standing in a snowbank or mud puddle when you are filling or maintaining your OWB
Goof luck hammersquash
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My pad is 8" reinforced concrete that came out of a manufacturing company in town that was replacing the floor for a new production line. My boiler weighs 2,400 lbs so its heavy and I'm glad for the thicker concrete. My three slabs are 33"x125" . If you say them you would think it was a poured slab, I even have enough concrete that I stand on the pad not the ground. I recommend you make your pad large enough to have a place to stand on. I also recommend you make it thicker than 4" of concrete.