Kuma -- Tamarack LE

[upthecrik]

Howdy folks-
Well, one week in and I am duly impressed. All About Chimneys just installed THE VERY FIRST new Catalytic Tamarack to be sold to a noncommercial customer. 2600 sq. foot home split upstairs and downstairs. It’s not really too cold up here in N. Idaho yet, but I’m only going through about 6 chunks of crappy Ponderosa (yeah, yeah ... I know. I had to knock some trees down on my property and figured I’d use it up) mixed with the occasional birch. I knocked a little hole under my hearth and covered it with a register to get cold air flowing up out of the basement and circulating down the stairwell. And while yes, the upstairs will keep you in your shirtsleeves, the basement is staying comfortable too around 65 degrees. I’ll let you know when we get below zero, but for now, that little stove is basically heating our entire home.

Kuma ... you’re doing things right! Good to see a little USA company kicking a$$ and taking names.

 

[Highbeam]

Howdy folks-
Well, one week in and I am duly impressed. All About Chimneys just installed THE VERY FIRST new Catalytic Tamarack to be sold to a noncommercial customer. 2600 sq. foot home split upstairs and downstairs. It’s not really too cold up here in N. Idaho yet, but I’m only going through about 6 chunks of crappy Ponderosa (yeah, yeah ... I know. I had to knock some trees down on my property and figured I’d use it up) mixed with the occasional birch. I knocked a little hole under my hearth and covered it with a register to get cold air flowing up out of the basement and circulating down the stairwell. And while yes, the upstairs will keep you in your shirtsleeves, the basement is staying comfortable too around 65 degrees. I’ll let you know when we get below zero, but for now, that little stove is basically heating our entire home.

Kuma ... you’re doing things right! Good to see a little USA company kicking a$$ and taking names.

a little photo would be great. Can you see the cat glow?

 

[upthecrik]

a little photo would be great. Can you see the cat glow?

Yup. You can see it glow all right. Gonna fire it up here in about an hour after being at work all day. I just don’t need to yet b/c the house is still comfy. I’ve been starting a fire in the morning, and one at night, because I’m trying to use up a bunch of old wood that was cut to 18 in. left on the property we bought about a year and a half ago. The firebox only takes 16 in. straight on, so I can’t really load it diagonal with two chunks for now -- as you’ll note in the pic I’ll post.

That said, it isn’t out by long b/c I leave at around 8am, and when I get home at 4pm everything is burned to dust and the house is still nice and comfortable. I should be able to carry it all day once I start using the 16’s and can load up the box. Also, as mentioned, the cold hasn’t really set in yet and it would be a waste to try and carry the fire all day.

 

[upthecrik]

Yup. You can see it glow all right. Gonna fire it up here in about an hour after being at work all day. I just don’t need to yet b/c the house is still comfy. I’ve been starting a fire in the morning, and one at night, because I’m trying to use up a bunch of old wood that was cut to 18 in. left on the property we bought about a year and a half ago. The firebox only takes 16 in. straight on, so I can’t really load it diagonal with two chunks for now -- as you’ll note in the pic I’ll post.

That said, it isn’t out by long b/c I leave at around 8am, and when I get home at 4pm everything is burned to dust and the house is still nice and comfortable. I should be able to carry it all day once I start using the 16’s and can load up the box. Also, as mentioned, the cold hasn’t really set in yet and it would be a waste to try and carry the fire all day.

There you go. Pics uploaded

 

[upthecrik]

Yup. You can see it glow all right. Gonna fire it up here in about an hour after being at work all day. I just don’t need to yet b/c the house is still comfy. I’ve been starting a fire in the morning, and one at night, because I’m trying to use up a bunch of old wood that was cut to 18 in. left on the property we bought about a year and a half ago. The firebox only takes 16 in. straight on, so I can’t really load it diagonal with two chunks for now -- as you’ll note in the pic I’ll post.

That said, it isn’t out by long b/c I leave at around 8am, and when I get home at 4pm everything is burned to dust and the house is still nice and comfortable. I should be able to carry it all day once I start using the 16’s and can load up the box. Also, as mentioned, the cold hasn’t really set in yet and it would be a waste to try and carry the fire all day.

If anyone wonders why the right side of the Cat isn’t lit up ... I forgot to lock the door down all the way. Still had it cracked a bit from about 30 mins earlier when I lit it off.

Doh!!

