So I was to the Pennsylvania Farm Show this weekend, and I was looking at some interesting things like saw mills and alternate heating devices, some of which were wood-fired boilers and furnaces. The ones that really got my attention were the multi-fuel models, particularly the oil/wood boilers. I knew of the outdoor style wood boilers, but little about them. At the show I had the opportunity to do some comparisons. There are two that I like. One is the Mahoning Outdoor Furnaces wood/oil boiler, and the other is Benjamin Heating Products indoor wood/oil boiler.
The smallest Mahoning was like $5000, but was jacketed in stainless steel and had a HUGE firebox with a huge loading door too. It also had a massive ash pan and door. This is a serious boiler, and probably WAY more than I need.
The Benjamin I wasn't able to get a price on, but "should be" quite a bit less. It takes up much less space, has a closed loop domestic hot water coil, though a much smaller firebox, but it isn't grated. From what I've been told, non grated is good because when loading a grated version with more wood, you would knock most your ash, and the fire along with it, into the ash pan. At the same time, I see a negative of having to stop the wood burn the clean out once in a while.
The key factor I was contemplating was the oil burner, and if it could be run on WVO. You already have the advantage of the boiler to preheat the oil, so . . . . .
Has anyone ever attempted to feed WVO to a Beckett burner before? Can it be done?
I'll tell ya, this would be a slick setup if you could. Heat your home and get your hot water with a practically free fuel source.
Info links to these furnaces:
http://www.benjaminheating.com/cc500_series.htm
http://www.mahoningoutdoorfurnaces.com/morinf.htm
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