# Oldest wood boiler......



## heaterman (Jul 8, 2015)

What make and model do you have?

How old is it?

How many cords per year?


----------



## maple1 (Jul 8, 2015)

My old one was 17 years old when I got rid of it.

Somewhere around 8 cords per year, plus a couple hundred gallons of oil, did all heat & hot water. Brushed chimney 3-4 times per year, from the slippery top of a 2 storey house.

Aside from a toasted baffle inside the firebox, no signs of wear. But sometimes 'built like a tank' isn't the best quality to have - I am quite glad to not own it any more. The fellow I sold it to though seemed very happy to have found it , when he left with it. And I didn't hear from him ever again.

New one is only 3 years old. Aside from a refractory that cracked the first winter, that I have done nothing about and do not plan to since it hasn't gotten any worse - no signs of wear with it either and all set for season 4. Somewhere around 6 cords per year (have yet to run a whole winter on good wood), plus $30/mo for electric DHW in summer, does all heat & hot water. Happy as a pig in slop with it, haven't brushed my chimney in those 3 years.

Gasification + storage = kick butt.

Think both makes/models are in my sig....


----------



## shawntitan (Jul 11, 2015)

My dad runs a Riteway boiler from the 70's... Probably didn't get much use early on, it was used when he bought it, but he's been burning it steady for 20+ years now... Grates and baffles are about shot, tho.... It's probably due for a replacement. It's got a good sized fire box, and doesn't creosote much... Going to hate to replace it when the time comes...


----------



## sootsucka (Jul 11, 2015)

I have an old tarm mb solo cast iron radiators 40 gallon indirect  no storage. It was made 1979 and still smoking strong. I use 8 to 10 cords, year round use for hot water


----------



## BoilerMan (Jul 11, 2015)

My parents have a Benjamin Dutch oven wood boiler, don't recall the model number I think it's in the range of 100M btu/hr.  It's from 1981 and at 8cord per year with about a 10 year break you can do the math.  I loaded many-a-split into it as a kid in the 80s.  

I had to fabricate a new smoke baffle for it last fall and did some extensive welding back there (through flue connection) to make it never need that done again.  Also rebuilt the door baffle and latch a couple of years ago.  3/8 steel plate won't warp like the old stuff.  A gasser would save them a lot of wood, but it's out of their range of operation as far as I'm concerned.  The smoke dragon has served them well. 

TS


----------



## maple1 (Jul 11, 2015)

BoilerMan said:


> My parents have a Benjamin Dutch oven wood boiler, don't recall the model number I think it's in the range of 100M btu/hr.  It's from 1981 and at 8cord per year with about a 10 year break you can do the math.  I loaded many-a-split into it as a kid in the 80s.
> 
> I had to fabricate a new smoke baffle for it last fall and did some extensive welding back there (through flue connection) to make it never need that done again.  Also rebuilt the door baffle and latch a couple of years ago.  3/8 steel plate won't warp like the old stuff.  A gasser would save them a lot of wood, but it's out of their range of operation as far as I'm concerned.  The smoke dragon has served them well.
> 
> TS



That's pretty well the same boiler as my old one, except mine had an oil burner in the bottom too. I don't think they're much over 50kbtu/hr, on the wood side.


----------



## BoilerMan (Jul 11, 2015)

Round firebox? I'll try to find a picture. http://benjaminheating.com/products/dutch-oven-models-110-and-180-wood-fired-boilers/ looks just like this one but it's tan not blue!  

theirs is the 110.

TS


----------



## woodsmaster (Jul 12, 2015)

Going on sixth year. where does the time go ?!?!?!?! Had to replace the controller last winter. I added some ventilation around the controller so hopefully it will last much longer than the old one. I also replaced the refractory in the lower chamber and I will replace the door seals this fall. no visible wear to the steel. Brand in signature.