 

[upthecrik]

If anyone wonders why the right side of the Cat isn’t lit up ... I forgot to lock the door down all the way. Still had it cracked a bit from about 30 mins earlier when I lit it off.

Doh!!

Here’s a pic of her really doing her thing, full damper. Just a long hot glow.

 

[moresnow]

Should be interesting to see what kind of burn times you can accomplish. What kind of primary air control is it equipped with?

 

[upthecrik]

Should be interesting to see what kind of burn times you can accomplish. What kind of primary air control is it equipped with?

Good question, to which I don’t have a good answer. The adjustment on the lower right slides in and out to about 16 in. allowing more or less passive airflow. No blower fan or anything. But with it wide open it cooks. There is also an ash pan underneath that I open briefly when starting it up. With both open it essentially creates an inferno. I close the ash pan as soon as I hear it beginning to ping, at which point, it’s right at the point on the temp gauge to kick in the catalytic. I then slowly reduce the air flow adjustment until I’ve got it in mid-range on the temp gauge and then close it pretty much all the way down and let it simmer on the catalytic.

 

[moresnow]

Good question, to which I don’t have a good answer. The adjustment on the lower right slides in and out to about 16 in. allowing more or less passive airflow. No blower fan or anything. But with it wide open it cooks. There is also an ash pan underneath that I open briefly when starting it up. With both open it essentially creates an inferno. I close the ash pan as soon as I hear it beginning to ping, at which point, it’s right at the point on the temp gauge to kick in the catalytic. I then slowly reduce the air flow adjustment until I’ve got it in mid-range on the temp gauge and then close it pretty much all the way down and let it simmer on the catalytic.

16 inch adjustment? Really? Guessing a typo!
No offense, but using the ash pan door to start ("Inferno", "ping") a fresh load is generally considered bad practice as it can lead to a overfire situation with potentially damaging results. Not trying to preach but I'd bet that your Kuma operators manual will say not to do that! Definitely worth researching. Hate to hear about a brand new stove being damaged.
Sounds like you are getting the fine tune figured out for the low burn Cat rate. I am still interested in knowing how long a full load will go? Thanks for the update!

 

[SpaceBus]

I wouldn't recommend opening the ash pan door to start a fire or while you have a fire burning. You can quickly mess up a stove or yourself doing that. Someone on here described the rush of under fire air as "forge like conditions".

 

[upthecrik]

I wouldn't recommend opening the ash pan door to start a fire or while you have a fire burning. You can quickly mess up a stove or yourself doing that. Someone on here described the rush of under fire air as "forge like conditions".

No. I get it. I’ve never had it open any longer than enough to get the kindling to kick off.

 

[heavy hammer]

Great to see another Kuma owner I have the Sequoia. Let us know how things go over the course of the burn year. Nice stove.

 

[CRN]

Hello, Do you have news about the time of burn and satisfaction please?

 

[upthecrik]

Hello, Do you have news about the time of burn and satisfacion please?

Very satisfied. I’ve only had to “start” maybe 5 fires in the past 2 months. We load it up around 9pm before bedtime and it is always still nice and warm with some coals left to stoke it up in the morning around 5am. So, an 8hr burn time, which seems about right because even on the coldest days this winter we never filled it more than 3 times in 24 hrs.

And with the CAT kicked in, you barely even know there is smoke coming out your chimney.
Yup. Very satisfied and would recommend to anyone seeking to heat up to about 1500 sq ft. Any bigger area I’d bump up to the Aspen model.

 

[CRN]

Hello,
thanks for reply
is good for a Firebox Size: 1.8 ft3
I think Firebox Size: 2.5 ft3 is the best!

 

[Woody Stover]

I wouldn't recommend opening the ash pan door to start a fire

No. I get it. I’ve never had it open any longer than enough to get the kindling to kick off.

That's great, until you space out and get stove parts glowing. If you insist on this risky operational approach, at least use your phone timer..
From the manual;
5.NEVER OPERATE THE STOVE WITH THE ASH DRAWER REMOVED OR OPENED.
They don't say that for no reason..

Hello, Do you have news about the time of burn and satisfacion please?

Burn time isn't going to be very long at high output, with that size firebox. Not sure how low you can cut the air to stretch the burn..
If you've got a small house it might work pretty well. Not sure what normal house size and material used is in Italy; I'd be interested to hear more. I'm envisioning a stucco house..?? On a steep slope.
How da hell you gonna get a stove made in ID to Italy??

