OWB Eclassic 1400

[kramer56]

I am currently in process of building new home and might go with the ICF construction from basement to roof. the main floor is 1632sqft and finished basement the same along with a 30x40 garage attached. I am thinking of an Eclassic 1400 or 1450 to heat the house. Will I be sized right for my application running the infloor radiant on main floor and baseboard in the basement? I can't according to code use the older normal boiler (5036, 6048) and I need a gasifier boiler here in northern NY.
Any insight at please!!!!

Thank you

[Roger2561]

I think if you contact Central Boiler rep, they can help you size to fit your needs.  My rep helped me.  My house was built in the 1840's and I'm heating approx. 3000sqft with the e1400 and my domestic hot water.  It handles it easily.  I keep my house at 70 degrees 24/7.  The E14500 has some of the latest technology in it with removable panels to ease cleaning the corner air holes.  Good luck.  Roger

[thecfarm]

kramer56,welcome to the forum. Good luck with the build of your new home. With a new home the OWB can be set up quite well. The dealer is there to help you. They should know the answers.

[kramer56]

Thanks guys!!!!!

[kramer56]

I think if you contact Central Boiler rep, they can help you size to fit your needs.  My rep helped me.  My house was built in the 1840's and I'm heating approx. 3000sqft with the e1400 and my domestic hot water.  It handles it easily.  I keep my house at 70 degrees 24/7.  The E14500 has some of the latest technology in it with removable panels to ease cleaning the corner air holes.  Good luck.  Roger

What are your average burn times during winter months? Have you experienced any issues with these newer boilers?

[doctorb]

During the winter months when heat demand is at it's greatest, most modern OWB's are fed twice per day.  You can get a 24 hour burn out of the majority of newer OWB's, But these machines require a small amount of daily maintenance, which is best performed prior to loading.  The fireboxes are plenty big to hold enough fuel for routine 12 hour burns and more.

There are lots of threads here regarding the gasifier OWB's and their idiosyncracies.  There have been some design flaws that have resulted in early failure/leakage.  It appears that modifications in the design and manufacturing have solved the vast majority of problems.  Use the search function to see the history of these OWB's well chronicled since 2008.  I would also search out the posts and threads started by Dean186, a member who owns a 1400 and posted often on it's installation and performance.

[Roger2561]

I think if you contact Central Boiler rep, they can help you size to fit your needs.  My rep helped me.  My house was built in the 1840's and I'm heating approx. 3000sqft with the e1400 and my domestic hot water.  It handles it easily.  I keep my house at 70 degrees 24/7.  The E14500 has some of the latest technology in it with removable panels to ease cleaning the corner air holes.  Good luck.  Roger

What are your average burn times during winter months? Have you experienced any issues with these newer boilers?

If I fill my firebox to the brim I could easily get a 24 hour burn out it.  But, because I'm anal at keeping an eye on things, I put just enough in for 12 hours.  Generally, the firebox is just a bit more than half full but less than 2/3's.  And, that's was when we had temps at minus 20 with a 20mph north wind (And, that's cold!).  I'm on a north facing side of a mountain out in the open with nothing to stop the wind.  If the temps were in the teens to 20's, the firebox was filled to less than half full for a 12 hour burn. 

This was my second year heating my home and DHW with it and I haven't experienced any problems (knocking on wood) with it yet.  I'm doing my best to keep it in tip top shape so as to minimize the risk of failure or leaks.  Meaning, during the heating season I clear the primary air holes of any creosote build up, rake the ash to keep it lower than the most bottom air holes, scrape as much creosote from the corners and welded seams.  I do this every 2 weeks, sometimes every week depending on outdoor air temps; the warmer it is, the more build up you'll see.  Granted this unit is bit labor intensive (don't let that scare you) but, in the long run I believe it's worth it.  On Saturday's when I serviced the OWB, I was spending perhaps 30 to 45 minutes scraping creosote from the seams and clearing the air holes and emptying the reaction chamber of ash build up.  BUT, I'm not spending $5,000.00/yr any longer for fuel oil, and I can keep my home warmer.  With the oil I needed to keep the house temps at 66 degrees, so 70 degrees, 24/7, is nice and warm (for me).  Let me know if you need anything else.  Good luck!  Roger     

[doctorb]

Kramer56-

I think Roger and I are very similar in our approach.  When the firebox is not too full prior to stoking, that's the time to clear air holes, stir the coal bed, and clear creosote buildup.  So, IMO, the idea of a 24 hour burn is nice, but I would not envision that as necessarily the best way to get the most from a 1400 or 1450.  Rather, I embrace the idea of daily "housecleaning" of my OWB, which is not in anyway burdensome, and have reaped the rewards of the compulsive routine.

[WmFritz]

Welcome to The Forestry Forum kramer56.  8)
As Roger and thecfarm said, your dealer should be able to size your boiler. The most accurate way to determine a boiler size is by a heat loss calculation. Here is a simple calculator.

http://www.builditsolar.com/References/Calculators/HeatLossOld/HeatLoss.htm
Make sure you include the garage and any other buildings you want to heat.

Are you heating the slab in the garage. Wise choice going with radiant heat in your new home.

[Roger2561]

Another benefit of operating the OWB is, you'll quickly love the peace and quiet of NOT hearing the oil/gas furnace fire up.  8)  Granted the unit was a chunk of change but worth it IMO. 

[thecfarm]

A chunk of change is right and worth it is right too. My 40hp tractor was a chunk of change too,but worth it. I am very happy with mine OWB and I would do it all over again.