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

[brenndatomu]

They usually have you peel the ID/info tag off it to send back to them for the warranty credit (which may be in the form of store credit depending on where you bought it) then you do what you want with it. Technically, without the tag your insurance company won't approve the install (if they check it)

 

[Jules083]

Just got the email back from SBI. They offered to replace the firebox, meaning I’d disassemble my woodburner, then rebuild it around the new firebox.


Thoughts on this option? Given my choice I think I’d prefer a credit towards getting a new Heatpro, which is their bigger model.

I’m going to call and ask about that option I think.

 

[Jules083]

 

[laynes69]

View attachment 685973

Been there done that with our woodfurnace. It's a viable option, not too much involved but does require some work. In the end, you'll end up with alot of extra replacement parts.

 

[Jules083]

Been there done that with our woodfurnace. It's a viable option, not too much involved but does require some work. In the end, you'll end up with alot of extra replacement parts.

So that's the route you took then? Any issues since? I'm assuming the new firebox is upgraded in a way to keep it from cracking again?

 

[laynes69]

Ours didn't crack, we have a rebadged Caddy. They are just about similar firebox wise. It was easier for us to accept the firebox since I had to already dissemble our furnace to get it in the basement. I ended up with an upgraded baffle and replacement bricks, tubes and other items for spares. If you don't care about doing the work, I would almost go that route. Otherwise they can replace the entire furnace.

 

[Jules083]

Ours didn't crack, we have a rebadged Caddy. They are just about similar firebox wise. It was easier for us to accept the firebox since I had to already dissemble our furnace to get it in the basement. I ended up with an upgraded baffle and replacement bricks, tubes and other items for spares. If you don't care about doing the work, I would almost go that route. Otherwise they can replace the entire furnace.

Cool, thanks.

I'm not worried about the work, it's no big deal either way. If they're not keen on giving me credit towards the bigger one I guess I'll just go ahead and change the firebox out.

 

[brenndatomu]

View attachment 685973

Really about the same amount of work either way...as far as the panels, you can have those off in a few minutes.
The main difference is the new one would have the plenum with it and a variable speed blower...but from what I hear that isn't as big of a deal as it sounds.
Have you pushed them at all for the credit toward a Heatpro?

 

[brenndatomu]

So that's the route you took then? Any issues since? I'm assuming the new firebox is upgraded in a way to keep it from cracking again?

If that is the same firebox they are using on the TII now (and I think it is) it sounds like they have properly addressed the cracking issues.

 

[Jules083]

Really about the same amount of work either way...as far as the panels, you can have those off in a few minutes.
The main difference is the new one would have the plenum with it and a variable speed blower...but from what I hear that isn't as big of a deal as it sounds.
Have you pushed them at all for the credit toward a Heatpro?

I asked them for a credit Wednesday, haven’t heard back yet.

Hopefully they go for it.

 

[2412]

I fired my new Tundra II last week for the first time. Here are some observations.

- They include three bags of screws. A large bag of square drive screws, a small bag of self drilling screws, and a small bag of Phillips drive screws. The manual does not clearly detail the usage of the screws. After talking to them on the phone, I believe the self drilling screws are intended for capping off the unused plenum holes. I also believe the large bag is for assembling the plenum. I do not know what the small bag of Phillips drive is for. They are slightly smaller than the square drive screws.

- There is a display and two buttons on the electrical box. There is no documentation on its purpose except a note on page 33 of the manual. When I asked, I was told that it is only for factory use. When I said that pressing the left button, you could see the temperature of the probe. He confirmed this. Does anyone have more info on this, either from hacking, or otherwise?

- The connector on the electrical box for the plenum probe is not captive. You can lift it right out of the electrical box. The guy I spoke to didn’t offer any suggestions. I want to enlarge the hole so that the mounting ears on the connector will engage in the box wall, but I don’t want to screw up the warranty.

- The book only mentions the ash plug in the troubleshooting section. How hard would it be for them to add a paragraph in the operation section?

- I like the stove. The operation is simple. It has a convection draft. The combustion control is a two position shutter (damper) on the front combustion air intake. It is either open or closed. There is a switch on the control box to open or close the shutter. There is also an electrical connection on the control box for a thermostat. The shutter will be open when the thermostat is calling for heat, and closed otherwise. You can also switch the shutter open as an override to the thermostat.

The two speed blower comes on when the probe reads 125° and switches off when the probe reads 110°. I do not know what temperature activates high speed yet.

By filling the firebox and running the draft shutter closed, I can get a pretty consistent 12 hour burn - so far.

 

[brenndatomu]

I fired my new Tundra II last week for the first time. Here are some observations.

