Outdoor Wood Stoves

[NewToy]

Any fellow TBN'ers have any experience with those outdoor wood stoves that heat the water and run through the coil? I have been mulling one over for quite a while since I have an unlimited supply of free wood. With the energy costs going north at an alarming rate it is starting to make sense to me to make the investment.
Thanks,
John

 

[dooleysm]

They are becoming quite popular in our area (southwest IN). Several of the towns in our county are debating severe restrictions on them in town and not grandfathering existing systems. Neighbors are complaining of too much smoke, which I can definitely sympathize with. On the other hand, imagine if you just spent several grand installing one and stocking up on firewood. Tough call.

I have a buddy that has one and he loves it. He keeps the heat waaaaay up in his home during the winter.

Of course, I do the same thing, but I'm running a geothermal system. Mine cost a good deal more, but I don't have to wade through the snow twice a day to keep mine working.

 

[scott_vt]

Yes, those outdoor systems are getting very popular! The drawback is the price, they are not cheap by any means, but as you say, with the fuel costs skyrocketing it wouldnt take to long for you to realize the cost of the stove. If you live out in the country they are not a problem if you dont have any close neighbors. But if you live in a developement on smaller lots your probablly going to get a lot of complaints from your neighbors /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Even with a longer smoke pipe they are still only about 12 ft off the ground keeping the smoke low and creating headaches for the owner!!!

scotty

 

[beenthere]

They can be operated with little smoke. However, they usually are not operated that way. Too often green wood is put in them, causing smoke, and too often, too much wood is piled in, causing too much heat, and then the damper closes. This causes the wood to smoulder thus smoke and stink. Can't blame the neighbors, but I expect most of the problem is the neighbors jealous of someone saving money and working extra hard to do it.
One of the commandments is something to the effect, that thou shall not covet thy neighbor. Often that is the root of a lot of problems. We don't want the neighbor to have more than we have. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif How did I get off on this rant. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Sorry.

 

[scesnick]

I had an outdoor wood stove for 4 years. It was a Pacifice Western. It did not smoke all that much. It did however eat wood like it was going out of style. ALL the outdoor furnace manufacturers will flat out lie about their burn times. I have heard everything from 24-36 hours on one fill. I will tell you that is %100 not true. The best i could manage was 8-10 hours on a fairly warm day. My 2 buddies have different models and they have the same results.
I got sick of burning the 15+ cords of wood a year so I sold that thing and got one of these www.alternateheatingsystems.com/
It is a wood/coal/oil Multi fuel boiler. the oil will automatically kick on when the fire goes out if your not home for a long time.
I got it this past winter and only burned 5 tons of coal @$50 a ton. I have a 3,300 sq st log home on top of a very cold and extremeley windy mountain. I could not be happier with it. I can get 12-14 burn times out of one load of coal. But, if I'm not home to fill it it's no big deal. The oil will keep everything nice and cozy.
The best part is that this boiler is in my garage and I no longer freeze my butt off trying to light a fire at 1:00am in 40 mph. winds !!! That was a big plus with the wife also. I just put some coal in a grociery bag and she will throw the bags into the boiler if i am not home.
This price of this boiler was just about the same as an outdoor wood eater, maybe a tad less.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Scesnick,
Thanks for the link /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scotty

 

[scesnick]

After reviewing this thread it seems like a smoking furnace is one of the main topics here. My Pacific Western outdoor furnace did not smoke much at all compared to some of the other models I have seen in use.
My AHS Multi fuel boiler does not smoke at all. Nothing but heat vapor coming out of the chimney. So, if you do have neighbors close by, smoke would not be an issue with this boiler.

 

[billbill1]

No matter how well one of these work or how little wood they may use, I had one 20 some years ago. Going outside at bedtime and the first thing in the morning-sucks!!!! Never again.

 

[scesnick]

EXACTLY !! that is why I sold mine and bought an indoor boiler for the garage.

 

[CBB]

My dad has an outside furnace. I live 4000 feet away.

He used to heat his house with a 12 cord of wood a year with an inside woodstove.
He got the outside furnace and now burns 25-30 cord per winter. It is usually smoldering. I have to walk through his smoke to get in the front door which makes your sunday best smell. Sometimes as you sit in the living room, you smell the smoke coming in by way of a window open a crack. They sleep with the window open and in the morning, you can smell the smoke that blows in. They used to have the furnace further from the house but after it took 35 cord to heat, they moved it closer on the recommendation of the seller.

Outdoor wood furnaces? Terrible! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif