flue pipe heat reclaimer?? (magic heat)

[hyattpeters]

I was just wondering if anyone has used one of these flue pipe heat relcaimers?? What are your thoughts on this product does it work?? Is it worth spending $200.00 on. Installs into flue of your wood, oil or coal furnace or heater, Magic Heat™ Reclaimer consists of 10 heat-exchanger tubes and a thermostatically controlled fan to blow warmed air into the room. Turns on at 150° and off at 110°F. 115 Volts. Produces 225 CFM and 8000 to 30,000 BTU. Peak performance is maintained by the use of Flue Stove Pipe cleaner

 

[MCPO]

Ive seen these used even on a oil burner system and making their owners happy for the free cellar heat.
Most users are probably blind to any negative side effects it could present if not properly maintained.
I`m not sure they are approved anywhere though .
In both theory and actual practice they definitely work as advertised. I`ve seen and experienced the heat from them.

 

[Northwoodsman]

I have an EKO40 system and actually installed one of these heat reclaimers (or so they say) in my 8" flue pipe. What I found is that the EKO40 boilers are so efficient at transfering heat into the water (where I want it) instead of the chimney (where I don't want it) that my heat reclaimer does not turn on very often because it never gets hot enough.

I measured the inside temp on on of the heat reclaimer tubes with my IR heat gun and it measured 150F when the boiler was in full gasifiaction mode.

I was amazed at how cool the actual air temp was leaving through the flue.

I then proceeded to stick my hand up the flue pipe (I have a T with removable bottom cap) and over the end of the flue exhaust on the EKO40 while it was in full gasification mode and when I removed my hand all fingers and skin were still intact - TRY THAT WITH AN OWB or normal wood stove!

NWM

 

[karri0n]

Actually in a popular cat stove he does exactly that in one of the demo videos. You can probably still find that thread in the Hearth room. That you can't do with a non-cat.

 

[hyattpeters]

but they can be tricky so
describe your total setup from stove to chimney top in detail & i'll tell u what i think.

Well i Have a NTI Boiler that is two years old in a new house, it is a dutch oven style or "wetlegged boiler " not a gassifer like most of you have here, it works great i love it but i find i run high flue temps like any where from 400* to 750-800*I burn dry maple and alot of dry scrap wood as i work at a wood moulding shop .i hate to see all that wasted heat going straight up my flue! So back to my system my flue pipe exits the top of my boiler at 8" and then reduces down to 7" up 18" then a 90* turn and goes horizontal another 20" before entering 25' of 7" stainless steel factory built flue . I have no creasote like none i have went to clean my flue three times now and it has been a waste of time and thats with 16-18 cord over the last two winters. if this heat reclaimer is not the tool for the job is there something else i can do to keep the heat in the boiler??

 

[MCPO]

I have an EKO40 system and actually installed one of these heat reclaimers (or so they say) in my 8" flue pipe. What I found is that the EKO40 boilers are so efficient at transfering heat into the water (where I want it) instead of the chimney (where I don't want it) that my heat reclaimer does not turn on very often because it never gets hot enough.

I measured the inside temp on on of the heat reclaimer tubes with my IR heat gun and it measured 150F when the boiler was in full gasifiaction mode.

I was amazed at how cool the actual air temp was leaving through the flue.

I then proceeded to stick my hand up the flue pipe (I have a T with removable bottom cap) and over the end of the flue exhaust on the EKO40 while it was in full gasification mode and when I removed my hand all fingers and skin were still intact - TRY THAT WITH AN OWB or normal wood stove!

NWM

Why would anyone who uses a EKO40 system want to use a Magic Heat reclaimer unit ?
These MH reclaimers are specifically marketed to those folks who feel thay can utilize the wasted heat from their inefficient heat systems that send more heat up the flue than they should.

 

[Dune]

but they can be tricky so
describe your total setup from stove to chimney top in detail & i'll tell u what i think.

Well i Have a NTI Boiler that is two years old in a new house, it is a dutch oven style or "wetlegged boiler " not a gassifer like most of you have here, it works great i love it but i find i run high flue temps like any where from 400* to 750-800*I burn dry maple and alot of dry scrap wood as i work at a wood moulding shop .i hate to see all that wasted heat going straight up my flue! So back to my system my flue pipe exits the top of my boiler at 8" and then reduces down to 7" up 18" then a 90* turn and goes horizontal another 20" before entering 25' of 7" stainless steel factory built flue . I have no creasote like none i have went to clean my flue three times now and it has been a waste of time and thats with 16-18 cord over the last two winters. if this heat reclaimer is not the tool for the job is there something else i can do to keep the heat in the boiler??

Sound perfect for you. I had a 6" unit for my Tempwood, but after it rusted out, I converted the stove into a boiler and never looked back. My pipe temp is seldom above 200F so I am not losing much anyway.

 

[stee6043]

I have an EKO40 system and actually installed one of these heat reclaimers (or so they say) in my 8" flue pipe. What I found is that the EKO40 boilers are so efficient at transfering heat into the water (where I want it) instead of the chimney (where I don't want it) that my heat reclaimer does not turn on very often because it never gets hot enough.

I measured the inside temp on on of the heat reclaimer tubes with my IR heat gun and it measured 150F when the boiler was in full gasifiaction mode.

I was amazed at how cool the actual air temp was leaving through the flue.

I then proceeded to stick my hand up the flue pipe (I have a T with removable bottom cap) and over the end of the flue exhaust on the EKO40 while it was in full gasification mode and when I removed my hand all fingers and skin were still intact - TRY THAT WITH AN OWB or normal wood stove!

NWM

You're only running 150 degrees on your exhaust temps??? Seems VERY low to me? My EKO 40 is not really crankin' until I have at least 400 degrees on the flue pipe (measured with external thermometer). I can't even think about closing my doors and turning on the fan with anything below 200 degrees....you sure you're not measuring degrees celcius? ha. Sounds like you must be doing something right if you really are extracting that much heat before the flue.....

 

[Tarmsolo60]

Be aware that condensing flue gases will harm your boiler. I wouldn't run at 150.