Central Boiler 6048 classic (wow)

[yetti462]

This summer I bought a used 6048.  I finally got it hooked up last Friday.  The trench for my water line collapsed due to the 4" rain we got, but got her redug and line laid. 

My house is a log home with a 30' ceiling in the living room where I have a wood stove.  In the basement I have a hot blast wood/coal furnace that I plumbed into my ductwork.  With the above set-up, the north end of my house is still cold and I burn a bunch of wood to maintain a comfortable living room. 

So far with the CB rolling, I have woke up hot with the stat set at 69.  My DHW is hot with a slight pressure decrease.  My wood consumption is surprisingly low.  I keep wanting to check the fire and add wood but the wood from last night was still there this morning and the house was at a toasty 71.

So far this boiler is amazing, I wish I would have installed one earlier. Can't wait to put it to the test in extreme cold weather.

[E Yoder]

Glad it's working great for you. I hear it all the time- "why didn't we get our OWB years ago".

[Dave Shepard]

My 6048 is saving me 10-12 gallons of oil per day. It takes some time to process the wood, but it's all been sawmill slabs or tree service wood.

[ButchC]

Join the crowd, most people who correctly install a decent quality OWB quickly fall in love with it. ;D  Be sure you keep up with the water treatments, clean it out in the spring and spray it down with oil and it will be around for a very long time (which it needs to be to pay out)   People I know who didn't like their  OWB either bought an inferior design, inferior underground pipe or hated to cut wood or refused to preform routine maintenance.  Mine is on its 13th heating season and going strong. Up and down our road there are 5 more units in the same age range and 5 happy owners.

[Wood Shed]

My story is similar to ButchC and I agree with his recommendations on maintenance and water treatment.  I am finding that dry wood makes it a different beast also as my wood shed investment is starting to pay off.  But like my neighbor says " You have to put wood in it".  Enjoy !

[mosinga]

Hey fellows

I heard about the water maintenance which we are doing (and checking daily) and scrapping creosote off occasional but what is this about spraying with oil. Spraying what and where and when?? oh yeah, and with what oil?
This is new to me
Thanks

[Logging logginglogging]

You can use your used motor oil you save when u change the oil in the vehicles.... its free and works great!

as for the when. After you clean and scrape it all out for the summer shutdown in the spring.

[Wood Shed]

I have never touched (scraped or brushed) the walls of my CB but I do thoroughly clean the pan of the furnace and oil with used oil at the end of the season.  Also cover the smoke stack with a bucket at seasons end.  Thirteen years and counting, long sense paid for itself.

 

Right now the OWB is in standby mode (so to speak) while on vacation till April. 

[Rebarb]

I do slop the entire bottom plate with oil at the end of each season, used motor oil.

Not much water maintenance at all really. 
I check the parameters occasionally but has been perfectly in spec for 7 yrs, water is still very clear.

Bet I only add 1 gallon of water per year.
The classic has been a great boiler. 

[yetti462]

I was told not to scrape the creosote off the interior, the installer mentioned that it removes small amounts of steel every time making the walls thinner.  What I do is throw hydrated ag lime on walls which lowers the acidity of the creosote making it less corrosive. 

As for oiling, I run mine year round and haven't shut it down, other than once to drain the water and add soft water.