Self Build Heating rethink

Villain

My selfbuild is underway with blocks half done on the house, the garage is completed with the roof starting this weekend.

My current plan is insulate insulate insulate and get as air tight as possible and install a HRV system and i have a 5 meter window which is south facing, so keep the requirements for heat down as much as possible then I was going to go with a condenser oil burner, but with oil heading for $200 a barrell I really think I need to look at something else, I have .75 acre site so space for anything isn't a problem but I'm not going geothermal so I think really its wood pellet's or wood chip.

Can anyone advise what the initial cost of a wood pellet burner is and does anyone know of wood chip burners?

No6

My Wood pellet installation was about 10K, completely external, if you've got room in your garage for storage (3.5 Tonnes) go for it, cheaper & dryer, the grants is currently 3K (Ithink) Lots of insulation will make for lower running costs.

sydthebeat

by wood chip do you mean wood gasification boilers....

check out the gerkros woodpecker.... just note though that they only do 35kwh types....

sinnerboy

SEI ballparks are - between €10k-€16K
Grant €3k

badolepuddytat

Chip boilers are only for larger installations... at 35kw it would be about the smallest on the market.

Either pellet or Log + thermal store.

If you have such done well on the technologies that you have suggested and have a near passive house, then i would seriously think about a really good log stove and (assuming you have solar) a large thermal store. Bit of work (1-2 saturdays a year and lighting a fire every really cold day. Reallly cheap fuel if you buy a year or two in advance to get it nice and dry.

If you have a good thermal mass house, and you can spread the heat around using your HRV system, then bob's your uncle!

otherwise, small efficient pellet stove (not boiler!) with large BB linked to a 1-a few rads and water store.

Cuauhtemoc

Can anyone advise what the initial cost of a wood pellet burner is and does anyone know of wood chip burners?

Am looking at woodchip myself as it suits our site. Lots of dead wood and will grow some coppiced willow to supplement(several people have said it won't pay but plan to try it anyway) Suppose we could also go wood gasification as well which is very good.

Why specifically woodchip btw?
I went that route for greater flexibility to wood pellet.

Anyway 3 main boilers i'd narrowed it down which all seem very good were

Baxi multiheat 2,5
Fuel: Woodchip setup(It can also be configured for pellets/grain/corn). Chips upto 25% moisture content.
Efficiency: is 89-91%.
Output: The smallest baxi that will burn chips is 25kw
Electrical Consumption: max 460w(less for pellets)

The Benekov prime 27 biomass boiler.
Fuel: Will burn pretty much anything from chips(no idea of max moisture content) grain corn and logs(up to 12hours i think) up to 40cm.
Output: 25kw.
Efficiency: Not sure of efficiency but the 15kw is 91.3% but the 25kw is not listed.
Electrical consumption: max 230w (less for pellets)

The Eta Hack.
Fuel: Will burn Chips(up to 35% moisture content), grain, corn, pellets, sawdust even(may be useful for those with pellet troubles??). The other two may but i haven't seen it in the literature.
Output: This comes in 20kw and 25kw or higher if needed.
Efficiency: Approaches 94% efficiency with pellets and 93% with chips.
Electrical consumption: max 147w. less for pellets.


I had decided on the Eta as i felt it was the best(could well be wrong) The heat exchanger only needs annual cleaning. Can't remember the ash tray off hand. Approaches 94% efficiency with pellets and 93% with chips. Will even handle nails in the wood into ash tray.
My only sticking point is cost atm

Fully commissioned the Eta is about 15k, if you get the grant.
I'm in the process of getting Fully commissioned prices for the other two but i think may be around 10k. Big difference.

Some links for the boilers
www.eta.co.at (click on the english flag)
www.baxi.co.uk
The benekov site is in Czech only. But there are a couple of Irish suppliers you can google.

Hope this is some help.

C.

cantona_deux

HI I built my house 2 years ago and installed a Gerkros 40 KW wood pellet boiler. Got an upgrade last winter to a digital system - found it to be more reliable but consumed alot more pellets - need to get that sorted. Cost 4400 + VAT. the grant was larger at the time. The installation can be done by any plumber and the commisioning done by Gerkros. Overall I am happy with the system but you have to have your setup correct - don't take shortcuts or it will break your heart. Buy a proper storage bin and get someone who knows wood pellets to layout your system correctly. BTW gerkros have an excellent after -sales and service system in place. I had to call them once due to an electrical fault caused by the electrician.

Villain

Buy some advertising off Boards so

Rathlynin

I suggest you go for a boiler that is automatic cleaning if you don't want to be cleaning the boiler out every few months.....

Most of the European boilers now have these and the Irish company Gerkros have their new range out I believe which has all the self cleaning etc etc...I've not seen it but apparently its a big hit in NI...