Alternative Heating Systems / Wood Gun

[Peakebrook]

Does anyone have any experience with AHS Wood Gun gasification boilers?

They are currently making 100k to 1 mil btu units. 

I am looking at one to burn slab wood and any input would be great.

[aikman08]

I have a 140k btu unit, I live in CT and I am heating 2800SF plus all my domestic,. I am burning 9 cords per year . I burn from Sept. 1 - June 15. I have used1/4 tank of oil in 1.5 yrs. The positives of this boiler are that it is very efficient and safe. We have lost power and the boiler shuts right down no worries about overheating from the circ. pump not running, this amazed me. Stack temp. is <300, thus Chimney fires are reduced drastically. When weather is in the 15-20 deg. range I load 3 times a day. Negatives are that the unit smokes like crazy when you load it(I installed a range hood and ducted outside).Based on the afforementioned I would be hesitant to install a wood gun in my basement (I built a room off of my garage for mine). The cyclonic ash reclaim is ineffective as it frequently plugs up (2-3 times per year) requiring unbolting and cleaning.  A fair amount of fly ash is emitted from the smoke stack. A friend of mine has the 200K unit and has all the same issues. He also likes his unit that being said.
Overall I would recommend this boiler,it is much beefier than the Tarm and less money. A much greener approach than an outside unit. I was burning a Jensen prior to this unit and it cut my annual wood consumption by 25% and oil consumption by 50%. Jeff (the owner) and Carl (tech guru) are excellent to deal with, great support after the sale.

[Peakebrook]

Thanks for the reply.

What is the moisture content of your wood?  AHS is recommending 30% or less.

Have you ever burned slabs or green wood in the unit?

Thanks

[beenthere]

30% mc is green wood.

[aikman08]

Yes I have burned both.
I have a woodmizer sawmill, in the warmer months I burn my slab wood.
When I burn dry wood the unit puffs smoke out of the inlet for the damper intake. AHS said this was symptomatic of burning wood that was to dry. I installed an extra length of pipe on intake and eventually closed the damper in the pipe.
The oozing occurs in warmer weather like today when it was near 40 and there are prolonged periods of off times.

[Peakebrook]

I appreciate all the information.

You mentioned "oozing" in your post.  Are you referring to creosote issues or smoke?  I have heard of some creosote "oozing" from the feed door with high moisture wood.  I guess this happens when the unit is fed just before the fan shuts off when the unit comes up to temperature.

[sawyerof5d]

Hi Ho there  The short answer based on my experience is yes definately get it.

The longer version, which I am famous/infamous for.    The wood gun  has a long tradition based on Prof Hill of U of Maine ground breaking research  (paper can be goggled and still read in U of M archives) on combustion of solid fuel wood of which "the historical record is replete" which he is fond of saying.  Even with this history, he assembled the refractory tunnel, induced draft and waterjacketed  wood chamber and turbulators in exaust gasses to inspire the Dumont and Eshland among others that actually burn the "polysyclic aeromatic hydrocarbons", smoke.   Sadly the era of inexpensive oil after the energy crisis of the 70's made it impossible for these two to continue to be produced.  You can imagine my delight when I learned a couple of years ago that some fellows in Penn. are making something that is earily like the eshland.  I immediately placed my order and traveled down to get one for myself and another for a buddy.   I have never regretted  that.  I Burn less wood, get higher quality heat, less air pollution, and much less ash.  One does have to be dilligant about cleaning the fly ash from the four tunnels and the cyclone filter.  The controlled combustion is a neat solution to heating demand but a high temperature storage tank for full out burns is still a desired design in the shoulder heating months of fall and spring here in Maine.   

[TonyZ]

Can anybody tell me what the 100,000 and 140,000 btu models cost?

Also, what was the final installation price if the furnace were to be put in a barn and require about 100 feet of pipe to supply the hot water for the main house central heating system?

[711ac]

Last year was my first for my 100btu Wood Gun, I have no other experience with wood boilers but have (had) been using a wood stove for 30 years in my other homes. I am really satisfied with it! It really "turns off" combustion when the cntrls are satisfied, and saves wood.
 I don't know the mc. of my wood, but I really believe in dry wood. I would highly recomend the optional hood vent, it seemed like a no brainer for me but reading on other sites/forums, most don't order it and complain about the smoke when re loading.
Check out Hearth.com and in the boiler room forum their are a lot of opinions but also lots of experience. I don't have any storage and don't see the need for it with the WG, but I still am learning. They had a special last year about this time and I got my gun delivered to ME from PA with the smoke hood for about $5800 if I remember right(crs disease). I was going to pick it up (I had previously visited their facility inPA) but would have had to pay sales tax, so that covered the shipping.
The cleaning is once a week and I have got to where I can do it "hot" or just before a reload and it only takes 15min. Good luck,

[Farmertan]

TonyZ, I've got one going into my basement right now. Base price $7995. I added the oil backup option, domestic HW coil, SS liner and smoke hood (see post by 711ac) to bring it up to about $12,000 plus $400 to ship it from PA to CT. Fortunately, I procrastinated long enoughto go into the off season for purchasing boilers and got a 15% ($1820) discount. Another $6000 to install it. Still, I expect it to pay for itself in savings from oil in about 5 years, and with a 20 year warranty on the SS model, It'll last about as long as I will! My contractor is very impressed with the unit.

One word of caution: be prepared to look for awhile to find a contractor willing to install it. Seems most are reluctant to install an appliance they're not supplying themselves. AHS only sells to the end user; there are no distributors.

[treetech]

I have a 140 and I love it!

[den]

The Wood Gun and Coal Gun by Eshland Enterprises INC., has been around a long time, they were built in Greencastle, PA. I have a couple old brochures.
They didn't have to make any changes to meet EPA's Tier 2
You can use them out side if you put them in a little shed.