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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Boiler comparison test idea

« on: January 07, 2016, 06:17:39 PM »

Awesome!!!  I can't say I totally followed the math, might have to get you to break that down a little more. So was all your wood gone or was there still fuel left. One reason I wanted to use the heated domestic water variable is I would like to see the difference in heat capture while idling. I know there are a ton of variables but I can't help but think somebody out there has my setup almost exactly with a different brand of boiler. I did have a chance to think on it a little more and taking input from other members I think starting with 40 lbs of wood and the boiler sitting at 150 would be great. Let it heat to 180 then kick on domestic hot water at 5 gal per minute and see how long the boiler would maintain the 170-180 range before the fuel is gone. I may try something like this and try to get the test to take no longer than 1 hour with the boiler cycling at least 5-6 times. I may make a video when I do and share with the group so everybody can witness my systems variable. As far as comparing models I'd like to compare mine to a P&M BL 28-40 or a BL 3444 simply because that was my second choice at the time I purchased. Thanks again for every members input on this topic. Any and all ideas and comments welcome. Maybe there is an engineer out there that can come up with something better to compare.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Boiler comparison test idea

« on: January 07, 2016, 10:56:46 AM »

That would be a good simple test. I guess I thinking more of trying to simulate a 12 hr burn but I like simple! It would definitely be a good starter test. Thanks for the input.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: Boiler comparison test idea

« on: January 07, 2016, 10:26:44 AM »

I didn't mean test til stat kicks on. I meant test til wood is gone and won't get the boiler back to 180.
We'd have to compare apples to apples. I have a 125 gallon water capacity. Wouldn't learn much comparing to somebody that has 500 gallons I wouldn't think. Thanks for the input. I think if we put our heads together we could come up with some type of general comparison test.

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Boiler comparison test idea

« on: January 07, 2016, 09:45:14 AM »

Hello everybody. I know when I was shopping for a boiler I would have loved to seen side by side comparisons of various boilers operating. Unfortunately it's not like buying a car. You have to go with what you learn from your given sources and make the best decision for your circumstances. That being said I have an idea where members could compare their stoves and share what we all learn. If we have several interests in this idea I will put my Heatmaster C-250 up for the test. Here is the idea, let me know what you all think or be thinking of a better way to do a side by side test. In my system I can run hot water only and bypass my 2 water/air heat exchangers. What I propose is set boiler to 170 on 180 off. Measure how much water we can get from a given hot water faucet. Maybe the one that is closest to heat exchanger. Shoot for a water flow rate of 5 gallons per minute. Weigh out 150lbs of good seasoned split hardwood. Be nice if we could measure moisture content before starting test. Let the boilers have just enough coals to start the fresh wood burning. Start with the stove at 175, turn on the hot water to the 5 gallon a minute rate , add the wood and let it burn till you can no longer maintain 170 at the aquastat. I have no idea how long that would be but at the end of the test you could make a claim that your boiler would heat "x" gallons of water on 150 lbs of hardwood. Probably sounds like a lot of trouble but at the end of the day we'd all know which boilers perform at what level. I would wait till the temps get up a little more so I wouldn't need the home heat to do the test. I would also measure cold water in and out temps and give all my setup specs so we could discuss all variables. Like I said this is just an idea I'm throwing out there. This forum has been wonderful for me and I'd like to give back where I can. I'm not a boiler expert but I could do a simple test.  Let me know what your thoughts are and we will go from there. Thanks

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HeatMaster / Re: WOW!!-14 Hour burn time unheard of before

« on: January 07, 2016, 07:51:28 AM »

Glad to see a good furnace comparison post from somebody that had actually owned 2-3 boilers.  Gets under my skin when a member drinking the kool aid makes claims that brand "x" "they can guarantee burns less wood" than others, and it's their first time using/owning a boiler. It'd be like me saying "I can guarantee my c-250 burns less wood than all those other brands but truth is all I know is my boiler seems easy on wood cause I have absolutely nothing to compare it too. Sorry for the rant . Just saying 

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HeatMaster / Re: In-Depth Review

« on: December 21, 2015, 01:40:28 PM »

Been waiting to see the response to that question also. I chose the C250 over the BL 2840. I can't get over how little wood my Heatmaster uses. Several times I've loaded for 12 hrs and gotten 24 hrs. Still learning. I don't have another boiler to compare to but I was using a Buck model 91 for the past 5 years. It is  a catalytic and I'm using it as a insert. Manufacture specs has it at 50,400 btu/hr and 86% efficient. Don't get me wrong I have nothing bad to say about my buck and will never remove it from the home but the C250 has blown us all away in the amount of wood it burns. We only supplemented heat with the buck when the daytime highs weren't out of the 30's. With the C250 we are keeping the home at 73 degrees and heating 100% of the water. I would bring in 4 bundles of wood for 24 hrs with the buck. I don't believe my C250 is burning as much as the buck did and to be honest it puzzles me. I guess the Heatmaster just does such a better job of distributing the btu's to the water where the insert let most of the heat go up the flue. The one thing I liked about the P&M design was the fact that it had the refractory brick. I think that came from my buck also being brick lined. Would've been nice to see the C250 go head to head with the BL 2840 but guess we ain't buying cars. Anyway I saved $2500 going with the C250 and I couldn't be happier.  I feel I got the best  of the conventional line of boilers. Keep us posted on wood consumption   

