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[Pit Crew]

Faster recovery time from what? When you let your fire go out?  Mine is set 175- 185 . The house aint getting cold in the time it goes from 175 to 185. To me a forced air would burn more would.

[Roger2561]

Because my state is an EPA II compliant state, I had no choice but to go with a gasser.  I'm into my 3rd season with my E-classic 1400.  I like my CB unit.  I have no trouble with it.  It heats my 1840's, 3000sqft home and DHW without difficulty.  Granted, there were some growing pains along the way, but that was not fully understanding the unit and negligence on my part, nothing to do with CB.  When I visited my dealer (less than 25 minutes from me) he was heating his business with one.  It was January with minus temps and a heavy breeze from the north.  He showed me the thing in operation.  I was sold on the things.  My dealer told me not be sold on one manu, that I should look at others and then decide.  He likened the debate between CB and P&M to that of Chevy vs Ford.  Both vehicles are quality vehicles but it's not fair to the Toyota line where they have quality vehicles too.  My trouble I have is lack of time.  My CB dealer is less than 25 minutes from me.  I can simply jump on the highway and be there in less than a half hour.  Time is a premium for me.  I live alone.  I work 10 hours days and some days I'm at work for more than 12 hours.  I have to work a lot Saturdays too.  So, when I need something (nothing needed yet) I can be back home inside an hour.  If a P&M dealer was closer, I would have purchased the P&M.  Am I going to sit here and say the CB is superior to the P&M, or visa versa?  No!  It would be very dishonest because I've never owned, operated or seen a P&M in operation. All I can tell you is my experiences have been very positive with the CB.  Today I can own a Ford, tomorrow buy another it be a lemon.  The same can said for any vehicle sold.  Roger         

[yoderheating]

Faster recovery time from what? When you let your fire go out?  Mine is set 175- 185 . The house aint getting cold in the time it goes from 175 to 185. To me a forced air would burn more would.

Two things forced air draft gives you. One is a much much quicker recovery time, something you may not need but many applications do. For example a radiant heat system that can use large amounts of heat at one time or a home with multiple heating systems that can have a large heat load at one time. Second is a cleaner burn. Its just a fact that forcing air into the bottom of a fire will make for a hotter cleaner burn versus having a natural draft above the fire.   

[slimjim]

SMOKE is nothing but unburned fuel, unburned fuel is wasted fuel.

[Roger2561]

Slim - 

[boilerman]

Remember a blower fan option can be installed on a Central Boiler Classic model for around $125.00 if you really want a blower fan.
I never found need for one myself in the 7 years I ran a Classic.

[slimjim]

Good morning Boilerman, in your opinion what would adding the factory blower do for the efficiency of the boiler.

[boilerman]

In my opinion adding a blower to a Classic would slightly lower the efficiency but increase the btu output.
Help get a green load to burn hard quicker too.
I've always burned seasoned wood, so natural draft always did a great job for me. Personal preference I guess.

[slimjim]

Boilerman, There we can agree!

[Sprinter]

In my opinion adding a blower to a Classic would slightly lower the efficiency but increase the btu output.
Help get a green load to burn hard quicker too.
I've always burned seasoned wood, so natural draft always did a great job for me. Personal preference I guess.

Just curious on why a blower would decrease the efficiency? Would it not burn the load at a higher temp and possibly reduce smoke output? I'm not saying it will eliminate it like a gasser. Or have you seen it just turn into a smoke dragon with blower?

[hondaracer2oo4]

I believe it drops the efficiency a little because it pushes out some of the heat faster then it would be pulled out by natural draft without transferring the heat to the water.

[slimjim]

One of the biggest mistakes I have seen with the ( smoke dragons ) is to put extra pipe on the boiler without adding a barometric damper, somebody out there could start a small business building stainless steel barometric dampers for OWB's, the ones that you buy from the supply houses are just tin and don't last more than a couple of years.

[Sluggo]

There is no right answer to this question.  Every stove has its pros and cons.  You will never know which one is better unless you buy both and try them!  If one were so much better the other companies wouldn't be in business!