Thermopride OH6 vs. OL5

[libertyjug]

I am a homeowner in need of a furnace. My 9 year old Oneida Royal blew a hole in it's heat exchanger and I've been steered in the direction of Thermo Pride. One contractor proposes to install an OH6 ( low profile high boy) while another insists that the OL5 is the furnace for my house. Both are at the SAME price for the job. Any advice/comment would surely be welcome. Thanks.

[jeepsterman]

I am a homeowner in need of a furnace. My 9 year old Oneida Royal blew a hole in it's heat exchanger and I've been steered in the direction of Thermo Pride. One contractor proposes to install an OH6 ( low profile high boy) while another insists that the OL5 is the furnace for my house. Both are at the SAME price for the job. Any advice/comment would surely be welcome. Thanks.

You can find the information on there web site
www.thermopride.com

[beenthere]

Deleted your duplicate thread in the general forum.
Don't make duplicate threads in any of the forums.

[libertyjug]

Thanks, been there. Still not getting the basic difference for my particular house and why each contractor is so insistent on either model. Simple margin on the job or is one more right than the other?

[beenthere]

Post full model number.
Could be that one contractor foes want to have to change as much duct work to install the opposite type of furnace then what you have.

Is your current one a lowboy or high boy.

[selfemployed]

Most furnaces have a least a 10 yr. warranty on the heat exchanger unless the company is out of business.

[libertyjug]

Ok, the story on my heat exchanger is a sad one. ECR ( Oneida Royal) no longer manufactures model LO84A-3BC and,as such, there are no heat exchangers available ( told this by the company directly and by calling many supply houses). Further more they WILL NOT honor the warranty ( which would have to be a whole new furnace- an Olsen in this case) because they claim, based on my description of the problem, that the hole was caused by "burn through" due to the combustion chamber collapsing. I've been round and round with them including emails directly to the CEO of the company ( actually got a response and had exchanges with someone below him). So yes, my old furnace was a low boy which still doesn't explain why one contractor insists on the OH6 which involves significant plenum modification, for the same money as the other contractor proposes to install the OL5 for. Really not understanding this but it's getting colder and I need to make a decision today!

[selfemployed]

Go to page 6 and find the OL5 & OH6. Look at the heating capacity of each. The OH6 is not listed. Maybe it was OH11 or OH16. Look at the capacity. Which furnace do you need to heat your house. The flue outlet on an OH is much higher than the OL model. Will a new hole have to be put in your existing chimney ?

http://www.thermopride.com/pdf/Oil-Literature-8-071.pdf

[akbrian]

I found this thread via Google because I have almost the same question.

I'm replacing my now stinky vintage Yukon Energy Corp 85L lowboy oil furnace. I'm fairly sure my heat exchanger has just failed as I get exhaust smell through the vents before the circ fan kicks on. My furnace tech that tuned it up this fall noted that it looked like the exchanger was getting a little thin. As the company apparently hasn't existed in a number of years, it looks like it's new furnace time.

My (interior Alaska) house is a small 700 sq ft 1930 house with a partial utility basement. The furnace is in the basement and uses floor vents for return air (no return air plenum), a 0.75gph nozzle currently heats the house fine.

I'm locked into a 6" SS lined concrete chimney flue centered 5'0" above the floor. IT's about 6'4" to the bottom of the floor joists above. I'm assuming I'll need to have a new plenum fabricated, as the current lowboy is only 36" tall.

Anyway, enough details. My short list includes Thermal Pride OL5 lowboy and a OH6 low profile highboy. The OH6 LP Highboy is less than 2" taller than the OH5 lowboy, which is surprising. I also noticed the OH6 is 2/3 of the weight of the OH5. For similar output furnaces from the same manufacturer, it seems like big difference in size and weight. Both Beckett and Reillo single and dual stage burners are offered.

Any insight in the pluses and minuses of the two models? The Thermal Prides seems to be best liked by furnace guys, although I'd also consider a Williamson Centennial lowboy. I'm open to suggestions..

Thanks, Sorry for the long first post...