Newe Kuuma Vaporfire 100, love it

[Macandmall]

I bought a new Kumma vaporfire 100 last spring. I have used it for 2 months now and couldn't be happier. I live near Wisconsin Dells WI, we just went through some very cold windy conditions and it performed great. Temps down to -12 and 20-35 mph winds. I have left the fan on low and the temp control is at the low or at times, the 9 o'clock position. 1600 sq foot ranch, 20 years old. Furnace is in the insulated basement. Return air is 3' off the basement floor, not connected to the central return air ducting. Heated air is connected to the central air duct run. If the outside temp is 0 or above I can keep the inside temp at 70 or up to 76 if it's warmer outside, say 30. The coolest inside temp I saw was 66 one morning, That was -12 and very windy. I'm getting down to a small bed of coals after 11-12 hours from a full firebox load. My wood was seasoned 18 months and it was cut 16-18" for my old stove. Moisture is 12-14. I love the start it and leave it simplicity of operation. I previously had a Harmon Oakwood, and then a small Hearthstone soapstone. The Harmon really needed a lot of attention to get burning correctly, the Hearstone was easier, but still required supervision and both needed to be filled at 4-6 hours. I'm still learning how much wood to load to match the outside conditions. If the high temp for the day is going to be 30-40, I usually do not load it in the morning, the inside temp will drop from 73 to about 67. If I were to fill it in the morning on a day like that, It will get to 76 or more. I'm experimenting with a small load for a 30 degree day. Dale at Lampa has been very helpful, he sent a 95 degree snap switch which has kept the fan running all the time. The 105 switch would cycle the fan. The YouTube videos were essential for my installation, very helpful.

 

[brenndatomu]

Congrats Mac, good choice of a wood heater!
Interesting return air duct...if you want just a little more heat, extend that up a few more feet (as much as you can without getting too close to the supply duct) for most people there is often a 10* difference from the basement floor to the ceiling...the warmer the air going in the back, the warmer it is coming out the top.
If you are in the Dells you are very near @JRHAWK9 then.
Oh, and if your wood is 16-18" long, make sure to load it within an inch of the front...it makes a difference!

 

[JRHAWK9]

Congrats! Yeah, you must be real close to us! We are near Christmas Mountain.

 

[woodey]

Nice setup.

 

[JRHAWK9]

My wood was seasoned 18 months and it was cut 16-18" for my old stove. Moisture is 12-14.

What species of wood? EMC by us is ~15%. Are you checking it in the middle on the face of a fresh split? Testing the end grain or on a surface which has been exposed for awhile won't be accurate.

 

[lampmfg]

I love to read this and appreciate you sharing it!

 

[mikieb]

Macandmall I have a question.... was that a 95 degree Celsius snap switch ??​

 

[brenndatomu]

Macandmall I have a question.... was that a 95 degree Celsius snap switch ??​

No, fahrenheit...turns on sooner, off later

 

[Micdrew]

Nice set up you got there I agree with the above comment of extending that return ducting higher, I also found weighing the wood before loading is a better method then just throwing logs into the furnace, it takes a little time but after a couple weeks I could figure out how many pounds to load for the weather conditions I can keep my house consistently between 70-74 whether it’s warm or cold outside.

 

[brenndatomu]

I also found weighing the wood before loading is a better method then just throwing logs into the furnace, it takes a little time but after a couple weeks I could figure out how many pounds to load for the weather conditions I can keep my house consistently between 70-74 whether it’s warm or cold outside.

As long as your wood is consistently dry, its a reliable way too load.

 

[Macandmall]

Macandmall I have a question.... was that a 95 degree Celsius snap switch ??​

It is 95 degree Fahrenheit, it senses the heat at the top of the plenum, and sends power to the fan. If the temp drops below 95, it cuts power to the fan.

 

[Macandmall]

Nice set up you got there I agree with the above comment of extending that return ducting higher, I also found weighing the wood before loading is a better method then just throwing logs into the furnace, it takes a little time but after a couple weeks I could figure out how many pounds to load for the weather conditions I can keep my house consistently between 70-74 whether it’s warm or cold outside.

