what does TTT mean?
Introducing Brand New Wood Furnace to Market - The Drolet Tundra!
- Thread starter Fyrebug
- Start date
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brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
Ahhh, a bump...
I'd like to bring up a point of conjecture. Getting an EPA eligible tag on a wood burning appliance cost the manufacturer a lot of money. Some refuse or cannot pay and continue to build their products the same way they always have. Some make a statement that their products produce heat enough to warm big,old, drafty farm houses and thus feel an epa type construction would not do that stating btu output would be too gradual. The part I understand is the bigger the firebox, the larger the heat output. I'm thinking low particulates equal efficient burning but according to some, efficient burning does not equate for highest heat output. Size for size, wouldn't an epa appliance say on a 6* day use the same amount of fuel as a non epa appliance to keep that house warm?
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Rattler05.5
ArboristSite Member
It would require the same amount of BTUs to heat the house no matter what the source.
The fuel (wood) can supply x number of btu's but getting the btu's transferred into the house is the part that is difficult. You lose heat up the chimney, in the lines, and to the air. The more efficient the stove the more of the energy from the fuel is used to heat the house, with less waste.
Good posts above...
A Lb of wood has approximately 8,000 BTU whether you burn it outdoor or in a sophisticated high-efficiency appliance.
There are 2 things that comes into play to ensure you get your BTU "bang for the buck". ie efficiencies. In a lab there are different types of efficiencies and they have strict definitions and protocols.
But from a consumer point of view whey they talk about efficiencies they mean 1) combustion efficiencies and 2) heat exchange efficiency.
A consumer thinks combustion efficiency means burning all the fuel ( solid, gases, smoke, inert minerals). Modern high-efficiency wood burning appliances particularly those tested to EPA or CSA B415 have combustion efficiencies of 95% or more. Cant burn ashes...
But tha't only part of the story... What do you do with this heat? If you go to any TSC, Farm Stores etc... you will find the vast majority of wood furnace do not have a heat exchanger. Just a big steel box to put wood in and very little else. So they are not efficient in their combustion or heat exchange. That's why their fire box are so large and must be vented on 8" chimney or more. A good proportion of the heat is vented outside!
A high-efficiency furnace on the other hand should have a heat exchanger where exhaust gases spend a lot of time so the blower (air flow) can strip some of that heat and put it into your ductwork. But not so much there is no heat left for draft. It's not as easy as it looks...
A Lb of wood has approximately 8,000 BTU whether you burn it outdoor or in a sophisticated high-efficiency appliance.
There are 2 things that comes into play to ensure you get your BTU "bang for the buck". ie efficiencies. In a lab there are different types of efficiencies and they have strict definitions and protocols.
But from a consumer point of view whey they talk about efficiencies they mean 1) combustion efficiencies and 2) heat exchange efficiency.
A consumer thinks combustion efficiency means burning all the fuel ( solid, gases, smoke, inert minerals). Modern high-efficiency wood burning appliances particularly those tested to EPA or CSA B415 have combustion efficiencies of 95% or more. Cant burn ashes...
But tha't only part of the story... What do you do with this heat? If you go to any TSC, Farm Stores etc... you will find the vast majority of wood furnace do not have a heat exchanger. Just a big steel box to put wood in and very little else. So they are not efficient in their combustion or heat exchange. That's why their fire box are so large and must be vented on 8" chimney or more. A good proportion of the heat is vented outside!
A high-efficiency furnace on the other hand should have a heat exchanger where exhaust gases spend a lot of time so the blower (air flow) can strip some of that heat and put it into your ductwork. But not so much there is no heat left for draft. It's not as easy as it looks...
WV Mountaineer
ArboristSite Lurker
Heatmax
Will we be able to purchase the Heatmax in North America? You simply said "different markets" and didn't clarify. I like the looks of it much better and it closes the gap between the looks of a wood stove vs the effectiveness of a furnace.
You also mentioned a possible discount for those on these forums. I would be interested in any list you might be compiling for such a discount.
Will we be able to purchase the Heatmax in North America? You simply said "different markets" and didn't clarify. I like the looks of it much better and it closes the gap between the looks of a wood stove vs the effectiveness of a furnace.
You also mentioned a possible discount for those on these forums. I would be interested in any list you might be compiling for such a discount.
MotorSeven
Addicted to ArboristSite
Fyrebug can this be adapted to a 8" class A flue? I am thinking of moving the Hearthstone upstairs and putting a wood furnace in the basement but I will not be changing out the Flue.
Both the Tundra and Heatmax will be available in August/ Sept at various stores/Channels: Menards, Lowes.com, Northern Tools, Family Farm etc...
I'm hoping to announce a promo just for AS user in August. Stay tuned.
No you cant... the furnace is too efficient and with a 8" flue you will not draft properly.
Drop a 6" liner in your flue to connect to your furnace and it should work just fine.
WV Mountaineer
ArboristSite Lurker
I have a 8" flue that drafts so hard I was worried about having too much draft. I live on a hill and it's a very tall flue. Is this always the case with a high efficient furnace? I was going to install a baro on my wood stove but was afraid it would just stay open all the time. I had to install a cast iron damper to slow down the draft and it was still too much.
Best to use liner with Baro...
MotorSeven
Addicted to ArboristSite
How do you drop a liner down a 8" Class A flue(never heard of this) and how much would 25' of that cost?
Motor is this a metal double wall chimney like a "Duraliner"?
MotorSeven
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes, 9' of double wall black, the 14' of SS double wall....all Duraliner. Is't a straight shot, no turns & draft is so good at times it will pull the cast iron door shut when I leave it cracked.
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Yes, 9' of double wall black, the 14' of SS double wall....all Duraliner. Is't a straight shot, no turns & draft is so good at times it will pull the cast iron door shut when I leave it cracked.
I wouldn't mess with it then with a different size flue; you've got too much money invested in a chimney system already. What I do think you need to do is match the math for efficient use of the Tundra in terms of its exhaust with a blend of flap and baro dampers. If that can't be done, then find a furnace with an 8" flue. Any ducted furnace is going to give you better results than the present stove (Hearthstone?). This is what i did to mine (sorry picture would not stay rotated) and it made a huge difference. I am hoping to gain even more with the Tundra with some additional ducting.
MotorSeven
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep, even scrounging most of it used the flue pipe cost $1500 so it's there to stay. Just entertaining furnace options since the Hearthstone is a beast but forced air would be much better to get all that heat up stairs.
WV Mountaineer
ArboristSite Lurker
Can you run the tundra without power, like a stove?
On power outage the primary air damper shuts down thereby slowing down your combustion considerably.
You could force it open I presume but with the forced air pushing the heat it'll just sit in your ductwork.
You could do like the Amish. Remove the blower and build a large inverted funnel like plenum with a large floor grating to get the heat upstairs.
Last solution is a generator backup.
