Anyone know about Smartstove technology

Sounds like a T-stat. A BK t-stat.

Cool, so inveninc got a manufacturer on board. Glad to hear it. Englander has always been progressive, glad to hear they are leading the way on this.

Btw, in case you don't know about smartstove go here: http://inveninc.com/products.htm

Inven needs to do a PR about this.

All current NC13 owners might want to check out this thread about a retro fit being done: http://inveninc.com/SmartStoveForum/index.php?topic=46.0

Sounds interesting..........................especially since I have a 13NC in use now!!

Is this like Lopi's self-start option?

begreen said:

It's not like the self-start. This is a servo driven draft control with computer logic. I suspect it will be an option or it will put Englander up in the Lopi cost bracket.

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Kind of sounds like something I don't need.

I don't know, I'm a technology guy but in this case I'm not sure I want to mix logic controllers and electronic sensors with a 900 degree stove.

+ 1 Machria. I'm more paranoid than most - I suppose this could actually increase safety for those of us that might go fetch a coffee on start up and then get distracted and forget about the stove - the system would then shut down the air as designed - if it works properly.

But what happens in the event the control module and/or draft actuator fails in the start up cycle? Stove runs wide open? An overfire alarm might fire off, sure, but are the same people going to get complacent, load the stove, "set and forget", then go outside and shovel the driveway? Something they might not otherwise do if they have to dial in the air themselves?

Kitchen ranges for years have had timers and relays that can turn on the oven for you and start your supper cooking before you get home. I've never used one for similar reasons. No matter which way you go, there's always room for some error / stupid human tricks, but anything that makes 500 deg heat, and includes technology to help me not pay attention, seems to be a bit counter-intuitive safety-wise. Am I out to lunch....?

But you'll all put blind faith in the stat on your oil furance, gas furance or electric furance....

WidowMaker said:

But you'll all put blind faith in the stat on your oil furance, gas furance or electric furance....

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OK maybe some perceived risk here is part of the deal - the big box of fire sitting in your living room vs the furnace sitting in the utility room out of sight, out of mind. But I'd guess that if the stat on the oil furnace goes south, your place either gets real warm or real cold but your house isn't likely to burn down; if this wood stove stat is fubar'd, the stove either underfires (you get chilly) or overfires and you get a more serious situation. I dunno much about HVAC but the wood stove just seems like a more unforgiving animal if something goes wrong. (but like I said, maybe that's all perception, i could be out to lunch, etc.). I think this is not like the cat t-stats (mechanical coils) but a servo-driven draft control unit with some programmed logic, sensors, etc. as BG mentioned - can someone verify / clarify that? - if so then maybe there's more to break down? Just spitting in the wind a bit here - interesting to see how the wood burning community takes to this technology...

bag of hammers said:

I think this is not like the cat t-stats (mechanical coils) but a servo-driven draft control unit with some programmed logic, sensors, etc. as BG mentioned - can someone verify / clarify that? - if so then maybe there's more to break down?

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You might want to click the link I provided to check out the product before offering opinions, just my 2 cents. I will post it again: http://inveninc.com/products.htm

If you want to see pictures of an actual install click the link and sign up for the forum so you can view the pics of the ongoing NC13 install. That link again is: http://inveninc.com/SmartStoveForum/index.php?topic=46.0

I think it's a cool idea! It is much more sophisticated than the BK draft t-stat with lots of cool features.. Would love to see one in operation..

Ray

I would test drive it too.

WidowMaker said:

But you'll all put blind faith in the stat on your oil furance, gas furance or electric furance....

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True, but shutting off a gas valve or oil burner or an electric disconnect with a fail safe high limit switch that is basically mechanical, i. e. a thermo disc is fairly simple and fail safe. Shutting off burning chunks of wood would be a little more difficult I imagine.

Looking at the site it appears to be controlling based on the temperature sensor alone. Not a bad idea - better than nothing. I'd be interested in knowing how "smart" the algorithm is that is driving this control; i.e. is it aware of the general burn cycle and making adjustments based on this or is it simply trying to optimize for a given temperature range?

A test drive would be interesting - I think to really make it smart I wonder if putting a CO sensor into the exhaust path as well as additional temperature points (exhaust, cat (for those that have them) etc would really allow for better tuning and perhaps even more predictability than one can get from manual adjustments... Would be a fun project to work on certainly.

Very interesting but using my vehicle and its computer controls, I am not real hot, no pun intended, with a computer controlling my wood burning fire. My vehicle really works great when the electronics are working like they are supposed to. When not, it just quits, dead in the water. Hell, when the old ones didn't want to go, you could coax them in to limping home.....not anymore. Not saying modern electronics and computer control doesn't have its place because it certainly does. But being an old codger, I would just as soon control some things myself

I thought I was an auto feeder. You throw a cord of wood in the holder and the "smartstove" loads the correct size split with the correct amount for the temperature you need. Now to a more serious comment, I wonder if it would be similar to the Euro stoves the have been posted about here.

I took a look, a quick look, at the info and did not qet an answer. Is this thing retro fitable or only available on certain new makes and models?

Actually I have thought alot about a system like this and how I would like to have one...just ain't smart enouhg to design/build such a system. Definitly would like to test drive one on some of this NW Piney wood....

Not a lot of info on their web site.