Caddy Install

[tobes]

Hello,
I just installed a caddy wood/electric furnace and have a flue pipe question I hope someone can help with. From the furnace I have used an adjustable single wall elbow, to a single wall tee (with barometric damper), to a telescopic double wall length, to a double wall 45 which connects to my through the wall 6" diameter 2"insulated chimney section. I read on the forum that in Canada I cannot interchange double and single wall. The Caddy manual recommends a barometric damper but I cant find a double wall tee with one, so I though I would interchange the pipe to accommodate a single wall one. Any suggestions what I should do ? I need the double wall to meet clearance requirements for the first few feet.

Thanks

 

[velvetfoot]

I have double wall dvl stove pipe with a double wall tee. The baro damper just plugged right into the tee. You buy the baro damper separately.
I'll try to post a (not current) picture:

 

[tobes]

Hmmm....what make of Baro is that ? I purchased a Baro at Home Hardware (probably a cheep version) and could not get it to fit.

 

[velvetfoot]

It's a fancy Euro one. I don't think it's really necessary. I would think an ordinary Field Controls baro should fit. I don't know why it wouldn't, but I'm no expert. Maybe Field Controls make several kind. They seem to sell them with collars, mostly? Maybe the R-C model can be removed from the collar and put into a 6" pipe. Why doesn't the one you got from HD fit.

 

[newyorker]

I just installed my caddy and didn't install a baro its burns great I just ordered a dwyer manometer to test draft just incase

 

[brenndatomu]

I don't know if they still make these, but I had a Fields baro on my old oil furnace that was installed in a "tee" fitting over top a hole cut in the side of the pipe. It was attached via a strap around the pipe. It was definitely a factory made piece, not cobbled up by the installer...

 

[brenndatomu]

I just installed my caddy and didn't install a baro its burns great I just ordered a dwyer manometer to test draft just incase

You may be surprised how much your draft goes up when it get cold and windy. It makes a dramatic difference in how your furnace burns...and for how long...good decision on the Dwyer

 

[Morganc08]

Hey quick question new to this forum thing as well as to the caddy. Just fired it up today for the first time using wood and was curious as to how often the blower should be on? It seems to be on more than it is off blowing air that isn't very warm. It only shuts off for about 5 minutes and is on for more any help or information would be greatly appreciated

 

[laynes69]

It all will depend on when the blower cycles. A normal fire won't put out raw btus, but more cruise for a while. Register temps won't be as hot as a central furnace (lp,oil,etc) but will run far more often. It's a steady supply of btus instead of an on off setup. Once heat is needed the damper will open and the furnace will produce more heat based on demand.

 

[Morganc08]

OK thank you. It was the damper that needed to be adjusted it wasn't fully closing

 

[newyorker]

laynes got my caddy operational and i am burning well seasoned ash and the secondary combustion is just plan amazing i couldn't be happier so far with the caddy im confident 15 below 30 mph winds and all ill need is a few sticks of wood to be warm

 

[newyorker]

if i just wire a on off switch to the damper motor will that override the thermostat for loading purposes?

 

[laynes69]

I just raise the thermostat a couple degrees, load then turn it down when things are burning well.

 

[newyorker]

yea thats what iv been doing but it would be nice to have a overide i spend alot of time in the basement

 

[laynes69]

Once you learn, things won't be so bad. I did that for a while till I figured out what I needed. When it gets cold, you can let the thermostat temp drop a degree or two and load. Once the thermostat is met it will close, that way you don't need to watch it. It's new, it will take a while to dial things in.

 

[newyorker]

Yea I understand I just meant I spend a lot of time in the basement because I have my workbench down their always doing something

 

[brenndatomu]

if i just wire a on off switch to the damper motor will that override the thermostat for loading purposes?

Something that I read about someone doing was to wire in a bathroom fan switch (you know, one of those 15 minute rotary dial jobbies) to override the 'stat after reloads. I thought that was a pretty good idea.

 

[newyorker]

yea that does seem like a good idea so what are your stack temps running i have been running low 300s or high 200s with small hot fires it seems low to me but im used to my old stove runnning 450 to 600

 

[laynes69]

When I came home from work, the furnace was burning with a 1/3 load or so. There was a nice secondary burn and the flue temps were reading 150 external. If the damper is open on a fresh load it will jump around 250 once the damper closes, those temps drop around 200 on a larger load. They run alot lower than than our old furnace. Was those temps with your damper open or closed?

 

[newyorker]

that is good to hear that is with them open this thing really extracts the btus

 

[laynes69]

Yeah they will run higher with the damper open.

 

[brenndatomu]

Yeah I have heard it said that as a general rule of thumb with modern secondary burn type fireboxes that they flip the numbers of the old stoves upside down. For example, if you had the old smoke dragon rockin at 400* stovetop and 600* pipe, a new stove would be 600* stovetop and 400* pipe. Of course with a furnace you have a much larger heat exchanger so I would think that this rule would apply even more so

 

[newyorker]

so does anyone use the little door to push their ashes in? i have yet to use it

 

[brenndatomu]

I have the same ash plug setup in my lil stove in the fireplace...it's never been out since the day I bought it

 

[laynes69]

It's a pita, but sometimes I do use it. Occasionally when the wife doesn't get everything cleaned out and I'm left with a large pile of coals and ash, I use it. In the mornings usually there's ash up from and the coalbed in the rear. I just scoop out the ash and pull the coals forward.