Adobe Problems- Owner Unite

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is there a solution or a class action suite that can be applied against this company--i purchased my unit from phil in banger maine--is that the actual manufacturer? does any body have an actaul address to phil house?i'll personally deliver this unit to his family--this is not the american way of doing business!--i hope adobe reads this stuff--cause i'm coming!!
 
Pretty impressive video, Right. Why do you suppose we all bought these boilers. Burn green wood, huge amounts of heat, no creosote, etc. Hindsight is good, the boiler is burning full tilt 24-7 never has to cycle in that situation I am sure it won't plug up there, chimney straight up heated most of the way. Can you blame us?
 
thanks for the video--i agree why did we buy these units--i have my unit in a pole barn and put lines under ground to the house--i am heating the house but the stove is rotting away and the pole barn is loaded with gases and smoke--my brother owns a old aqau therm.--its about 12 years old and the only thing he replaced is a few pumps--it is not that efficient cause its old--but its holding up all these years--my unit looks like its 15 years old--i'm going to watch all the great info you guys are putting out there and my be we can salvage what we have--before i put this unit in phil's living room--and if anyone comes up with a way to chase this company down and make things right i want to warn any other poor sap not to purchase nothing from this crap company--thanx--for letting me vent---druzzy
 
Last time I checked, it was being manufactured by Dirigo Mfg. in Hamden, Maine--just outside of Bangor.
 
Hampden huh? Pretty close by. I get there fairly often. I may make a visit just to look things over and ask a few questions.

I also know someone who made copies of the Adobe but will talk to him about them. His is stainless skinned so I didn't see any rusting problems.

Another friend who (who doesn't know about this site) has one (with problems) and actually called Fred Seton about it. Fred sent him some info on it to help him out. What a guy.
 
Well I just left a message with the NY Attorney Gen. and e-mailed the Maine AG . I've been doing more searching today and I found out my exact delivery date from Pottle's Transportation . Their ph. # is 1-800-370-5623. I talked to Jim with no problems. Of course I've been calling Adobe's 1-877-498-1556 Parts and Service number with no avail. Phil's 207-992-4130 number is also a no reply. I hope everyone calls/contacts their A.G. and gets the ball rolling and the heat on Phil.
 
Steam Man are you aware of similar creocote problems with the Greenwood. I know the Greenwood has a flat plate heat exchanger on the back & the return water passes through that exchanger before entering the return on the water vessel. If the Greenwood is ok the increased temp on the return water might be making the difference . The outer skins get quite hot to touch after a few hours of operation, would it help to add more insulation & keep more heat in the unit.
 
I just read in the other thread (show us your Greenwood) about the boilers losing heat throught the casing and using them in uninsulated/unheated rooms. I would venture a guess that at times the room is close to the dewpoint temp and causing condensation in the boilers. Insulation helps any boiler to keep the temp up and corrosion down.
 
i have a couple days off soon--i'm going to call the AG also and put some pressue on the company--i started to asked some friends for some new fire proof wool (they call it) and some stainless --and i'm going to change all the skins during the summer--my unit is the 200 series and i assemble it myself with very poorly written instructions--the unit is heating my home and i have 250 of underground line from bioler to house bioler---but i do eat wood--i pack it every 10hrs--i been putting that sticky metal tape over the holes to stop the gas's from filling up the pole barn--and it sticks badly---the fella who said they live petty close to the company--i hope you take a ride and talk to these people--i'll be glad to pay for your gas!! i hear you all talk about putting a holding tank in--would that tank be outside or buried? and would it make it more effecient---druzzy
 
I called Phil on his cell phone when I had the same problems. He would never answer the phone. Call the factory and tell them you wanted to purchase a stove and he would call you right back! Here is the l numbers that I have 1=877-498-1556 or 1-877-498-1556. I think one of them was a cell number if I recall. When I had my issue with them he advised not to remove the rotted out skins, just put the new skins right over the old ones. yea, right! We pulled the old skins off, what a mess, the heat exchanger was so covered with creosote it took 3 hours to get the caked on creosote off. The air tubes were rotted off, refractory blocks cracked. Oozing creosote everywhere. The customer had to drive to Maine to get the new skins, which Phil had left outside the companies overhead door for pickup. This boiler does net even make a good paperweight, they are of piss poor workmanship, absolutly no company support. I hope you folks get your hands on Phil.
 
Happiness is a mug of tea from Newfie flat ass kettle boiled over a fire of blasty boughs

I am sure you all agree the biggest problem with Adobe is the rotting skins.
All the other complaints are echoed consistentlly in threads dealing with the Greenwood.
ie. creceote, cracked refactory, smoke out the door, wood consumption.
The Adobe is actually a GW in a cheeper skin, at half the price.
To give the devil his due I believe the Adobe has a couple of modifications which
may prove superior to the Seton & GW.
1) I believe the forced draft design enables a hotter fire & helps the Adobe better able to handle green wood.
2) The Adobe has an air box fitted with a removable damper that simply pushes into the airbox
like a piece of 6 inch stove pipe. The damper in this position is protected from debris, gum, tar etc.
This contrasts the GW which sits exposed on the lower back of the unit.

