Advice on most efficient use of Heatmor 200x

[Bel]

Hello! We’ve been using our Heatmor 200X for about a month now, for domestic and in floor hydronic heat, in our 1700 sf home. I’m curious what those of you who use these have learned to be your best practices to use the least amount of firewood and limit maintenance on the unit.
Ours has been getting clogged in the grates, do you find you have to rake the ash through often?
Do you recommend loading it full or adding wood more often?
Would you recommend changing the temperature parameters, or do the factory settings work well for you?
All tips and experience shared will be greatly appreciated!

 

[E Yoder]

Someone who's familiar with that particular model would have to chime in. But I'm curious, is this the regular unit with grates or the newer style with the catalyst?

 

[maple1]

Can't comment specifically. But generally, its load for the heat demand (warmer days = smaller more frequent fires) and dry wood. Might reduce stand by heat loss some by lowering temp settings, but dont know your boiler or settings. In-floor definitely shouldn't need temps as high as a plenum exchanger. Biggest heat loss potential is poor underground piping, but that could be a separate discussion - since fixing something like that could be quite a chore.

 

[Bel]

Someone who's familiar with that particular model would have to chime in. But I'm curious, is this the regular unit with grates or the newer style with the catalyst?

I guess it’s the regular unit with the grates, I don’t see anything about a catalyst. It is the EPA model though.

 

[Bel]

Can't comment specifically. But generally, its load for the heat demand (warmer days = smaller more frequent fires) and dry wood. Might reduce stand by heat loss some by lowering temp settings, but dont know your boiler or settings. In-floor definitely shouldn't need temps as high as a plenum exchanger. Biggest heat loss potential is poor underground piping, but that could be a separate discussion - since fixing something like that could be quite a chore.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[E Yoder]

I'm not familiar with it other than reading the manual online several years ago. I would agree, load according to the weather.
The reason I asked about the catalyst is I saw something about it in the manual, but maybe I'm confusing models. I think they all have grates.

 

[Bel]

I'm not familiar with it other than reading the manual online several years ago. I would agree, load according to the weather.
The reason I asked about the catalyst is I saw something about it in the manual, but maybe I'm confusing models. I think they all have grates.

I don’t see anything about the catalyst in this manual. Thanks for your feedback!
we live in N. California is our coldest days don’t get below 30 F very often. I guess we’ll keep trial and errors as we learn the new system!