E-Classic 2300 is now up and running in Central Mass

whodoctor · August 12, 2008, 09:21:54 PM

GaryC,

Is it a good idea???? I don't know. We have 5 people in the house, and we use a lot of hot water. The OWB is taking about 5 days to go through a load of wood, and the firebox is not very big. Seeing as I just installed this, I am having fun working with it. So,will I use it every Summer, maybe, maybe not. For now, its fine, cause I am learning the stove and enjoying it.

As far as a heat exchanger, I don't have one tied in yet. The CB E-C 2300 is simply tied into my existing boiler, and isn't really adding much heat to the utility room in the basement. Any suggestions on a plate heat exchanger? My CB dealer told me that a 30 plate heat exchanger is $400 and a 50 plate heat exchanger is $600. I found them WAY cheaper on ebay here: http://stores.ebay.com/Alternative-Heating-and-Supplies

Don't know anything about them, but want to make sure i am not spending $200 more than I have to.

thecfarm · August 13, 2008, 04:47:14 AM

This is what I have for a heat exchangers, 86,000 BTU,

I put shut offs on my heat exchangers,except for the one pictured. I was not thinking right some how on this one,DanG. >:( For now I enclosed it with some 2 inch styrofoam that I have.The one that runs the house I put one in.Some glad I did.That was the one that was put into the duct work for forced hot air.I heat my hot water and a hot tub with that loop.I see no reason not to use your OWF to heat your hot water.That's what they are designed for.Have to make it pay some how.I had no idea how that would work out for us heating the hot water,because of the smoke.Clothes line is only 60 feet away,the OWF is in our back yard.I was concerned about smoke.But I'm burning good hardwood in it and it's working out fine.Not much smoke,the wife is not complaining about it at all.I am trying to insulate my pipes inside with some pipe wrap.Kinda slow on it.Have others things going on and I keep putting it off.I had a speed control on the one pictured too.Lets me control how fast I want the fan to run.Or should I say how loud.The fan does make some noise,nothing real loud,but glad I had it installed.

Dana · August 13, 2008, 06:37:21 AM

Gary_C I use my Central Boiler all year round also. The only thing that is being used during the summer is the hot water heater. And as mentioned it runs thru a flat plate heat exchanger.
The only excess heat in the house that I have noticed is in the stairwell going into the basement. I dont spend much time there so it isn't
a concern.
One thing I've thought about is that I'm basically putting twice as much use on the stove using it during the summer. I wonder if this will cause it to burn out quicker. At the same time things often last longer when kept in use.

whodoctor · August 13, 2008, 08:15:10 AM

TheCFarm,

Thanks for sharing your experience with heat exchangers, and heating your hot water. Can you tell me the brand of hydronic blower that you have in that picture? I have an 800 square foot room that I want to service with a blower like that. I has a concrete floor, and stays cold during the winter. I don't want to go through the trouble of installing baseboard heating in that room right now, so a blower would be good. Then, I could move it to my garage when the time came.

Also, I am still looking to learn about PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS. I need one that will take the heat from the water loop from the furnace, and transfer it to the water in the indoor heating system so that they fluid from the OWB and the indoor loop don't have to mix. I need Glycol in my interior system due to the lines running through a LOT of unheated space.

Anyone know how to size it? 30 plate, 50 plate, 60 plate, larger? Any links would be greatly appreciate. My prior indoor boiler was rated for 155,000 BTU/hr if that helps.

THANKS!

beenthere · August 13, 2008, 09:46:52 AM

who doc
One link for heat exchangers and some written description of differences can be found in McMaster-Carr. http://www.mcmaster.com/

Gary_C · August 13, 2008, 12:40:44 PM

Dana, do you have a hot water storage tank or does your hot water come directly from that heat exchanger?