When I replace my skins I would like to add some high temp wool because I think it radiates to much heat.
suggestions on suppliers
 
Igot word today that Phil doesn't work at Adobe any more. That is what he told my attorney, although he didnot say who to talk to. I don't believe him. Does anyone know different. I never get an answer there. If anyone knows please pos. Thanks.
 
muleman--my adobe now is having a hard time getting up to temp--i think the lower discharge flue is getting plugged--if you dont mind me asking--your lawyer making any head way with that company! my unit is a big disappiontment!!i served a short tour in baghdad for most of the winter--and i coulded wait to get home and mess around with the new bioler--want a piece of crap!!along with phil--the unamerican sales man of the year--i just dont know what to do--or go about getting my money back--even worse i have to listen to my wife on how i got screwed! no more than a hour ride from my house is the dunkirk manufacturer that make the econo-burn--i think we have to start looking for a unit that works--my brother is still useing his aqua-therm and just shaking his head at me!! his unit is old and still working--my unit did not even get a season out of it!!does anybody want a unit cheap!!
 
druzzy- My condolences, my wife just read this and she agrees with your wife, I've been hearing the same song all winter. I had a working Aqua -therm until May, until I got my new super boiler . You're right what a price of ----. I spent 3 hours unplugging mine again yesterday, went 3 hours faster than last time. I cut the back out the last time and put in a new heavier back. If you open it up check the clearance by the bottom angle iron and the lower manifold. Mine was very tight so I cut back the angle iron with a sawsall so there is room for the exhaust to go by. You also have to trim back the insulation some. I used camper weatherstrip[ping around it this time so I don't have to peal the silicone loose every time, seems to be hold OK so far. I'm with you I'd like to rid myself of this, I don't know if I want to go through more trial and error with adding storage and a room for it and all and maybe having it work. I added a draft inducer yesterday also to try and pull the exhaust out better. My attorney has gotten no where with him, he was the one who talked to Phil Monday and Phil said he didn't work there anymore, which I think may be a falsehood since he owns the company and wouldn't say who to get a hold of. My problem is I didn't get the right boiler in the first place and I'm 1800 miles away. Did you get the NY AG on him I think that is important. The MN AG has sent 3 letters so for and has gotten no response.
 
I'm still trying to make this boiler work. Istill don't think it gasifise and burn real clean. I put up a new chimney ,I have added a draft inducer,cleaned out the back and top twice. Last night at 11 boiler was at 155 just starting its cycle, I refilled the firebox. This morning at 7 the boiler was at 112 half full of coals, I just don't get it. Why won't it burn the coals out keep the heat and keep the heat up, the inducer and draft were on. The outside temp only got down to 27 last night and dead calm. Put in wood 35 min later its up to heat. Drives me nuts. And besides that you always get a faceful of smoke. Do I need to run the draft fan also. I sure wish some of you were closer. HELP
 
[quote author="muleman51" date="1206811372"]I'm still trying to make this boiler work. Istill don't think it gasifise and burn real clean. I put up a new chimney ,I have added a draft inducer,cleaned out the back and top twice. Last night at 11 boiler was at 155 just starting its cycle, I refilled the firebox. This morning at 7 the boiler was at 112 half full of coals, I just don't get it. Why won't it burn the coals out keep the heat and keep the heat up, the inducer and draft were on. The outside temp only got down to 27 last night and dead calm. Put in wood 35 min later its up to heat. Drives me nuts. And besides that you always get a faceful of smoke. Do I need to run the draft fan also. I sure wish some of you were closer. HELP[/quote


I can help you , could you possibly take some pictures of the install and the chimney , average stack temp at the base of the chimney and temperature as it exists the flue . Could you have someone do a accurate draft reading with and without draft inducers running , you need a high quality gauge to get useful reading .Anthony
 
I don't no if finding this forum is good or bad, I have gasifire wood boiler sitting outside that I bought off of Phil. It is another division of dirigo and I've had nothing but problems just trying to find out were the csa tag and any literature what so ever might be found. I've done the phone calls,e-mails, faxes, and not one response. Now reading this forum I don't no what action to take. It sounds like every one is like me, mad as hell but still want to make it work. With no tag or any info what so ever I couldn't install it anyways (inspector, insurance, and don't want to burn my house down(hand built,I'd loose it big time). I'm going to keep trying to get info but I'm with you all on any other actions we can take.

P.S. I'm glad to find this site, great members.
 
Don't feel bad,my adobe was supposed to be UL and EPA and there is none of that. Guess I never even asked my insurance company, mines in a machine shed though. We all have been had by Phil, if he would at least talk to us. I have gotten no where with him. Now my refactory is broken, 3 month use, that's not too good. But I really like my $5000, no $6500 with everything I've had to do, monument. Good Luck
 
Thanks for responding Muleman51. I'm going to keep trying, mine cost me over 7g. and planned on putting it under my deck, back corner of a walkout basement. I read that there was someone else that was adressing Phils issues I'd like to be able to contact him and as far as an approved stamp or what ever is needed I would appreciate if anybody knows if it is legal.
Thanks again.
 
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