Caddy furnace blower speed

[Caddy]

Hello hello caddy owners

I'm wondering, at what plenum temperature your automatic blower change speed ?

It looks like most of the time, mine uses speed #1.

Thanks !

 

[sloeffle]

Do you have a Max Caddy ?

 

[laynes69]

Mine has 4 speeds and I can only use one. I keep my speed at 2 and I up it to 3 when pushing the furnace. I don't have an automatic speed controller.

 

[Caddy]

No i have the normal caddy with the automatic blower wich cant be program

 

[sloeffle]

Interesting, I didn't realize the new Caddys came with a blower than changes speeds. Like @laynes69, my blower has a four speed tap and I keep mine at speed two. I get too much static pressure in my duct work on speed three. I do have an automatic speed controller wired up to mine like some of the Tundra guys have. It helps a lot at the end of the burn with keeping the furnace from not turning off and on so much.

 

[brenndatomu]

From what I gather, the guys that have the newer SBI made furnaces all say they almost never come off speed 1...

 

[laynes69]

My furnace has actually a two speed limit control. The low speed is an always on speed tapped into speed one, and the normal once the temps go higher for speed two. I've tried using it that way....however when blower speed 1 is running, it's hard to get to speed 2, so little heat makes it into the house. I just use speed 2, and I've lowered my off an on so the blower runs longer. I do however would like to make a damper controller to run off of flue temps...but I always get lost in the threads.

 

[brenndatomu]

I do however would like to make a damper controller to run off of flue temps...but I always get lost in the threads.

I know a guy...

 

[sloeffle]

I do however would like to make a damper controller to run off of flue temps...but I always get lost in the threads.

I tried to get it working on my Caddy but I couldn't figure out the logic on getting the timer, relay, and thermostat to all play together nicely. @brenndatomu even sent me one of his high quality drawings and I still had problems.

I know a guy...

One of these days we'll have to get you to come down past Route 30 and help us out.

 

[Caddy]

From what I gather, the guys that have the newer SBI made furnaces all say they almost never come off speed 1...

Well I confirm that its running on speed 1 almost all the time... its hard to heat the house fast that way.....

 

[JRHAWK9]

Well I confirm that its running on speed 1 almost all the time... its hard to heat the house fast that way.....

Your house may be different but faster blower speeds does not always equal better heating. In our case, it was actually the other way around. YMMV

 

[Case1030]

Well I confirm that its running on speed 1 almost all the time... its hard to heat the house fast that way.....

Your Caddy might be undersized for your house or possibly expecting to much out of it. There are a few things you can do to improve the heat output though.

What size of house are you trying to heat? Duct sizes?
Furnace air intake location?
Wood quality and moisture content?
Are you getting secondary combustion?
How far away is your thermostat from the stove?
What is your plenum temp?

Would you be willing to put a tempurature controller and speed controller on your stove?

 

[Caddy]

Your house may be different but faster blower speeds does not always equal better heating. In our case, it was actually the other way around. YMMV

Ok ok but in my case when I get it to higher speed... its heat up the house faster So i prefer that way !

My house is 2 story and is 24x30.... the du ts were built when they installed the furnacd...

I was told, you can test the blower speed by heating up the rtd probe with a lighter !!??? I tried but it didn't change the blower speed !! I made it running on speed 6 when it "overheat'' with the lighter..... If anybody has the same furnace... can you try it ?? Thanks !

 

[Case1030]

Ok ok but in my case when I get it to higher speed... its heat up the house faster So i prefer that way !

My house is 2 story and is 24x30.... the du ts were built when they installed the furnacd...

I was told, you can test the blower speed by heating up the rtd probe with a lighter !!??? I tried but it didn't change the blower speed !! I made it running on speed 6 when it "overheat'' with the lighter..... If anybody has the same furnace... can you try it ?? Thanks !

Didn't really answer the questions most of us need to accurately give you a proper idea of what's happening and if you can improve.

House size is only one detail... and sounds to me, including your basement, main level and 2nd story your looking at 1800 sqft. Which shouldn't be hard to heat at all being multiple level building.