Most of the recommended instalations I have seen show a standard hot water heater with what is called a shell and tube exchanger mounted on the side. Then a tempering valve is added to the discharge of the hot water tank to prevent scalding with that 180 deg water.

thecfarm · August 13, 2008, 08:49:49 PM

The heat exchanger is an Emerson.Cost $480 for a 86,000 BTU.A 40,000 would of been $60 less,at last years prices.I would get a speed control for it,if it's in living quarters.What are you calling ALOT of unheated area.I only have water in my system and my lines are about 30 feet I guess.I would think,scary,that as long as your circulators are on they should be moving the water through the lines.Mine are on all the time,the water never stops moving.Youy probaly have a very good reason for the anti freeze.I just don't under why as yet.

whodoctor · August 13, 2008, 10:09:02 PM

Hey TheCFarm,

My heating system is pretty complex, unfortunately. We converted a 15 room, 3 level contemporary (its long from end to end), from electric heat to hydronic air. 1600 feet, on two separate levels, is on slab, and the lines run through unheated attic space for 2 of the 3 zones before descending down to the slab level. This would still be simple enough to have the water circulate, non-stop, yes. However, there are also baseboard heaters being added to the infants room, and our older daughter's room and if the water circulates non-stop, it will be intolerably hot in there. So, I need the glycol in the system for an 'as needed' use. I wish I were ready to build because this would all be simple...but everything I do in this money pit has to be retrofitted to work in this house. Some else's broken dream is my nightmare. Still, the location is unbeatable, which is why I am still here.

...sorry for the long answer. I wish I could do here, what you do there. Its a great way to do it, if you can.

Dana · August 14, 2008, 06:01:17 AM

Gary_C the flat plate is located on the side of our water heater. I bought a new water heater when I bought the furnace as I didn't want the crude in an old tank plugging up the heat exchanger. The water heater is used as a storage tank only. I lit it to make sure it worked when I installed it and it hasn't been turned on since.

thecfarm · August 14, 2008, 06:25:59 AM

Seemed like you mentioned baseboard too.Now I understand,15 rooms,now that's a house.

whodoctor · August 14, 2008, 08:33:34 AM

Uh, yeah. Its a lot to heat. One of those rooms is a utility room. When we converted from electric heat, we had to take the space for the system.

bull · August 14, 2008, 03:36:24 PM

15 rooms,sounds like a Hotel

JSNH · August 15, 2008, 09:56:13 PM

For a flat plate heat exchanger try here http://ctwoodfurnace.com/parts_water_to_water.htm

I installed a Central Boiler in December of last year. I priced around and purchased a 70 plate brazed heat exchanger from them and at the time it was the best price. It shipped fast received it in 1 or 2 days. I use it for a a line with antifreeze in it for heat in the barn and an apartment above the barn it works great. Give them a call.

whodoctor · August 16, 2008, 11:05:29 AM

THANKS JSNH,

I think that the link you sent me goes to the same company as this ebay store...different name, but same logo and slogan!

http://stores.ebay.com/Alternative-Heating-and-Supplies

Either that, or they just outright stole the logo and slogan. lol. I bet if I looked into it, they are the same folks.

How did you choose which size you needed? I had an engineer tell me I needed only a 20 plate. My CB dealer said 30 will do, and 50 if I want to 'kill it' (meaning, really never EVER worry). You went with a 70, which sounds great to me. The more efficient the heat transfer the better, IMO. But can you tell me how you made your choice?

Thanks for the link. I am looking forward to your response.

Peakebrook · August 17, 2008, 04:27:45 PM

My concern is that the firebox of the E2300 is one-third the size of the 6048. That has to translate into shorter burn times. I would like to limit filling the beast to once a day.

JSNH · August 18, 2008, 12:05:16 PM

Flat plate size. Somewhere I have the specs for it. I figured what I needed and added 30% to the size I think. I will look around to see if I can find it but I was looking for 100K btu exchange and picked up the 70 plate. From what you said 3 rooms on a antifreeze loop I would go for a 50 plate from a WAG wild As_ed Guess on may part. For domestic hot water I have a side arm heat exchanger on a 50 gal electric with a automatic tempering valve set at 135 degrees. It works great never run out of hot water. I burn little wood for hot water. A garden way large cart of green pine edgings from the edger is enough for our family of 5 for 3 or 4 days.

whodoctor · August 19, 2008, 03:50:47 PM

Due to the advertised efficiency of this stove, I am anticipating a 2x per day fill. I have been told that this is the expected fill during the coldest parts of winter in the 6048 as well. Is this the case in anyone else's experience?

bull · August 19, 2008, 05:31:35 PM

I really don't like the idea of going out in the cold,to load up the furnace to keep warm !!!