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General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / Re: 10,000e boil over/Leak..........UPDATE

« on: December 16, 2015, 03:56:22 PM »

I bought from Scott early this year and he's been there for me the whole time. Always responded promptly to even the most simple and sometimes obvious questions. Scott may not have time to troll the forums all day but from what I've experienced as well as what at least one more member has experience he's never let us down. Scott's a man of his word and anybody looking to buy should consider buying from Scott. If any member needs his phone number pm me and I'll be glad to share.

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HeatMaster / Re: Water level gauge

« on: November 11, 2015, 09:47:44 PM »

 I hear what you are saying mlappin and 95% of the time I intend to burn good seasoned wood. It's that other 5% that makes the conventional style right for me. There may be a time when I'm not able to put up all the wood I need a year early. I will still need heat. Dropping a tree and taking it straight to the stove appeals to me.

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HeatMaster / Re: Water level gauge

« on: November 11, 2015, 07:13:30 PM »

So shepherd boy how much more efficient are the gassers than the c series? I wanted to be able to burn green wood and didn't even consider a gasification. Living out in the country the smoke is a non-issue. I've been burning for 3 weeks and can't get over how little wood the thing uses. I was close to purchasing another brand but am very happy with my unit. I feel I got the best stove for a fair amount of $$$$. Hope it last 20+ years with few problems.

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HeatMaster / Re: Water level gauge

« on: November 11, 2015, 06:04:29 PM »

Hadn't shook my grates in about a week and a half cause I was trying to build a coal bed, burnt a bunch of old cardboard. That probably plugged up the grates. Water level was 100% so I'd say you are right on track for what caused it. That's why I love this forum! Thanks shepherd boy.

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HeatMaster / Re: Water level gauge

« on: November 11, 2015, 04:53:51 PM »

Ran it by my dealer (scott7m) and I think he'd seen it happen before. Said I should probably tighten up the doors.  Thanks for the responses. Loving my Heatmaster! Looking forward to seeing the first electric bill since install. Moved the thermostat up to 73 from 68 which is where it had been in the winter since 2009 when I built the house. And the hot water is unreal.

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HeatMaster / Water level gauge

« on: November 10, 2015, 09:57:14 PM »

I recently installed my first boiler, Heatmaster c250. Had it up and running for about 3 weeks. Came home tonight to find my water level gauge missing from  the unit. Didn't take long to find it on the ground a few feet away from the stove. My stove temp was normal and after putting gauge back where it belongs my water level was normal. So my question is did the steam somehow push the gauge up and out to the point to where it fell off or did I have a nosey passerby that thought it would be entertaining to remove my gauge and leave it on the ground? I think the second theory is highly unlikely because I live far out in the county with no close neighbors. Anybody else ever have this happen? Aquastat set to 180 with a 10 degree dif.

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HeatMaster / Re: C series VS E series

« on: October 21, 2015, 05:35:31 PM »

C250 installed and running! Not gonna worry about turning up the house thermostat this year. Install went smooth. Very happy with the purchase. Any questions welcomed.

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HeatMaster / Re: C series VS E series

« on: February 17, 2015, 06:57:18 PM »

Thanks for the welcome. I read, watched, and asked everything and everyone I could for the past 4 months trying to decide. Narrowed it down to CB, P&M, and Heatmaster. Heatmaster seems to me to be the all around best and has a great reputation in the industry. I had a few concerns with the other 2 and didn't always like the answers to some of the questions I asked the dealer and manufacturer. I'll not get to use the boiler this season and sure I'll have some questions during the summer install.

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HeatMaster / Re: C series VS E series

« on: February 17, 2015, 05:48:16 PM »

Another member jared43758 has a 250c listed under his profile.  I pm'd him last week sometime to ask how he likes his, no response.  I also have asked slim what his take on them are and he should have some good input soon.  I actually ordered a 250c from scott7m a few days ago after looking at his. I was impressed. Scott told me that they absolutely burn less wood than previous models and the basic components are all the same with the added exhaust pass. I also called Heatmaster to ask if the They had been cheapened down after noticing the weight difference in the 250c and the 5000e. It has not been cheapened just a little redesign where they were able to shed a few pounds. I'm excited to be getting the furnace and just wish I had done it sooner.