Portage and Main Boilers versus Heatmaster | Observational Case Study 2023 | Part 2 of 3 |

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portageandmainboilers.com/ult...
This detailed account provides a comprehensive comparison between two outdoor boiler systems, Portage and Main and Heatmasterss, focusing on their performance under specific testing conditions using Tamarack wood with a moisture content of 15-30%. Here's a structured summary highlighting key user pain points and findings:
📝Introduction
- The study aims to analyze and compare the efficiency and performance of Portage and Main and Heatmasterss boilers.
- Tamarack wood with 15-30% moisture content is chosen for the test to understand its impact on combustion, efficiency, and emissions.
📝 Methodology
- The wood's moisture content was meticulously maintained within the 15-30% range to ensure consistent testing conditions.
- The tests were conducted in a controlled environment, with careful preparation of the wood for each boiler.
📝Key Findings
Portage and Main Boiler:
🔥Refractory Brick Advantage**: The use of refractory bricks around the firebox enhances combustion, leading to more complete burns and finer ashes. This design helps maintain higher temperatures essential for efficient combustion, aligning with the fire triangle principles (fuel, oxygen, temperature).
🔥Stable Performance**: The boiler demonstrated consistent performance with less need for user intervention, like knocking down wood to prevent bridging. The design allows for even burning and efficient heat transfer, minimizing smoke and emissions.
🔥Efficient Heat Transfer**: The boiler effectively maintains water temperature, ensuring optimal heat transfer and comfort. It cycled on and off every 15 minutes or less, showing superior temperature regulation and efficiency.
Heatmasterss Boiler:
🔥Bridging Issues**: The boiler experienced repeated bridging, where logs would not fall down properly, leading to uneven combustion and reduced efficiency. This issue necessitated manual intervention to knock down the logs, which is impractical, especially during the night.
🔥Inadequate Combustion**: The design, which lacks refractory bricks and relies solely on air from underneath, resulted in incomplete combustion. This led to lower temperatures and inefficient operation, as evidenced by the boiler's struggle to maintain set temperatures and longer cycle times.
🔥Heat Loss Concerns**: Observations indicated potential heat loss areas around the boiler, affecting its overall efficiency.
📝Conclusion
The comparative analysis highlights significant differences in performance, efficiency, and user convenience between the two boilers. The Portage and Main boiler, with its refractory brick design and efficient combustion, outperforms the Heatmasterss boiler, which faces challenges with bridging and heat retention. These findings are crucial for consumers and industry professionals looking for reliable and efficient outdoor boiler systems.
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portageandmainboilers.com/ult...

[@jasonmacintyre3039]

Very informative

[@PortageandMainBoilers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CarolinaOutdoorWoodstoves]

I can totally vouch for these results. I had a Heatmaster and now use a Portage and Main Ultimizer, on the same house. Portage and Main has proven to be much more efficient, I am loading once a day using good dry oak. I'm loving it!

[@PortageandMainBoilers]

Thanks for sharing
@CarolinaOutdoorWoodstoves

[@travhal]

I agree With a BTU measurement it would accommodate for all the times Heatmaster couldn't keep up and was at a much lower supply temperature.

[@cddoeden]

Interesting analysis. What is the water capacity differences between the two stoves? I would expect the stove with larger water capacity to burn longer and cycle less, when maintaining a larger heat store. What are the pros/cons of larger or smaller water stores?

[@PortageandMainBoilers]

The actual burn time can vary based on factors such as the type and moisture content of the wood, the draft in the stove, and the desired heat output. It's also important to operate the stove efficiently to maximize its performance and minimize emissions.
Brick and proper refined placement of air coupled with a heat exchanger 2x the size allows us to have quicker recovery, higher BTU output, cleaner burn, and lower exhaust temperatures. Following the fire triangle.
Brick gets up to 2000F while water can only achieve a 180F setpoint and 212F boiling. We use a smaller fan reducing the amount of air volume needed resulting in a more refined burn and utilizing over and under air placement gives oxygen to the fire where it's needed rather than compensating with a larger fan blower.
The higher brick temperature has greater potential for BTU storage along with quicker relights (hot dry base), reduced smoke due to higher combustion temperatures, and even burning with zero bridging. Heat exchanger 2x the size to absorb otherwise lost BTU.
Also, less costs for freeze protection when using glycol/antifreeze or even less cost for boiler treatment resulting in the lowest upfront costs
The video comparison showed that the portage and main Ultimizer had no trouble keeping up to the heat load and even had longer idle times compared to the larger water volume boiler.

[@michieqh]

Have you measured the actual energy output of the two boilers for a given amount of wood? You would need to measure water temp in, water temp out, water flow, and the mass of wood put into each boiler. If you want to calculate actual efficiency numbers you would need to get the wood lab tested in a calorimeter to determine how much energy it actually contains.

[@PortageandMainBoilers]

Thanks! your input helps us improve the quality of our content

[@michieqh]

We installed a Portage and Main boiler this fall and I'm really enjoying it!

[@user-nn2yu5lf2g]

Hello and good morning could you show them burning coal

[@PortageandMainBoilers]

Thanks! will look into that too