Most just show how to plumb existing. I have no idea how extensive a ducting one needs. I am assuming there needs to be some type of air rotation within the house or would it be sufficient to keep cellar door open as I do now for "return" air. I notice two vents coming out of the Tundra. I do not know where these are supposed to go (opposite ends of the house?) as opposed to dumping into one large trunk.
Introducing Brand New Wood Furnace to Market - The Drolet Tundra!
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Most just show how to plumb existing. I have no idea how extensive a ducting one needs. I am assuming there needs to be some type of air rotation within the house or would it be sufficient to keep cellar door open as I do now for "return" air. I notice two vents coming out of the Tundra. I do not know where these are supposed to go (opposite ends of the house?) as opposed to dumping into one large trunk.
Preston
Addicted to ArboristSite
Now for the question from an don't know squat dude. What or how is this installed when no basement is available? I presently have a heat pump. Could this be hooked up through me present duct work? My log house is no insulation other than the logs,, 6 to 8 inches thick, and insulation in the attic upstairs.
Ideas?
Ideas?
Would that be on high medium or low.
The "life" of the fire could take into account all 3 scenarios especially if thermostatically controlled but "high" would be as the fire is dying and the furnace is letting in more air to keep up the average btu's. The furnace will extract a certain amount of btu's dependent on its air charge. The more air, the more btu's but the faster it will give those up. "life" of fire I believe would be for a standard 8-10 hrs. If you need a hotter fire, (high) you'll create more btu's but at a faster rate and would need more wood sooner.
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laynes69
Addicted to ArboristSite
I would think a sliding air control would be better, but it would be difficult to add a thermostat to that type of control. It would be better to initially allow more air, so further down the line, the fire remains hotter, than to open it and shut it down for the entire burn. Having the thermostat allows for a more even heat to be produced, while not having to babysit the furnace. It may however lower burn times, but not necessarily. A tight, well built home may go 12 hours, while an old home see 6, supply and demand. The fire will peak at max, then slowly drop. This would be the average btu output over time. You don't want to go off max output, unless you want to feed it like a locomotive.
Arrow & Preston... The unit is designed to be installed into an existing ductwork. And only as an "Add-on" to an existing furnace.
I say 'only' because code states a solid fuel furnace (wood, pellet, coal) MUST have another steady source of heat (one that doesnt need to be replenished manually every day). The reason for this is your insurance company wants to make sure that if you go away for an extensive amount of time and you're not there to refill, you existing gas/oil/electric furnace will ensure your pipes dont burst.
Having said that and if you dont care about insurance you can always design your own ductwork with 8" round outlets.
A better solution would be to look at the Mini-Caddy. You can have an optional electric element - thence your furnace is a full stand-alone and insurance approved. You can also put an optional distribution kit (cool feature) that allows you to distribute up to 12 5" flexible duct throughout your house. You can hide this ducting in false or suspended ceiling.
Click Here:
View attachment 287917
Mine would be simply to replace the wood stove currently in the cellar. Ducting would be minimal (2 outlets at most) and return air would be provided by the cellar door remaining open. It has to be better than an epa wood stove with a hood over it. ( wood stove operates as a convection heater) The house simply is just too poorly insulated to ask more than that. When its 6* outside, I doubt that I could rely on the Tundra to heat the house without supplementing it with the oil burner as I do now. Cripes, even with 3 successive days of 25* weather, the house will be at 63* when we get up and that's with the large (3.1 cu ft) wood stove going all nite. I'm hoping the Tundra can at least do the same thing as I am only using around 5 cords now.
trophyhunter
ArboristSite Guru
Some of us "English" really do have power in the area.
Gas powered chainsaws to, and don't even get us started on the motorized splitters.Nice looking unit, I hope it's a solid performer for you guys. It was nice to see you asking people directly for input on what they want and need in a new furnace.
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G
Genius.
Guest
Will they have one to show there?
I'm just South of there, we also have a FF in Holland.
I have a pretty large house and my Caddy has all it can do to keep the house comfortable on windy sub-0 days.
Would this furnace be considered a upgrade and larger unit?
I'm in Grand Rapids now...
The units will start shipping to stores in August.
This is the same firebox as the Caddy so no... If the Caddy cant keep up you should be looking at a Max...
Thanks. I think we avoid a lot of headaches by asking the users first rather than 'assuming'.
Thanks for your input. I'm working hard to maybe have the AS users some special promo this fall. Will keep you up to date later.
Cert. of Qualification:
This unit will be ADDED to the Certificate of Qualification in the U.S. for the Tax Credit, correct?
Thank You for all the early info on this unit. Got me all worked about it.
This unit will be ADDED to the Certificate of Qualification in the U.S. for the Tax Credit, correct?
Thank You for all the early info on this unit. Got me all worked about it.
Correct!
What is a concern to me since it happened to my stove is that if the appliance is epa rated, is there now sort of a built in "fragility" to the appliance? My stove cracked at welds that hold the manifolds the air tubes are attached to. These cracked in 4 places and were welded to 3/16" plate. If this type of appliance is going to be put in jeopardy with 900-1200* temps, I would want to know. If this had been clearly identified with my last stove, I would not have bought it.
That's odd... EPA wood stoves typically have more material than an 'airtight'. Our HT2000 stove for example weight 550Lbs with 3/8" plate steel.
I've seen the other furnaces and here's the difference... Other furnaces are just a welded square steel box with a grate and ashpan. There is one or 2 very cheap blower that move air around the fire chamber and the envelope around it and that's it.
Our unit is a fire chamber with insulated envelope. The firechamber is lined with refractory brick, the top has a ceramic cast baffle, stainless steel reburn tubes then it has a heat exchange chamber so the flue gases spend a lot of time for a proper heat exchange. That's a lot of furnace. Besides, we have a better warranty than anybody else. So you are well covered.
The picture below shows the basic cutaway (This is the Caddy but the principle is the same)
View attachment 288384
Quadrafire 5700 made in 2005. The lifetime warranty on this stove is worthless as the company has claimed I over fired the stove thus voiding the warranty. They never stipulated but if you ask today, they consider anything over 700* as over fired. Some propose they used cheap Chinese steel as this has happened to many 5700's built then. The stove is made with thick steel as it also weighs 550# but I need a unit that will not crack while placed in the basement. My old stove was a Timberland that lasted 27 years being used the same way. It used 1/2 cord more per year than the epa stove and that was with starting in Dec to burn instead of Oct as I do now. I am a fan of epa technology as long as it holds up.
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Will the Tundra have an insulated cabinet and have there been any studies done to see if this is a pertinent aspect to efficiency? Thanks
It certainly increases the heat exchange efficiencies.
If the cabinet is not insulated more heat radiates from the furnace itself. While this heat is not lost to the outside, it warms up the furnace room. If the goal is to get as much warm air in the heat registers then you want an insulated cabinet. If you want a warm furnace room then go without insulation.
