Max Caddy combo Electric installation

[brenndatomu]

See IR picture... (111C = 232F) not sure if temp result is accurate, there was lot of parameter in this IR device that was making a big difference of the temp reading (metal reflection)

If you have a infrared thermometer you can get an accurate reading by putting some small pieces of black electrical tape on the spots where you want to take a temp sample, aim the IRT exactly at that spot, the flat black of the tape gives a good read. I suppose you could paint the plenum/duct flat or satin black to get a good read with the FLIR too...
If that 232* is accurate I hope you have the proper CTC on your ductwork because that temp is getting in to pyrolysis territory there!

 

[David_QC]

Thanks for the tape trick, I will remember !
I don't own the Flir, my brother steal it for a week-end from his work place... I've found a few surprise with this, like rodent digging some hole in wall insulations :- P
Below are the same picture with another reflexion settings, maybe more real data... 58C = 136F
This is with electrical heating... I couldn't take any good data of the plenum, there was too much reflexion.. the electrical heating heat the plenum more evenly than wood heating.

 

[gonefishin]

In Quebec, Canada :
Max Caddy Wood only : 2800$ (include fan, +15%tax), I moved it to the basement myself.
Hooking to the chimney : don't remember, maybe 250$ with a draft controller ?
40Ft 6inch liner not insulated: 1300$ +tx installed by a sweeper
25kW element : 700$ (our electric rate is 8,6 cent per kw/h)
Connecting the 25kW to the electric panel : 500$ material + 160$ electrician. (breaker and cable cost a lot more than I tought...)
Duct work : I already had duct installed for my old oil furnace, it cost somewhere around 1800$ with a full box of 4 inch filter to fit the caddy to the existing duct, was done by a cheapo duct contractor.

Thank you. That is what I'm looking for.

 

[gonefishin]

I had too much draft with my unlined 8 inch 40FT chimney, now I'm just right with the actual setup. Draft controller open rarely or just a bit and i'm right on the spec draft... Maybe I will even remove the draft controller and save on some horizontal distance by ajusting these 2 x 45 bent... I found out some thick creosote glue on the draft controller door, it's sucking a bit of cold air.. don't enjoying it... but I will wait and see before changing anything.

I was checking the specs for the max caddy and it recommends that a 6" chimney use for wood only. 7" for electric/wood/ Just curius Does it make that big of a difference you installed an 8" ?

 

[brenndatomu]

I was checking the specs for the max caddy and it recommends that a 6" chimney use for wood only. 7" for electric/wood/ Just curius Does it make that big of a difference you installed an 8" ?

7" for electric/wood? I thought 7" was only with the oil/wood option? 8" would not be optimal for sure...could work though, maybe, sorta. You have to realize that a 8" chimney is ~25% larger than a 7" one, and almost double the area of a 6", which is the preferred flue diameter to make the wood firebox work well.

 

[David_QC]

I had a 8 inch without liner, now I have a 5.5 inch (not exactly 6") liner inside.
I bought the max caddy last winter and it was connected temporary to the 8 inch chimney, draft was too much. I had to put some washer to add some weight to the draft controller to open it enough...
Now it is connected to the 5.5 liner, I don't have to add washer to the draft controller and it move just an inch or less, so the draft have decreased. I don't know the mathematics behind that, some told me that it was supposed to increase... but that's my story... sorry for my bad english, I hope it's better than google translate :- )

Just an update on the RTD probe location, it is working much better when I move it in front of the plenum. Still the blower start/stop a lot more than I would like... I plan to do more test like adding a sheet of metal below it to reduce the blower air from cooling it too quickly...

 

[lexybird]

My probe is all the way up front . Works slick . I set my kick in point to 107 f and it seems function great . I know it heats our 2,000 sq ft house effortlessly so far and burn times on ~half a load exceed 8 +hours

 

[David_QC]

My probe is all the way up front . Works slick . I set my kick in point to 107 f and it seems function great . I know it heats our 2,000 sq ft house effortlessly so far and burn times on ~half a load exceed 8 +hours

Thank you, I have few questions:
Do you have secondary flames coming out of the tube when the damper is close, let say after 2 hour ? Do you have to hold the damper open with a spacer/shim ? Do you have lot of soot/creosote ?

My kick in point is at 125F for now, the RTD is 2 inch from the front end of the plenum, same bracket, same height. For the KIP; I feel like it will be too cold inside the firebox if I drop the kick in point below 125F. I'm worried about creosote and no secondary flames if it's too cold in the firebox. Moving the RTD already makes it run cooler than it should, right ? For now maybe my wood is still not enough dry to make it run flawless (16% outside, 20% inside split) I will try to go to 107F... it will stop the fan at 97F...
Is it only me, or they should have programmed a High and Low limit like the normal Caddy ? 150F to 100F default factory...

Something I do, when i load or reload, I open the ash door until my chimney temperature hit the 320F+ and then I close it and it run really good, I feel like the firebox is hot... If I don't do that and only open the damper with the termostat, it doesn't run as good, or it will take long time to come hot and stop cycling... the chimney temperature will be around 240F and the fire will not extend that much... that's why I think that my firebox is too cold with my actual setup.

 

[lexybird]

To be honest I'm just getting going with mine so I'm still figuring out what it likes and doesn't but I can say setting your kick point at lowest setting (107) is working fine for me ,( yes mine kicks off around 96 also ) haven't seen a lot of use but it appears to burn clean much like my old heat max drolet did .the window requires cleaning more though so I'm not sure if the air wash design is all that great or if I just need to allow more air control on the startup time will tell and it hasn't gotten real cold here yet either so I'm learning . I don't usually get visual secondary combustion after 2 hours but that's normal on EPA stoves my heatmax was same way and my other EPA stoves are as well . Generally your only going to see secondary's for the first stage of the burn cycle which may be a couple hours then you won't see those burners rolling gorgeous flames but that doesn't mean gases aren't burning off just because it is not visible to the eye ! I think your worried too much on creosote , be smart about your fuel ..burn only seasoned split wood and keep an eye on it give it some time (15 minutes) to burn off smoke and volatiles off the fresh charge before you close it down .dobt try to control the burn time by putting big all nighter logs or hunks in it , that thinking won't work well ( too much moisture in big logs ) it is best for grandpas fisher bear stove but these EPA units prefer smaller dry seasoned wood even branches and thin scraps offer long burns *if it's well seasoned! I use a 40$ spy camera aimed at the caddy in my basement ,so I can adjust my thermostat upstairs and use my iPhone to see what the flame looks like in the window and I also have a magnetic Rutland thermo gage on the front to see the current outter temp ,this gives me peace of mind at work too so I can moniter the furnace and hear the blower and ( hopefully never ) the smoke alarm. A good load of dry wood and a nice bed of coals should keep that blower running consistently and not cycle . I have found A established coal bed is key for the thing not to cycle the fan.