Introducing Brand New Wood Furnace to Market - The Drolet Tundra!

[brenndatomu]

I have decided to try a different furnace that PFU sells called Fire Chief pick it up this weekend.......

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/shelter-sf2631-wood-coal-furnace.277767/ Shelter...same as (and made by) Firechief furnace

 

[brenndatomu]

im staill waiting to hear back from the dealer that sold and installed our furnaces but i did provide him with pics of the cracks and the serial # so now its just a waiting game. ill post what i hear back as soon as i hear more also.

Any updates? You gonna attempt to weld? (assume by the user name you are a welder)

 

[bpwelding2005]

heard back my dealer on Monday that they wanted more picks of the duct work and chimney setup and chimney height so now waiting to hear back, dealer has been busy lately and im in no rush just yet so letting him take care of things at his own pace. Also i was a welder in mid 2000's when i made my e-mail account and just used it for a easy to remember id on here lol, but i worked 5years in a sheet metal fab shop and a year at a structural fab shop so i learned alot of useful skills for metal working.

 

[82mkiiltype]

Anyone still watching this thread?

I've had some cracking issues and I'm going to have to go down the warranty route. No surprise as mine was a fairly early serial number. I was just wondering if any new issues have been uncovered lately? Has everyone jumped ship and paid double for something else? Replacing the unit is an inconvenience, but I'm still very happy with the performance of the unit and if SBI just ships me a new furnace, I really can't complain about that level of service or warranty coverage.

Any fresh information on the subject?

 

[flotek]

I ended up cashing out on a refund option and getting a max caddy . I sold my old unit and once fixed/ welded up should still offer years of reliable service . I see no reason why the new ones that have had the issues addressed wouldn't be a good reliable unit to own and worth the money

 

[brenndatomu]

Any fresh information on the subject?

I am hearing rumblings that the "new improved" Tundra will be out this fall. Supposedly they redesigned the problem areas and the heat exchanger is separate from the firebox instead of being welded to the same plate of steel at the front. This is coming from a fellow member on another forum that is going (went) through the warranty process. Also supposed to be a larger "Tundra style" (like a cheaper version of the Max Caddy) available soon too. Here is a direct quote from an SBI email supposedly..."The new production of this unit has taken into consideration the faults that were present in the current model. Refractory bricks have been added to the front of the firebox. The heat exchangers and firebox are now independent from each other eliminating the potential stress from expansion which caused the initial cracks that you experienced."

Here is something that I posted on that other forum a couple months ago, what I am doing (did)...

OK, I finally have a free moment to update y'all on my recent Tundra mods as mentioned in my previous post. I decided to install this "failed" Tundra that I recently acquired, (thanks D! ) as an "add-on" to my Yukon. Yukon is working on a "EPA" firebox to meet the new EPA regs and I figure the Tundra will buy me some time to figure out what is gonna replace my current Yook down the road. (The Yukon works great now since I have modded the firebox for a proper secondary burn, but it is also now a bit too finicky for my wife to run. I am on call all the time for work and I need something the wife can run without any problems, hence a future Yukon upgrade or replacement is likely to happen)
Anyways, this Tundra is a first year model. The cracks are only two, each about 1/2" long, at the top corners of the loading door. I was gonna drill/weld the cracks, then install the new heat shields, but then I thought, hey, it's already cracked, I'm gonna leave the cracks alone, see if shielding this area will actually stop the cracks where they are. If so, then it should also stop them from happening in the first place. I also did this same mod on my sisters new Tundra before it was fired the first time. I also have temp controllers to install on 'em both too, just hasn't happened yet.
I was gonna insulate using firebrick but couldn't figure out how to keep them in place. After doing what I did, I realize that the bricks could be installed the same way I did the SS, just hafta cut 1" or so off of the front of the bricks on the sides to tuck the new bricks in the "slot".

I went to a local fab shop where I buy metal sometimes looking for some "scrap" SS, or a cutoff/drop. I should have asked what it was gonna cost because after they sheared a piece off, the total at checkout surprised me a bit. $55 for a 3" x 6' piece of 1/4" 316 SS (enough to do two sets of shields) 304 would have been fine, but I guess the 316 is what they had laying around. 316 is actually a lil better for high temp applications, but either would've worked.

I removed the factory heat shield that is on back of the "air intake" box. To remove it is just two bolts, one straight up, in the middle above the loading door, and one on the back side, again in the middle. The shield will drop right out once unbolted. Here's a pic of it out.
Back side... Front...

Then I removed the front firebricks. Unbeknownst to me, there is 1/8" thick ceramic insulation blanket behind the bricks. Mine had creosote flakes piled up behind them, I guess from above the baffle. Anyways, I removed the rest of the firebricks so I could clean out behind the blanket, but it was stuck fast in some spots and quickly disintegrated when I tried to work it loose. I bought a replacement blanket(s) from a guy on fleabay (2 pieces 18" tall x 24" long needed)
Once the new blanket was in place, this is what I had... sorry bout the pic quality, turns out that taking good pics of the backside of the front of your firebox is a bit challenging! ;lol You are looking at the backside of what is at the right side of the door when you are facing the furnace.