5 cords of wood in the cellar for the house and 3 cord in the barn for the shop !! only time I have to feel the cold is when I walk from the house to the barn to work...

whodoctor · August 20, 2008, 10:18:17 AM

....are you from Florida or something? Just kidding. Nobody LIKES the cold, but I guess its a matter of how much you dislike it. Twice a day doesn't seem like a problem to me. I am just happy not to burn oil.

thecfarm · August 20, 2008, 09:10:43 PM

I would much rather go outside to fill my OWF,than bring wood into the unheated garage,has to be split smaller,pile it up,about ½ cord at a time,carry 1-2 arm full of wood into the house,sweep the floor,haul out the ashes.Even when it's snowing,it's all worth it and than some.My garage is heated now due to the OWF.I only wish I would of done it sooner.

whodoctor · August 20, 2008, 11:52:00 PM

Does anyone have a lead on cords of hardwood, cut 24-30". Rounds, and reasonable sized splits? I am looking for a couple more. I want to ensure that I have enough until I am certain how much I am going to use in an average year.

icedflame · August 28, 2008, 12:34:07 PM

Just joined this forum as I need a little info, probably from whodoctor. I am getting my e-classic next month and am in the process of setting up pad and such. I am not getting much info from dealer as far as specs. You say you buried your thermopex 8-12 in. Did you use 1 1/4? I was told I would have to go down about 4 ft in order to get the radius for the turn up in the inset portion of the slab. Did you bury under the slab, looked like it in the pics? Does all the electric (you stated you used 2 separate lines in- also why) and gas come up in to connect at the cutout in back of the unit? I called my dealer and asked for the manual but CB would not send out ahead of the furnace. They do not want to give out much info it seems, even though I paid 1/2 down for the deposit.

thecfarm · August 28, 2008, 09:18:44 PM

icedflame,welcome to the forum.
I only buried my lines about 18 inches,but when I came to where they had to be hooked onto the furnace I went down about 3 feet or so.Need the room to make an arc with the pipes.I had my installed.They used 1 inch lines.Kept me nice and warm.I did all of the dumb work and 2 guys did the rest.Good luck.

whodoctor · September 01, 2008, 09:05:20 PM

Icedflame,

I used 1" lines, buried 8-12 inches in the ground for 100 or so feet, including under the slab. I had no trouble bending the thermopex to a workable angle. You could bury it deeper if you wanted to but I didn't find it necessary.

I installed two lines because I am building a barn/wood shed over and around the E-classic. I want to have a whole-house fan above the stove door to suck out the smoke when filling the stove, and I want to have lights and a beer fridge in there too.

The electric, gas, and pex lines all come up into the same area.

They wouldn't give me the manual before hand either.

needful · September 06, 2008, 03:31:50 PM

Hi everybody,
i just joined this forum and i am so happy for all the info on the E-classic 2300.
I will get mine in a couple of weeks and i can't wait to say goodbye to oil. I live in the Yukon, Canada near Whitehorse and the temperatures can be pretty low - 40 and more for a month or more at times.
I heat about 7000 square feet in two buildings and we will see how the boiler performs with those temperatures. The oil fired system i have right now is one of the best one can get (Viessmann Vitola 200) but, i am using 6500 liters of oil every year. (Sorry, for you guys this will be about 1810 Gallons.) $ 1.30 a liter = $ 8450.00 thats just insane.
I dug the trench, got all the lines in and the power, all i have to do install the boiler and the plate heat exchanger. I hope i can give everybody an update in a few weeks.
Cheers