Whatever it may be... it just goes to show there ain't a "one-size-fits-all"... it-is-what-it-is, and it ain't no magic.
That's why there should be choices...
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EPA vs non EPA wood furnace
- Thread starter Johnmn
- Start date
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That's why there should be choices...
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brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
Very high or very low, one or the other.
Keep in mind, he has also made some "automation" mods that I think improve his results quite a bit, stuff than the average joe wont (can't) do.
Yes... that there be true.
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Stihly Dan how do you like your kuuma? How does it do in the shoulder season? How does it do at keeping the Temps consistent? How are they to deal with?
I know there are some guys on here that have charmasters it would be nice to talk to them as well
I know there are some guys on here that have charmasters it would be nice to talk to them as well
laynes69
Addicted to ArboristSite
Whitey, we had a key damper and barometric damper on the furnace since it was installed for 20 some years. It was the only way to tame the thing. We would set the alarm clock for 2 or 3 in the morning, if I didn't get up and fill it then, it would be out by 5am. I specifically cut rounds for nighttime, locust and standing dead elm were my favorites. I would stuff it to the baffle to get an overnight burn. If I used splits, it was rare to go over 6 hours. Draft would become weak to find the chimney plugged, and the flue pipe would glow cherry red in no time. Not to mention the damn automatic damper that would open in the middle of the night and I would wake to the smell of paint burning off the jacket. At the time I didn't know any better and really...... I was happy, it heated our home. Now that I've been to the otherside, I realize how much extra wood I've burned each season (which I underestimated ) and I see the differences.
brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
Hey, @stihly dan ^ ^ ^...
Auto damper?? Do ya' mean one of those draft doors on a bimetallic spring??
Back in the early 80s I lived in an old farmhouse with a couple of guys, had some old ancient cast iron (wood/coal) furnace with one of those on it... darn thing never did work right. Ended up rippin' the spring off, drilled and tapped a hole, and used a long threaded bolt to set it. When I was lookin' to replace the "stovace", anything with one of those was a non-starter... just didn't trust 'em after that experience. I ain't sayin' they don't work, but I wasn't gonna' chance it... seems wrong to have the thermostatic control mounted on the box rather than in the area intended to be heated. Heck, I was a little leery of the draft blower... but, as brenndatomu said, I did some mods to the setup, pretty much re-engineered the whole "auto" and electrical system, added circuits, switches and sensors, even converted (part of) it from 115v to 230v.
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stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
I love my Kuuma. I would not want any other unit. Shoulder seasons are tough for all furnaces, takes a little practice with the loads to get it right. The fact that it regulates the combustion air perfectly at all times so I get a perfect complete burn is awesome. Mine is in my man cave so I see and hear how everything works. Like after loading and the damper starts stepping down the primary air, firing off the secondaries. Then after secondaries are firing only, with no primary air, if the fire box starts to cool it will open the primary air 1/3 to give a quick boost then close again. Constantly keeping the fire box at the correct temp. This is also adjustable to how much heat you may want. If you have had wood heat before I can pretty much guarantee you will love it, I f you haven't heated with wood heat before most likely you will love it. If you don't, it wont be the unit it will be not liking heating with wood. Customer service is top notch plus some.
byron2
ArboristSite Member
Good stuff SD... I looked at them pretty close they look like they are probably the best out there.... Watched the video's they put out showing how they are built and operate PC controlled must make it easy ....The only thing I couldn't tell is where the secondary air enters On one of the vids it appeared to have two 1" holes left and right below the loading door ?..... I thought about buying one but I didn't want to deal with getting one shipped here and all ......
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
WHY?
byron2
ArboristSite Member
Idk I should have at least checked the cost of shipping and where I would have to pick it up ... I got a Fire Chief local I think it will do the job for me.....
Ironworker
Addicted to ArboristSite
You can't go wrong with modern technology.
brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
Exactly what went through my mind too...
Because some muddy up threads mincing words I will tell you in my experience going from an Englander non EPA unit to a drolet EPA furnace . The Englander would burn dirtier and use far more wood in a season than the EPA unit however it did burn hotter of coarse it was consuming more wood each load being the firebox was so much larger a good deal of that heat was wasted up the flue even with a key damper . I've seen the same thing with my garage heater going from a non EPA to a nc13 EPA stove .. Less wood longer burns cleaner flue . My father has a hotblast he has the same issues laynes had with his . Pack it full and it roasts you for 6 hours. The settings are erratic and difficult to tame over the cycle and I think if you dig around you'll find the common heating issues with these style heaters is the same . In my experience and most peoples I've read experience they use less wood and get a longer burn with secondary reburn units .it may not burn as hot but offers the energy over a longer period of time which is much more comfortable to heat your home.. its especially advantageous while your away at work for extended periods of time no playing Boy Scout when you come home after a long day. ..you toss on some splits on your coal bed and your back in business. Its true there's only so many btu in a stick of wood it's also true some stoves are superior in design than others to extract that potential btu output ..It's no magic or hocus pocus it's about efficiency . Your burning off the smoke and making heat that normally would go right up your flue now add in the advantageof gratuitous heat exchange area and you can see how design improvements can help extract more of the potential heat in a stick of wood
brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
Kuuma in the man cave...ungh-ungh-ungh! (performed Tim Taylor/Tool Time style)
Too bad the Kuumas don't have the "fire TV" option!
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
It is and it isn't to bad. It would be nice to see the fire but to much of the design on how it works would change. I think the performance/ease of use would suffer. I would not want that trade off.
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