My brother weighs his wood to bring the water temp up to 190? for his water reservoir system. he has a chart for the pounds it takes at different starting temps

 

[Macandmall]

What species of wood? EMC by us is ~15%. Are you checking it in the middle on the face of a fresh split? Testing the end grain or on a surface which has been exposed for awhile won't be accurate.

I'm straight east of ho chunk, here is a fresh split on a piece of black cherry. the guide for the meter suggests 2 different settings for cherry/apple, they have different results. I have black walnut, American elm, red oak. I had split them small to use in my Hearthstone, so maybe they dried out more. Also, stacked and covered with tin for 18 months.

 

[brenndatomu]

I'm straight east of ho chunk, here is a fresh split on a piece of black cherry. the guide for the meter suggests 2 different settings for cherry/apple, they have different results. I have black walnut, American elm, red oak. I had split them small to use in my Hearthstone, so maybe they dried out more. Also, stacked and covered with tin for 18 months.

View attachment 306774 View attachment 306775

I'm saying that meter reads about 3% low...

 

[Macandmall]

Here's another shot of the cold return, it's 40" above the floor. My son works for NAMI, he had them build it for me. They are a commercial HVAC company

 

[brenndatomu]

Here's another shot of the cold return, it's 40" above the floor. My son works for NAMI, he had them build it for me. They are a commercial HVAC company

View attachment 306777

Very nice!
I made my own return air drop, it turned out nice, but not that nice!

 

[JRHAWK9]

Here's another shot of the cold return, it's 40" above the floor. My son works for NAMI, he had them build it for me. They are a commercial HVAC company

View attachment 306777

Wonder if he'd be willing to make one for me? I've been using one I made out of Home Depot cardboard boxes for many years now. I never heard back from the couple of HVAC guys I had come to take a look at what I wanted. Mines in a much tighter space though, as it's up against the basement wall.

 

[Macandmall]

I'm saying that meter reads about 3% low...

could be

 

[Macandmall]

Wonder if he'd be willing to make one for me? I've been using one I made out of Home Depot cardboard boxes for many years now. I never heard back from the couple of HVAC guys I had come to take a look at what I wanted. Mines in a much tighter space though, as it's up against the basement wall.

I can give you a contact # if you want to check

 

[Wood1Dennis]

Here's another shot of the cold return, it's 40" above the floor. My son works for NAMI, he had them build it for me. They are a commercial HVAC company

View attachment 306777

Very nice setup.
I am curious, why not connect the cold air return into the house duct system so you take your air right off the floor upstairs? If it is an option.

 

[Macandmall]

Very nice setup.
I am curious, why not connect the cold air return into the house duct system so you take your air right off the floor upstairs? If it is an option.

I thought I would give this a try first. My cold air run would have to be extended 15 feet, and it's only 8X20", that only 160 square inches. I would expect it needs to be 200 square inches? to match the 200 square inches of the hot air duct. My house has an open stairway from the basement to the center of the of the main floor. The cold air flows down the stairway nicely

 

[Wood1Dennis]

Got it, sounds like it works for you so probably no need.
Congrats on a nice setup and a great furnace. I'm partial to the wood burning furnace option. Love mine.

 

[Highbeam]

Very nice setup.
I am curious, why not connect the cold air return into the house duct system so you take your air right off the floor upstairs? If it is an option.

The more you interact with the home furnace ducting system the greater the risk of weird things happening like the house furnace might pump heated air through the cold wood furnace backwards.

Ideally, two totally separate systems.

 

[brenndatomu]

The more you interact with the home furnace ducting system the greater the risk of weird things happening like the house furnace might pump heated air through the cold wood furnace backwards.

Ideally, two totally separate systems.

Not if installed correctly...that's what dampers are for.

 

[Wood1Dennis]

My set-up uses the furnace fan, in series with the gas furnace. The same fan runs the gas furnace, AC, wood furnace using the same ducts. It has been a great system, no complaints!