Outdoor wood boilers

[Windwalker]

I've been heating my house for the last 30 years with an indoor woodstove. In this business its a no brainer. I sell my nice saw logs to the local circle sawmill, I mill all my crotches and logs that make good slabs on my own bandsawmill, I process the rest into firewood for myself and to sell. My softwood that comes back in log form I either sell to the local mill or the local animal bedding grinder. A lot of jobs we hand load smaller pieces rather than taking the mini back for softwood, since they have very little value. I do burn some softwoods with my hardwoods, but end up giving a lot of it away. I hate giving stuff away, especially if I can find a use for it. I plan to put in an outdoor wood boiler this fall so I can use up more of my softwood and wont have to process as much of my own firewood, since I can use bigger pieces in the outdoor stove. Anyhow, for those that are heating with an outdoor furnace, wondering what brand you have, how old is it, any problems, and what you like and dislike about it?

Thanks, Mike

 

[Scratch]

I have a Central Boiler 6048. I just finished my 11th season with it and am very happy with it. The only thing I don't like about mine is, I wish it had some way to see what the water temp was from inside the house. I don't think any of them have that feature, but people are getting creative and figuring out how to do it themselves like I did.

My brother next door has had his 6048 for 24 years. I've had zero problems with mine, but he's boiled his over a few times because he burns green wood and leaves the door open too long, then forgets about it, so it's his own fault.

if you're looking for a forum, I'd suggest www.outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com although they are pretty inactive during the non-heating season.
From the forum, it looks like CB is the most popular, but I see a lot of people with Shavers, Heatmore, Hardy, Heatmasters... That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Some brands have ash catches, and screws to pull the ashes out, I don't like the complexity of those. It seems like I'm always hearing how their ash screw or dump mechanism has rusted and they need to fix it. I just shovel it out once a month or so.

Some stoves have fans to keep the fires going, mine just has a damper door to let air in. I like that becaus it doesn't force the hot air up and out of the chimney, but I know the fans are popular especially if they're not burning the best wood.

During the heating season, I start my fire once and it lasts all year long. I fill it twice a day and the coals get the new wood started. I have just over 5k of finished home plus a 24'x24' garage I'm heating with mine. I have my garage floor, the basement floor, and two furnaces with heat exchangers, and I go through almost 12 cords a season, we've gotten spoiled and keep the house at 74 degrees.

 

[erwin]

wish the price of wood chip boiler or furnace is low enough for residential application so your heating can be easily automated.

 

[Windwalker]

Had a rainy afternoon on Friday and visited the CB and Heatmaster dealer. Was looking at the CB Edge 750 and the 6048. He said since I have a business I could run the non EPA 6048, which honestly I liked the simplicity. Seems like a grey area though, yes I run a business from home, but I will be heating my residence. The 6048 seems quite large for my small house and shop, but he said he doesn't sell the 5036 in Pa. Heatmaster also has a non EPA stove they market as a coal stove and that's how they get around the EPA regs. It has a few more moving parts than the CB. I also like the full spray on insulation of the CB. As of now I am leaning towards the CB, but need to find out more about getting a 5036 and learn more about the EPA regs coming in 2020. Glad to hear you and your bother haven't had any problems with your CB stoves.