Portage and Maine OWB?

[sherpa]

Anyone using a Portage and Maine OWB? If so, how long have you had it and likes/dislikes?  My Central Boiler has sprung another leak and is 14 years old.  Looking at other options at this point.

[martyinmi]

There are at least three of them in my area, and there is one that I believe is only about an hour away from you. Our's are the Optimizer 250's, and we all love them. They are very stingy on wood and are almost smoke free. Send me a pm if you are ever going to be in my neck of the woods and you can take a peek at mine.

[Kansas]

Think we have the 350. Well built. Only thing is, there is a bit of a learning curve on how to load them. You will want drier wood. Kind of crisscross the wood in the unit so as to not plug the air holes in the bottom of the unit, and check the pipes from time to time for cleanliness. But when you have it working right, there isn't a trace of smoke. Virtually no heat coming out of the stove pipe.

I am assuming you are talking about the wood gasification unit, not the OWB. I am not sure if they make those anymore.

[boilerman101]

I think that a furnace that was built 14 years ago and is still up and running is not too bad for that era.
I believe most people were not too careful about only burning wood in them, or providing good maintenance and keeping up with inhibitor water treatments, which caused very short lives in many models out there.
Since 2001 I have burned both a Central Boiler Classic and now an Eclassic for the wood savings and have always been extremely pleased.
I would not be so quick to just purchase another brand. Central Boiler has been building furnaces for a long time and has earned my loyalty.

[karlk]

I have the optimizer 250 and love it . Very well built

[sherpa]

Thanks.  Just looking @ options right now.  The CB has been good and this is the second leak we have sprung in 4 years in the area inside the stove @ the chimney. The stove has been good to us since it is 14 years old and I do burn it year around for the hot water capabilities.  Momma likes her hot baths!!

A few of the Portage and Maine boilers are being seen in the area and I was just wondering more about them from users.  Obviously when you talk to a sales rep from any company, theyre's is always better than the competition.  Thats why I figured folks here using them would give a good/bad report based on their experience. 

Thanks for the input.

[mattNH]

I have the 250 as well.  We heat the house, HW and the pool.  It is stingy when heating the house & HW, but has a HUGE appetite when heating the pool.  I hear you about the hot baths...my wife and both daughters are fans of the endless supply of HOT water.  Good luck.

[attachment deleted by admin]

Note from admin: The attachment facility is not to be used for photos. Photos should be in JPG format and uploaded to the Forestry Forum Galleries. Instructions can be found here:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,56957.msg827087.html#msg827087

[Piston]

I have been under the impression (based on what I've read on here and hearth.com-no personal experience) that P&M boilers are top of the line and I have yet to find any negative comments on them. 

I was really interested in an OWB and wanted one real bad for our new house we will be building, but my schedule is such that I'm not around all the time, and I know the wife wouldn't be too happy about having to load it up each time it needed it, even though she claims she wouldn't mind  ;D

[gspren]

  I have the ML30 non gassifier and into my third season and quite satisfied. Since I never had experience with a gassifier I don't know which I would prefer.

[beenthere]

Piston, are you hinting (or worrying) that burning wood may be out of the question, or that an OWB may be out?
Or is it something about the P&M boiler?

If wive's won't add wood and operate while you are away, then either they turn on the gas or get cold. ;)

[ga jones]

Or they can find somewhere else to live!

[Piston]

Or they can find somewhere else to live!

:D :D :D :D

Piston, are you hinting (or worrying) that burning wood may be out of the question, or that an OWB may be out?
Or is it something about the P&M boiler?

If wive's won't add wood and operate while you are away, then either they turn on the gas or get cold. ;)

She loves burning wood, oftentimes when I'm away for a week or more at a time, she lights the woodstove and keeps it going for days on end.  She always looks forward to the cold winter days sitting in a nice warm room next to the fire, as do I.  The problem is that although she claims she won't mind filling the OWB often, I think after a while she'd get sick of it.  Also, I understand that these should be cleaned out every couple of weeks, and I don't want to make her clean it out while I'm away.  I've also thought of an IWB which she likes the idea of, and I plan to plumb our house with radiant with the idea of possibly adding one down the road.  However, the design of the house I'm working on is centered around heating with a dedicated central woodstove, so, there is a chance that the woodstove will heat the house just fine on it's own, and a dedicated wood boiler won't even be needed.   (we'll still have a furnace just in case we don't feel like lighting a fire)

I haven't ruled out an OWB or IWB yet however.  Not to mention, by the time we ACTUALLY move into our new home, the kid will probably be old enough to run the boiler anyways  :D