 

[brenndatomu]

I tried but it didn't change the blower speed !! I made it running on speed 6 when it "overheat'' with the lighter.....

So it did change...or it did not?

 

[Caddy]

So it did change...or it did not?

It did only change to speed 6 when overheated !

 

[brenndatomu]

It did only change to speed 6 when overheated !

How many speeds are there? The Drolet products only have 4

 

[Caddy]

What size of house are you trying to heat? Duct sizes?
2 story house 24x30
Furnace air intake location?
The furnace is in the basement... there are air intake on each floors and the 1st has even 2 air intakes
Wood quality and moisture content?
Ash tree around 10 % moisture
Are you getting secondary combustion?
Yes
How far away is your thermostat from the stove?
The thermostat is on the first floor away from any heating and sunlight
What is your plenum temp?
It always depends how long the damper stay on... but let's say around 70-80 degree celcious

Would you be willing to put a tempurature controller and speed controller on your stove?
Eventually if not able so solve the problem !

 

[Caddy]

How many speeds are there? The Drolet products only have 4

Here is whats written in the installation manual

16.5.1. DISTRIBUTION FAN SPEEDS
Your furnace is equipped with a 4-speed blower. Using the central processing unit, we have created 6 functional speeds.
1 Blower speed #1 using 90V 900
2 Blower speed #1 using 115V 1135
3 Blower speed #2 using 98V 1400
4 Blower speed #2 using 115V 1685
5 Blower speed #3 using 115V 1790
6 Blower speed #4 using 115V 1900

NOTE: When heating with wood, the fan distribution speeds are programmed in order to provide the best thermal exchange and cannot be changed

 

[sloeffle]

Have you called PSG and asked for their advice on how to troubleshoot your problem ? To me, it sounds like the temperature probe is either not working correctly or was not setup correctly.

Is this a new problem or has the furnace always stayed on speed one ?

 

[Case1030]

What size of house are you trying to heat? Duct sizes?
2 story house 24x30
Furnace air intake location?
The furnace is in the basement... there are air intake on each floors and the 1st has even 2 air intakes
Wood quality and moisture content?
Ash tree around 10 % moisture
Are you getting secondary combustion?
Yes
How far away is your thermostat from the stove?
The thermostat is on the first floor away from any heating and sunlight
What is your plenum temp?
It always depends how long the damper stay on... but let's say around 70-80 degree celcious

Would you be willing to put a tempurature controller and speed controller on your stove?
Eventually if not able so solve the problem !

If your plenum is at 70-80 celcius with damper open your fan speed should definitely be kicking up a few speeds.

Go to your board under the troubleshoot setting and test your fan speeds manually. You should be able to try every fanspeed.

On my tundra I'm able to hold down +and- for about 3 seconds to access the low end menu of fan speeds 1-4.

The menu is only able to test each fanspeed. It won't stay on the selected setting indefinitely.

 

[Caddy]

Have you called PSG and asked for their advice on how to troubleshoot your problem ? To me, it sounds like the temperature probe is either not working correctly or was not setup correctly.

Is this a new problem or has the furnace always stayed on speed one ?

Yes I called PSG and they make me replaced the link board..... at least it s not overheating now !

I think its new !! Not sure... i had other problem before so I was using the electric element of the furnace

 

[Caddy]

If your plenum is at 70-80 celcius with damper open your fan speed should definitely be kicking up a few speeds.

Go to your board under the troubleshoot setting and test your fan speeds manually. You should be able to try every fanspeed.

On my tundra I'm able to hold down +and- for about 3 seconds to access the low end menu of fan speeds 1-4.

The menu is only able to test each fanspeed. It won't stay on the selected setting indefinitely.

 

[Caddy]

Yes I tested all the fan speeds... they all work fine !!

 

[Case1030]

Yes I tested all the fan speeds... they all work fine !!

Well that's quite strange... they all work but, number 6 blower kicks on only when the stove overheats?

Above you said the stove no longer overheats now after changing the link board. So what actually changed then if the fan still doesn't gear up when plenum is at 80c?