Edit, I've also patched nozzle wear a few times, but haven't replaced it yet. Around 8 cord a year


----------



## maple1 (Jul 12, 2015)

BoilerMan said:


> Round firebox? I'll try to find a picture. http://benjaminheating.com/products/dutch-oven-models-110-and-180-wood-fired-boilers/ looks just like this one but it's tan not blue!
> 
> theirs is the 110.
> 
> TS



Yes, round firebox. With absolutely nothing between the firebox and chimney except that one wimpy baffle you repaired. Very poor chance for any hx-ing. Benjamin just had an ownership change and there's a new sign out front, not sure if that means any product change though.


----------



## BoilerMan (Jul 22, 2015)

maple1 said:


> Yes, round firebox. With absolutely nothing between the firebox and chimney except that one wimpy baffle you repaired. Very poor chance for any hx-ing. Benjamin just had an ownership change and there's a new sign out front, not sure if that means any product change though.


Story was that my two grandfathers went with and saw a Benjamin DO boiler heating some big warehouse and they were so impressed (this is in 1980) that they bought one for my parents as a "house warming" gift.  2,800 sq.ft. house circa 1922 with 36 counter-weighted double hung windows....and still no insulation in the walls what-so-ever.  All the original lathe and plaster.  

It's what ultimately drove me to build super-insulated.  True story: you always knew how cold it was outside by how far up the glass the frost was _on the inside. _

_TS_


----------



## BoilerBob (Jul 23, 2015)

heaterman said:


> What make and model do you have?
> 
> How old is it?
> 
> How many cords per year?



It's in my sig below, and still going strong. (I hope, when I light it up in November)
Paul


----------



## peakbagger (Jul 23, 2015)

My burnham is around 1980, it moved it out of friends house, it was poorly installed in the original location and abused. I didn't use mine a lot until I got storage. I run about 3 cords year but expect it will drop when I make some mods to my storage and radiators.


----------



## Countryboy1966 (Aug 21, 2015)

1980 fire king. I purchased in 2007 used in an old gas shed. It heated my house till 2013 and I brought it with me when I moved. It heats my garage now as an internal unit although I dislike the mess. I'll use her for at least a few years. By this fall it will be heating the house as well.


----------



## mikey517 (Aug 22, 2015)

Tasso A-3 wood boiler, installed in 1980. Still heatin'


----------



## MNfarmer (Aug 24, 2015)

I have a Royall 6526 from the early 80's.  I bought it in 06 from the original owner who only used it for a year or two before putting in an outside boiler.  It is my only heat source and it heats all my hot water during the heating season.  I go through somewhere between 10 &12 cord a year.


----------



## heaterman (Aug 24, 2015)

A couple oldies that I have run across........

Number 1 would be a Menominee (green and looks like a 55gl barrel only bigger) that I believe the owner told me he installed in 1979 when he built his house. No way to tell now because he is passed on. This unit is still intact but has not been used for the last few years.

Number 2 would be Garn serial number 0029 which we rebuilt for the owner. It has the old old style door with the air holes in it rather than an air collar around the loading opening. It is presently still in use up in Ellsworth Michigan

Number 3 is, or I should say was, a Tarm combination wood/oil unit that we just decommissioned last year when it began leaking. A lot. The unit was installed in 1976 or 77.


----------



## Rick18 (Jan 12, 2018)

mikey517 said:


> Tasso A-3 wood boiler, installed in 1980. Still heatin'


You still using the tasso boiler?


----------



## mikey517 (Jan 14, 2018)

Rick18 said:


> You still using the tasso boiler?



Didn't use it this season... just used our Vermont Castings Merrimack insert (backed up by an Electro Thermal Storage furnace. But the Tasso is there for a backup if ever needed...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Rick18 (Jan 14, 2018)

mikey517 said:


> Didn't use it this season... just used our Vermont Castings Merrimack insert (backed up by an Electro Thermal Storage furnace. But the Tasso is there for a backup if ever needed...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





mikey517 said:


> Didn't use it this season... just used our Vermont Castings Merrimack insert (backed up by an Electro Thermal Storage furnace. But the Tasso is there for a backup if ever needed...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUO
> ...


----------

