PSG Max Caddy

[vic]

I would like to know of peoples experiences with the max caddy or caddy. I have a 2400 sq ft home not counting the basement. I'm interested in burn times and efficiency(wood usage/cords) of furnace. Would this furnace be large enough to heat my home? I have a forced air lp furnace now. I was going to connect to the duct work. I'm also concerned about power loss. Will the stove function without power? My wife doesn't like the looks of the max caddy but the reviews all seem to be good. Any and all information would be appreciated! Thank you>

 

[newyorker]

I have a new well insulated 2200 sq ft house and I'm going to buy the caddy with a blower I have heard so many good things about them

 

[vic]

I have a new well insulated 2200 sq ft house and I'm going to buy the caddy with a blower I have heard so many good things about them

Do you have any idea how long the burn times will be with the caddy? I thought about the caddy but I don't want to be under sized. Thanks.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I don't have any experience with the Caddy or Max Caddy (except with what I have found doing my own research), but you also may want to throw in the Kuuma Vapor Fire 100 into the mix. I too am in the market to add an add-on wood furnace and I too was also looking at the Caddy's along with the larger Kuuma. I'm pretty sure I'm going the Kuuma route when I decide to do it.

 

[newyorker]

I've got all my info off this site and I would say from other ppls experience 7-8 hours heat with a few more with coals im sure others would chime in I was thinking max caddy but my lp furnace is a 2 stage 60k and it has never run on high so its always on 40k and the caddy is a constant 69k so it should heat me out as the kuuma 100 is bad azz but I can buy a caddy for just about half

 

[laynes69]

Your winters aren't as harsh as the winters here in Ohio. I have a 2500 sqft Victorian (2 story, 10' ceilings) plus the basement. The Caddy heats well for us until it drops -10 and below if it's windy. I didn't have the clearances, or I'd have the Max Caddy. This winter has been hard on us and we've burned almost 6 cord, but our home is drafty and we have over 40 windows. This would have been a 12 cord winter with the old furnace. As we tighten up our home, our burntimes increase. In the teens with good hardwood, I can keep the house at 70-72 after 10 hours. Today, it was in the 30's, and a half load kept the house warm for 9 or 10 hours with cherry. I finally put a few pieces in it, or it would have gone out. How well is your home insulated, and how tight is it?

 

[vic]

Your winters aren't as harsh as the winters here in Ohio. I have a 2500 sqft Victorian (2 story, 10' ceilings) plus the basement. The Caddy heats well for us until it drops -10 and below if it's windy. I didn't have the clearances, or I'd have the Max Caddy. This winter has been hard on us and we've burned almost 6 cord, but our home is drafty and we have over 40 windows. This would have been a 12 cord winter with the old furnace. As we tighten up our home, our burntimes increase. In the teens with good hardwood, I can keep the house at 70-72 after 10 hours. Today, it was in the 30's, and a half load kept the house warm for 9 or 10 hours with cherry. I finally put a few pieces in it, or it would have gone out. How well is your home insulated, and how tight is it?

Our home built in 2005 is well insulated 2x6 walls with Pella windows. We have a open fireplace in family room that heats our house on the cold days to 74 on the first level and keeps the upstairs in the mid 60's. I think the caddy would be good I would just like the longer burn times of the max caddy. but if your getting 9-10 hours that's great. the open fireplace is so inefficient and would never use unless we our home. thanks

 

[laynes69]

You shouldn't have a problem seeing 8-10 hours or more per load then. Your in much better shape than we are.

 

[newyorker]

Well I just ordered a caddy with blower will be here in 7-10 days I won't do install till spring I have to do some research in dampers for my A coil thanks laynes I bought it mostley for your rave reviews hopefully next winter it treats me good I have 6 cords split and stacked I hope it will be dry but the next year I will be in better shape

 

[newyorker]

Laynes do you think the stack would heat a 3/8 water coil maybe fifty foot or so wrapped around it will a shield or would that effect effiency

 

[laynes69]

Congrats! Unfortunately, I wouldn't run a coil around the flue pipe. The temperatures run low in the 200 to 250 range on the flue. If you put a coil around the pipe, you will bring those numbers down. There has to be some heat to produce a draft for he furnace, as well as keep the chimney warm.

 

[newyorker]

I have a inside 18 ft 6inch metalbestos chimney I live in the middle of a field 50 mph winds tonight never had a problem with draft will I have to buy a baro and put it in or will it work fine or just have to wait and see

 

[sloeffle]

I have a inside 18 ft 6inch metalbestos chimney I live in the middle of a field 50 mph winds tonight never had a problem with draft will I have to buy a baro and put it in or will it work fine or just have to wait and see

Any wood burning furnace should have a baro. I ran my Caddy the first year without one and my burn times were definitely shorter.

I heat a 2200 sq ft ranch with my Caddy when temps are below 30. We usually burn around 2 cord a year.

 

[newyorker]

Sorry for my lack of knowledge what is the tool you use to check draft and does the fire have to be going? Oh and how do you like the caddy

 

[sloeffle]

A lot of folks run a Dwyer Series Mark II manometer inline and then adjust the damper as needed. I still need to get one. I adjusted mine "by feel", but I doubt it is correct.

No complaints about the furnace and the efficiency of the unit. Most of the time you will not even see smoke come out of the chimney unless you idling. Make sure that your wood is properly seasoned. I season mine for two years. It does not like wet wood.

My only complaint is the blower noise. The front of the cabinet is insulated but the back is not. It probably would take two more dollars worth of insulation to do that. And that would probably knock down some of the noise.

I can barely hear my geo furnace run so maybe I am setting the bar a little high.

 

[newyorker]

With geo why even run the caddy electric expensive?

 

[newyorker]

Hey laynes do you work for PSG I was just wondering what the limited lift time warranty covers

 

[laynes69]

Lol, I'm just a consumer. As far as I know it covers welds. Other things like the baffle and tubes should hold up for some time.

 

[newyorker]

Lol thanks

 

[sloeffle]

With geo why even run the caddy electric expensive?

Our electric rates are about average I guess. I am glad I had the furnace after this winter though. I would much rather burn wood than make the electric company richer.

 

[newyorker]

Someday I would like to retro fit hot air geo but hopefully caddy lasts 20+ years

 

[sloeffle]

If you have NG available the geo is a waste of money IMHO. If you have NG, I would get a NG furnace and air source heat pump. The geo shines in the summer and during the spring in fall when daytime temperatures are in the 40's - 50's. It does okay when below 20F but it runs too much IMHO.

Yes my system is designed and sized correctly.

 

[newyorker]

Yea no ng hear a buddy has a similar house then me and has geo and hea on a budget of 90$ a month but I didn't have the cake as tech gets better hopefully price will come down

 

[newyorker]

Well anyways my caddy should be here by the end of this week won't get it installed for awhile got to get a few dampers and such I got seven cords split and stacked for next year hope I burn half of that lol and its dry enough haven't actually seen a caddy in person hope it treat me well

 

[JRHAWK9]

I got seven cords split and stacked for next year hope I burn half of that lol and its dry enough haven't actually seen a caddy in person hope it treat me well

If it's oak, it's not going to be ready to burn in an EPA furnace. I'd start cutting now in order to get a stockpile to allow for future winters. You need to get ahead to allow a few years for seasoning. We currently have ~20 full cords of oak....most of which are ready to burn. I plan on cutting each year to replenish what we burn so we never are left w/o fully seasoned firewood. My plan is to have my Kuuma installed by the time the next heating season comes.