 

[Woody Stover]

I’ve only had to “start” maybe 5 fires in the past 2 months. We load it up around 9pm before bedtime and it is always still nice and warm with some coals left to stoke it up in the morning around 5am. So, an 8hr burn time, which seems about right because even on the coldest days this winter we never filled it more than 3 times in 24 hrs...Very satisfied and would recommend to anyone seeking to heat up to about 1500 sq ft

I see this stove is a hybrid; How low can you burn it? Can you cut the air low and get a low, cat-only burn? You still burning Pine?
You say 2500 sq.ft....is that like 1250 basement and 1250 upstairs? What's the level of insulation and air-sealing? Hard to believe that heat goes down to the basement..heat usually rises.

 

[CRN]

Hello, Yes I'm from Italy and I do not speak and understand well Englis
I sell in Italy BK and Regency ProSeries and Pacific Energy too and TN20...
Regency PRO is my favorite today ... and is a very similar system of KUMA LE in combustion system+ termical emissions...

We have new regulation very very restrictive on pollution...
and I think now that Kuma LE can reach the top ECOLOGY LEVELS.

I need of Kuma Firebox Size: 2.5 ft3 for Italian Market...
I'm very serius.. but really Kuma do not respond to my requests
COULD YOU HELP ME to obtain a serious contact with KUMA, please?


We have concrete brick houses... old houses NOT insulated... new buildigs VERY well insulated.
I use a special Stove in the big NON insulated house 40kw/h of power about 20 hours burn time



inside wood combustion chamber + heat exchanger



in house with medium energy-consuming from 100 to 230 square meters
are very good the big stoves Regency F5100 for example
but I need for medium house of KUMA 2.5 inserts and stoves
and for littlest house of Kuma 1.8

 

[Woody Stover]

sell in Italy BK and Regency ProSeries and Pacific Energy too and TN20...
Regency PRO is my favorite today ... and is a very similar system of KUMA LE in combustion system+ termical emissions...
We have new regulation very very restrictive on pollution...
and I think now that Kuma LE can reach the top ECOLOGY LEVELS.
I need of Kuma Firebox Size: 2.5 ft3 for Italian Market...COULD YOU HELP ME to obtain a serious contact with KUMA, please?

I think Jason's username here is @kuma.jason
I tagged him, so maybe he will see this post..
When you tried to contact him, it's possible that he didn't understand exactly what you were asking.
It sounds to me that you are looking for a medium-heat stove, and a 2.5 cu.ft. stove may do the job, depending on the layout and construction of the house. But with un-insulated concrete walls absorbing heat from the stove, more heat from the stove is needed.
Are you saying that you now heat your house with this?
"I use a special Stove in the big NON insulated house 40kw/h of power about 20 hours burn time
inside wood combustion chamber + heat exchanger"
If so, that is a very high output stove, much higher than any free-standing stove that I know of.

 

[CRN]

I think Jason's username here is @kuma.jason
I tagged him, so maybe he will see this post..

Many thanks , Yesterday Kuma contacted me on phone... they will write email... I hope to start quickly with Kuma.
Very kind, Thank you very much !!

 

[CRN]

In my house concrete wall 1100 foot square I have F3500 Regency,
For the Houses concrete wall and poor insulation From 1000 to 2200 foot square I need F5100 Regency.
For Houses concrete and poor insulation From 2000 to 4000 foot square I need of the "big monster 40kw/h" for best performance.
Kuma will be optimal I think from about 600 to 1300 foot square... but may be they will have biggest stove than F2500 in future for Italian biggest house.
Sorry for my bad English...
and thanks again!
Most of the European wood stoves have only 1 hours of burn time... no more... we can not solve the problems of heating houses with Italian products !

 

[Mech e]

I bet the Italian products are pretty though!

 

[CRN]

I bet the Italian products are pretty though!

I personally think that European products are more refined and aesthetics than Canadians and Americans

 

[Mech e]

You have had many more centuries to refine your skills.

 

[CRN]

may be... I do not know...
there are many reasons ...
especially women look a lot to aesthetics ... but they risk losing the real sense of a stove:
a heating system must heat well and for a long time with moderate consumption ... Having a nice stove and being cold doesn't seem like a good result for a heating product!
Being able to have everything: diffused and long-lasting warmth and beautiful aesthetics would be the best.