Portage and Main outdoor wood boiler install overview

[@CarolinaOutdoorWoodstoves]

Awesome install. I have the Portage & Main Ultimizer 2840 heating my 2600 sf house and my DHW. I placed mine in a pole barn on a concrete slab. I love it, so much more efficient than my last wood boiler.

[@jameshiltz6675]

I like the planning and research you put in to the installation, I have one suggestion, the addition of a supply and return header system. I constructed my own using 1" copper with ball valves to isolate the runs. This will make it easy to expand say you would like to add a heat exchanger to a outdoor spa or pool.

[@docrw]

ENJOYED YOUR VIDEO! USEFUL

[@garny3766]

AB Fab...you got a lot going on there. First off congrats on heating with wood. I have a few things i want to go over. 1.With the setup and knowledge you have, its too bad you didn’t get to study a Garn. You’re bldg would of housed one perfectly with a little more build out and insulation. Hands down they are the most efficient, simplistic, an easiest way to heat with wood hydronically. 2. Boiler operating temps. These boilers will not work effectively with water temps lower than say 150*F. Usually aqua stats are set with a 20* delta from 150/160 to 170/180. If you are planning on running lower than that your manufacturer is going to recommend you install a thermostatic valve on the main supply/return lines to protect the boiler from cold water return shock. 3. Plenum Hx. I see you installed a bypass loop which is great. What I recommend is to install a motorized 3way zone valve on the bypass and hook it up to a tstat. And then install a temp controller bulb sensor into the Hx body. Tstat runs the 3way and temp controller can run the furnace fan. Another benefit of this is, when your water drops to low and your primary heat comes on when the fan blows heated air over the air Hx its not sucking out the heat from the heat pump air and transferring it into the boiler water. Another is with these air Hx laying flat they have a tendency to convect and heat the house uncontrollably which can lead to wasting heat in shoulder seasons. 4. You are going to have a tremendous amount of head pressure. If you haven’t already you are going to need the biggest (highest head) circ out on the boiler. Say like a Wilo 30 or GF 2696 or taco 0014. these pumps can only bld @ 10 psi. with all the bends and run lengths you have to move the btu’s you need is gonna require power to overcome friction loss. Rough rule of thumb is 1 gpm @ a 20*f delta carries 10K btus. Average home needs 70-90K so you need to move at 7-9 gpms just for space heating more for domestic water. Yeah I have more but this is probably gonna exceed YT characters if I don’t stop. Anyway I look forward to seeing more vids from you with hydronic heating and that nice wood splitter.

[@garny3766]

AB is this system in operation? How’s it working for you?

[@jacobandrews1757]

How did you wire in the pump? Is it just directly connected into the main power?

[@bert26a]

With that being European made pipe its likely metric so it would actually be 25 mm rather than 1".

[@barryweigle1356]

What do you do to bring your insulated water lines into the back of the boiler ? A hole saw? Thanks

[@abfabrication3773]

They have a knockout in the back for all the pipes to come through

[@jasonmacintyre3039]

How did you find it worked pulling the water from the bottom a pose to from the top?

[@abfabrication3773]

I learned it from other guy that had them before me.

[@brandoncase4952]

So after a few years what's your opinion on the PM boiler..I really like them, just looking for an opinion from someone who has used one

[@abfabrication3773]

I’m actually about to walk out and load it up. It’s working so well, I’m very impressed. I would buy another if something happened to this one. The is only one thing I have found to be remotely problematic; they used 6” chimney pipe and I think 8” would work better. You have to run a sweep up the stack about once a month. Other than that, it’s a gem.

[@brandoncase4952]

@@abfabrication3773 That's awesome..I have a dealer close and when I need a new boiler I'm probably gonna go with a pm

[@emeryviau5069]

You'll be sorry if you buy that stole it's a crystal monster every week you're going to have to spend some time coming out and cleaning that stove it's a creosote monster

[@abfabrication3773]

Once a week I empty ashes and do a scrape on the firebox and heat exchanger, then run a wire chimney brush up 12’ of pipe. 10-15 minutes tops. It’s such a small amount of maintenance for what it gives back. I think the biggest thing is having dry, seasoned wood.

[@Red-in7bc]

The welds on mine are garbage and my chimney was welded on crooked and heat smart pluse in p.a wont help with our warranty stay away from brian buy elsewhere