Secondary burn achieved on Hot Blast 1500

[KindredSpiritzz]

thanks for the pics Dave, i see i got yours confused with the OP as he has his coming in off the front. Whats the deal with the flex line bottom right in that 1st picture of your last post? I cant figure out what that would be for? I was thinking on mine about coming in from the front and running my pipes along the tops of the fire brick on each side to the back, then up and back towards the front. i think down lower like that might preheat the air better but still keep it above the hot coals. I'd also add some type valve to control the air inlet and probably play around with some type small fan (like a computer fan) on the inlet side to boost air flow. Love seeing mods like this, just gives me more ideas for when i finally bite the bullet and try it. One thing that always worried me was someone saying if you modify the furnace and burn your house down the insurance company could use that to balk at paying out.

 

[TdiDave]

thanks for the pics Dave, i see i got yours confused with the OP as he has his coming in off the front. Whats the deal with the flex line bottom right in that 1st picture of your last post? I cant figure out what that would be for? I was thinking on mine about coming in from the front and running my pipes along the tops of the fire brick on each side to the back, then up and back towards the front. i think down lower like that might preheat the air better but still keep it above the hot coals. I'd also add some type valve to control the air inlet and probably play around with some type small fan (like a computer fan) on the inlet side to boost air flow. Love seeing mods like this, just gives me more ideas for when i finally bite the bullet and try it. One thing that always worried me was someone saying if you modify the furnace and burn your house down the insurance company could use that to balk at paying out.

The flex line is from my domestic hot water pre-heat project. I have these coils in the hot air jacket to preheat the water going to my electric water heater

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

oh my, you're like a mad scientist. Hows that water system working out for you? That deserves a entire thread on its own.

 

[crewchief264]

Bumping the thread from last year: I am getting ready to do some work on my wood furnace from last year... I will post pictures when it is done. I am going to add more firebrick and am contemplating re-working the secondary burn tubes.....

the wood furnace worked very well last year and i got very good heat output and averaged about 8-10 hour burn times per load..... I have a large gate valve (the single most expensive piece) for the secondary tubes that I only leave open to about half and have all other air input shut down with the exception of the ash door which is only slightly cracked open (nubs ground off). I am looking forward to seeing what you other guys are up to with your projects.

Last winter was bitterly cold and windy last year, and they are saying this winter will be just as bad......

 

[blades]

Haven't fired it up for the last 2 years, just been running the NC30 stove up stairs. Went through most of my Sugar Maple last winter. I just as soon pull HB out and get something else downstairs. I do have a old Englander 25xxx pellet stove here but haven't messed with to see whats up- I think the circut board might be bad as it will not shut down the feed auger with an empty hopper.
My HB has a habit of going ballistic, not something i want going on when I am not around- so I do not trust it. Been all over the auto damper system to no avail. Plain useless. Never did get more than 4 hours of heat off it.

 

[350jeepcj5]

ok this post has got me intrigued, rather then start a new one ill try to revive this one. tdidave, can you send me more pictures of this setup? i have a 1557m that i would be trying to do this to.

 

[TdiDave]

ok this post has got me intrigued, rather then start a new one ill try to revive this one. tdidave, can you send me more pictures of this setup? i have a 1557m that i would be trying to do this to.

Made a few more adjustments. Ended up with about twice as many holes in the tubes (much better burn). Have most of the sides covered in fire brick, top of smoke shield is covered in fire brick as well. Easily get 8 hour burns of a nice hot fire with a few inch of hot coals for a easy relite.