Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

Outdoor Furnaces - Manufacturers WITH EPA-Certified Models => Portage & Main => Topic started by: gspren on February 24, 2011, 08:57:39 AM

Title: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: gspren on February 24, 2011, 08:57:39 AM
  On Feb 4th I fired up my new ML30 boiler, after figuring out why it was running hot (the damper was installed wrong) I am now fairly well happy with it. I have only been running 3 weeks so far and am quite pleased with how little wood it uses compared to what a neighbor with a Wood Doctor told me he uses. I will post again after I get more experience.

Gary
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: mikenc on February 25, 2011, 03:08:42 PM
I have heard a lot of good things about those stoves. Glade you got problem worked out. The people that have them around here say they are pretty efficient. Heating house and burning less wood to do it is what its all about. If I had to do it all over again I would probably by one myself. We have a dealer here now. Happy burning!!!
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: jackel440 on February 26, 2011, 06:56:44 AM
Glad to hear some testimony on P&M stoves.I think they look like a quality piece.No dealers around me to check them out.How about some pics of your new toy? :photo:
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: NCredneck on March 31, 2011, 11:42:09 AM
mikenc, where is there a portage and main dealer in NC?
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Firechaser on September 15, 2011, 05:32:03 PM
I am going to start up my ML30 this weekend for a test run. For those of you that have one :  Where do you have the vent on the door positioned?  Where do you have the cover over the fan positioned?  Thanks Tony
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: lp7734 on November 10, 2011, 07:32:27 AM
Fired my P&M up about 3 weeks ago really like it but hasent been that cold yet. I have 12 feet of stack so my draw is quite alot does smoke alot on the first few cycles of a load.. running my stat at 175 and fan cover at 1/4 open  vent on door closed. are you to use the door vent????
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Bull on November 10, 2011, 07:49:06 AM
Welcome to the site friend, enjoy your stay and stop by often
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Firechaser on November 10, 2011, 03:43:55 PM
I have my fan about 1/2 and the vent closed. Opening the vent seemed to help when temps are warm and it doesn't cycle much. I'm happy with mine. My only complaint is the water gauge. If I fill it cold it boils over. So I leave it low but then I can't tell if its full when the temps are low
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: mikenc on November 10, 2011, 05:34:24 PM
I have my fan about 1/2 and the vent closed. Opening the vent seemed to help when temps are warm and it doesn't cycle much. I'm happy with mine. My only complaint is the water gauge. If I fill it cold it boils over. So I leave it low but then I can't tell if its full when the temps are low

Best to check water level when cycle has comleted and boiler is at it hottest. Its amazing how much water expands.
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Firechaser on November 10, 2011, 06:05:50 PM
I do check it at the peak. The problem is I have turned down the boiler temp due to mild weather. So its always low. So I can't be sure its not too low. It could be dry and I wouldn't know.
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: willieG on November 11, 2011, 08:55:51 PM
i t wont matter what temp you run your stove at...if the  difference between shut off and shut on is the same. it may vary a small amount but basically if your stove came on at 100 and shut off at 120 your water would expand almost teh same amount as if your stove came on at 160 and shut off at 189 (both would be a 20 degree swing and both would expand about the same amount. 

if you fill your stove as soon as the shut off temp is reached it is full no matter what temp that is
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Firechaser on November 12, 2011, 08:10:51 AM
When its cold outside I set my temp to 180 off. When its mild temps out this causes my house to remain warmer than I like at night. So I turn it down to 150. Which makes the gauge drop too low.  I don't want to fill it because in a few weeks ill put it back to 180. It's all good just something that could improve.
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: willieG on November 12, 2011, 06:58:34 PM
why does your  home heat up at night..don't you either control the flow of the water or the blower on your system to control the room temps?
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: MNRVGuy on November 16, 2011, 02:23:19 PM
I finished about 90% of my install last Thursday and fired up my ML30 for the first time. So far like how it is operating. My 100+ year old farmhouse has never been this warm. The best part when I load her up, I look right at the big propane tank that it will take my gas clothes dryer years to empty ;D ;D!! All I have to do now is finish the hook up in my shop, and put the siding back on that I had to tear off to get my lines into the atic where my furnace is located. 
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Firechaser on November 16, 2011, 05:05:01 PM
Congratulations! It's my first year with mine but I love it.
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: lastofthejedi on November 20, 2011, 12:06:39 AM
This is my first season with the ML30.  Build quality details are impressive and it seems to be quite efficient.  I have the fan cover wide open and temp set at 170 with a 10 degree differential, as per a phone conversation with Rory from P&M.  He was really pushing the idea of testing my water regularly to ensure that the pH remains around 9-10.  I'll likely turn the water temp up 5 degrees when it gets cold and lower the temp differential to 5 degrees or so.
Happy P&M customer thus far.
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: martyinmi on November 20, 2011, 04:28:17 AM
Glad you are happy with your ML30. I've not heard of anyone that was unhappy with the way the 30's perform. P&M makes a ML25 now thats rated for up to 3000 sq. ft. I'm wondering how folks are liking it.
   Welcome to this site. There's a lot of valuable information on these pages. Most of us have burned wood for a lot of years and we still learn from here almost on a daily basis.

   Marty
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: lp7734 on November 20, 2011, 05:55:25 AM
well just added 9 more feet of stack that puts me at 21 feet (a little to close to buildings so the start up smoke can be bothersome). Do any of you run rain caps?
Title: Re: P&M ML30 - First Impressions
Post by: Scott7m on November 20, 2011, 08:14:53 AM
Yea I always encourage folks to buy rain caps if there stoves do not come with one standard.  If you had a 20 foot chimney you wouldn't want one with a spark arrestor as it would be hard to clean, but a good stainless cap would be a good idea.