- They include three bags of screws. A large bag of square drive screws, a small bag of self drilling screws, and a small bag of Phillips drive screws. The manual does not clearly detail the usage of the screws. After talking to them on the phone, I believe the self drilling screws are intended for capping off the unused plenum holes. I also believe the large bag is for assembling the plenum. I do not know what the small bag of Phillips drive is for. They are slightly smaller than the square drive screws.

- There is a display and two buttons on the electrical box. There is no documentation on its purpose except a note on page 33 of the manual. When I asked, I was told that it is only for factory use. When I said that pressing the left button, you could see the temperature of the probe. He confirmed this. Does anyone have more info on this, either from hacking, or otherwise?

- The connector on the electrical box for the plenum probe is not captive. You can lift it right out of the electrical box. The guy I spoke to didn’t offer any suggestions. I want to enlarge the hole so that the mounting ears on the connector will engage in the box wall, but I don’t want to screw up the warranty.

- The book only mentions the ash plug in the troubleshooting section. How hard would it be for them to add a paragraph in the operation section?

- I like the stove. The operation is simple. It has a convection draft. The combustion control is a two position shutter (damper) on the front combustion air intake. It is either open or closed. There is a switch on the control box to open or close the shutter. There is also an electrical connection on the control box for a thermostat. The shutter will be open when the thermostat is calling for heat, and closed otherwise. You can also switch the shutter open as an override to the thermostat.

The two speed blower comes on when the probe reads 125° and switches off when the probe reads 110°. I do not know what temperature activates high speed yet.

By filling the firebox and running the draft shutter closed, I can get a pretty consistent 12 hour burn - so far.

Thanks for the feedback. Haven't had too many people report back in on the TII, just gotta assume that it works good at that point...no news is good news, right?!

 

[2412]

Thanks for the feedback. Haven't had too many people report back in on the TII, just gotta assume that it works good at that point...no news is good news, right?!

Right!

I’m still reading through the thread. I hadn’t found it when I was looking for info before I ordered the TII.

I found another place for the self drilling screws. When you use both plenum sections (adjustable height) you can use them to fasten the sections together when you get the height set. Mine is in my machine shed/shop, and I don’t have any ductwork to connect. I will be enclosing an office area - former horse stall, and I will add some duct for that area eventually.

 

[Jules083]

Well, they have offered to exchange my cracked Drolet for a new Heatpro, with me paying the cost difference. I’m very happy with that offer, going to go through with it. Their email seems to take a week each time so at this rate it’ll be January before I actually get the new one, which is fine.

 

[blades]

that is great news. So few companies stand behind there products these days that it is refreshings to here things like this.

 

[Jules083]

that is great news. So few companies stand behind there products these days that it is refreshings to here things like this.

I said the same thing to them in the email. I also have a Drolet HT2000 upstairs, I highly recommend both it and the Tundra to anyone.

 

[blades]

i have often wondered how the ht2000 stacks up against the nc30 Unless something changes again today the 30 should be hooked up by this evening. been a running battle for help to move it in. I wood like an add on unit to my propane monster . The flue system would be a killer though as it would all have to be outside of the home envelope, then again perhaps not -thinking about it as I have a walk in closet on one end. losing a 2'x2' area in there is no great shakes. additionally the main trunk lines are also right there. ( county and local have ban ordinance on outdoor unit - inside less cost all the way around anyway)

 

[Jules083]

I'm going to ask a really stupid question. Sorry. Gotta do it though.


My tundra is sitting on the ground, same as probably everyone's is. I want to put my new HeatPro on blocks off the ground. I'm thinking it will both make loading easier, and get the spiderweb of stupid 6" piping out of the way better thanks to the dumb plenum that someone's third grade kind apparently designed in art class. I'm not sure how high the blocks will have to be, as I haven't seen the furnace yet. I'll make that decision once I get it here.


That said, hooking up the stove pipe. I've always slid the furnace foreword, installed the pipe, then slid the furnace back into the pipe. When it's time for spring cleaning I slide the furnace foreword again and get the stove pipe out, then shop vac everything. Between sitting up on blocks and hoping to do my ductwork a little better this time sliding it back and forth is going to be harder.


Does anyone have a trick on installing stove pipe that doesn't involve sliding a furnace around? Thanks.

 

[2412]

Does your pipe go horizontal through a wall? It has to turn and go up at some point. Seems like you could put in a T with a clean out cap somewhere.

 

[Jules083]

Does your pipe go horizontal through a wall? It has to turn and go up at some point. Seems like you could put in a T with a clean out cap somewhere.

Not really. The outlet on the furnace is only a foot or so lower than the thimble, so the stove pipe doesn’t really go up very much.