Dumping heat with a Drolet Tundra

[jacksnipe]

I have been looking at buying a new Drolet Tundra for a 36x 52 shop in NW WI. The shop has no ducting for furnace use, probably won't in the future. The question is would it be OK to dump the heat using two of the top outlets with 90 degree elbows with the filter box installed. It would not be ideal, but the shop is only used on weekends for personal use. I have read many posts here & on AS about the cracking along the door, can this be verified as being fixed by Drolet. I'm holding off buying this until I'm sure it will stand up for years instead of months.

 

[laynes69]

It will be fine with two outlets off the top. If your unsure of whether they have fixed things or not, contact SBI and ask them.

 

[brenndatomu]

I would say that setup should work fine.

I emailed SBI about their problems recently as my sister had just bought a new Tundra right before the cracking issues came to light. I did not want to go to all the trouble of draggin their old furnace out and installing the Tundra only to have it crack in a year or two. SBI claimed that everything is A-OK as long as the Tundra is installed and used as it was intended. One thing they addressed specifically was people not setting up their chimney correctly (draft setting) or heating an area that is too big for the Tundra to keep up with, which keeps the intake open too long if the thermostat is not satisfied. We went ahead with the install but I guess I am not 100% convinced the Tundras are really "fixed" so I will install a temp controller (as mentioned by @3fordasho in the thread https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/everything-drolet-tundra-heatmax.140788/) and some other preventative measures too. I will post the details in that thread once I am done.

Another idea for you, if you are game, would be to contact one of these guys that have received a warranty credit from SBI because of issues with their Tundra cracking. It seems SBI usually credits you your purchase price, allows you to keep the furnace to do with what you will. (the serial # is removed and returned to SBI so that the furnace is now "un-certified") I know several people have mentioned using their warrantied Tundras for garage heating duties or just selling it cheap to someone that wants a project. There very well may be someone near you.

I work with a couple certified boiler welders, they seemed to think it would be no problem for a good welder to repair the cracks on one of these things. The other thing is, no one has reported the cracking affecting the performance of the furnace. It may be that once they crack and the internal stresses are relieved, no further issues? A garage install would be the perfect application to test this theory.

Even if you would rather just go ahead and install a new one, it is almost no risk for you because of your intended use/placement.
1. Easy to get in place.
2. Not really any duct work to fool with.
3. SBI refunds your money if it does crack, which would likely not happen for a long time, if at all, because of only using it "part time".
4. Easy access to a welder (if you have one)

One thing to check into before installing a wood burner in your garage is to make sure your insurance company will allow it. Many will not due to the possibility of gas fumes, etc.

(@laynes69, haven't forgot about you, still haven't seen my neighbor to ask about his tank though...)

 

[STIHLY DAN]

If you have been reading the tundra threads, why would you even consider one? seriously.

 

[DoubleB]

If you have been reading the tundra threads, why would you even consider one? seriously.

I've been reading and writing the tundra threads, and I'm even seriously considering another one, for the reasons Brennatomu wrote 2 posts above. I'm even considering a Caddy or Max Caddy since SBI has taken good care of me.

To the OP, I actually haven't seen an indication that SBI has changed anything to their design that would prevent the cracking. So that's too bad. However, I now have a free furnace in my basement, and (for reasons I've described in the other threads) I believe that the cracking can be halted and/or avoided with a new furnace with a combination of:

1. Don't use the thermostat until the wood has mostly off-gassed.
2. Use an over-temp control.
3. Add firebrick to the front of the furnace.

I certainly wouldn't expect new owners to do these things to a new furnace. But in my situation, I have to modify everything else in this old house to keep it running anyways, why not the furnace too? Really though, since I am so familiar with the furnace now, the above steps are a small price to pay for an inexpensive furnace that ended up being free for me and performs quite well. I understand that it doesn't work like that for everyone's situation, of course.