I cut the SS to fit around the air intake box and a slot to fit over the firebrick retainer tab.
These pieces are 18" tall x 3" wide... Then I cut some 1/2" thick x 3" wide ceramic insulation that I just happened to have layin around, to match the size/shape of the SS. It goes between the firebox wall and the SS...
...like this...

I re-installed the firebrick, which BTW I had to trim up just a bit to get the extra clearance needed. The parts break down pics show the top rear brick (sides) being notched out to clear the tabs that hold the back of the secondary air tubes to the firebox wall, mine weren't notched, so I notched them 1/4" or so. Many off the bricks also had a bit of "flashing" on the sides left from where they were cast, this had to be cleaned off all the bricks to get things to fit also. Once that was done everything fit like a glove
Here it is assembled, left side of firebox... right side...

Here is final assembly, notice the factory air intake box shield is back in place and covers the edge of the SS (very top of the pic)
BTW, it is easier to take these pics using a mirror, like in this last pic

 

[82mkiiltype]

I see what you did there... that should keep that front edge much cooler. Thanks for the idea and detailed write-up. Not sure what the future of my existing Heat Max is ... might make a good outdoor hot tub heater???

I can confirm that SBI/ Drolet IS working on a larger furnace (A.K.A. Max Caddy Copy) for late this fall. Maybe I'm a sucker for punishment but I may wait for the larger model and be an earlier adopter.

I live in a 2 story house with walk out basement and the Heat Max was perfect for maintaining temperature for about 4-6 hours and then the propane would help out in the last 2 hours every night. At least in the last two brutally cold winters we had in Ontario ... It was also a bit slow to re-heat the house if it dropped a few degrees. Don't get me wrong, that's still awesome, but few more BTU's would be a suit the structure just a bit better.

Feel free to quote this post and say "I told you so" in two years when I have problems with the brand new model.

 

[brenndatomu]

Feel free to quote this post and say "I told you so" in two years when I have problems with the brand new model.

Nah, they've learned some lessons that I would bet are incorporated into the new model(s), probably good to go now.
If you are nervous about being a guinea pig then just patch up your HM until they get a couple years in on the new ones...

 

[djkost]

I dont have any cracks in my tundra and never really had a problem with it but Im really interested in the new furnace dorlett is making according to whats posted on this site. Anyone have more information on the caddy versión they are going to be selljng like the price and when availible?

 

[flotek]

Being that I own a. MAX caddy I can a test to there quality and how they are built tough everything is beefed up for this unit .it is a somewhat complex unit very heavy duty with a lot of electronics and I'm not seeing how it could be remade " cheap" My hope is that drolet really does their homework and looks this furnace over if they plan to copy it ,if they want it to be a success they better not skimp ( no shortcuts) on quality or they could have another warranty/ replacement nightmare like the heat max / tundra units .

 

[brenndatomu]

Just noticed that the long rumored Drolet Heatpro (larger version of the Tundra, Max Caddy size) is now listed on their site http://www.drolet.ca/en/products/wood/furnaces/extra-large

 

[Wisneaky]

Just noticed that the long rumored Drolet Heatpro (larger version of the Tundra, Max Caddy size) is now listed on their site http://www.drolet.ca/en/products/wood/furnaces/extra-large

Someone should tell SBI right away that it is going to probably have the same cracking issues because they didn't put firebrick in the front again.

 

[KARB2014]

Can anybody figure out why they have a circuit board? To me that seems really of engineered when a simple honeywell control would work or even the simple snap discs like the Tundra.

 

[Wisneaky]

Can anybody figure out why they have a circuit board? To me that seems really of engineered when a simple honeywell control would work or even the simple snap discs like the Tundra.

I believe it controls blower speed based on plenum temperature. Same as the circuit board in the Max caddy.

 

[KARB2014]

I would have to agree but good luck finding anything in the manual or their website about that. Also has anybody looked at the manual? Wow did they piece that together. Good news I just got an email from SBI saying they are going to ship my updated fire brick kit October 26.

 

[82mkiiltype]

Well I pulled the trigger on a HeatPro this morning. I'll be taking a very close look at the firebox and I hope I like what I see. If there isn't a new thread about the Heat Pro when I get mine delivered ... I'll make one.

 

[Highbeam]

Well I pulled the trigger on a HeatPro this morning. I'll be taking a very close look at the firebox and I hope I like what I see. If there isn't a new thread about the Heat Pro when I get mine delivered ... I'll make one.

How much?

 

[82mkiiltype]

$2999 CND shipped to my door. With the exchange rate you US guys should make out very nicely.

 

[flotek]

Wow ..I bought a max caddy this February new at 3700 I hope the heatpro is similar in quality

 

[82mkiiltype]

Well $3700US = $4800 CDN right now. That's 63% of the cost of a Max Caddy.
I tried calling a couple local Caddy dealers for pricing and everyone I talked to wanted to do a full install and were dropping numbers in the $8000 -$10000 range.
Besides, the warranty only covers replacement of existing model, or updated model where I pay the difference. Store credit, at a store, that only sells Drolet brand furnaces doesn't leave me the option to switch brands, unless I try to sell my new furnace privately, likely at a loss.

I still can't complain. Drolet is sending me a complete new furnace, under warranty AND giving me the option to upgrade by paying the difference. That's still awesome customer service.