What’s going on with my furnace?

[Micdrew]

Hello, new to this forum and new to burning wood, I recently purchased a DS kozy king wood/coal furnace. like a kid on Christmas morning I couldn’t wait to fire it up, as the days went on I couldn’t help notice how fast it was burning through wood (seasoned oak and hickory), a full load would be turned into embers within 2 hours,I’ve got the air setting set to where DS recommends and I’ve closed it off even more, nothing seems to help. I’m also getting a lot of smoke, this furnace has secondary combustion but It can’t be working with the amount of smoke I’m seeing out of my chimney (6” SS insulated) I cant see into the firebox since it’s a solid door. I’ve been on the phone with DS multiple times and they finally said bring the furnace back for a full refund. any thoughts on this would be great.

 

[sloeffle]

I’d take it back and buy a Drolet Heat Commander. If are only burning wood I think you’ll be a lot more satisfied.

 

[woodey]

Hello, new to this forum and new to burning wood, I recently purchased a DS kozy king wood/coal furnace. like a kid on Christmas morning I couldn’t wait to fire it up, as the days went on I couldn’t help notice how fast it was burning through wood (seasoned oak and hickory), a full load would be turned into embers within 2 hours,I’ve got the air setting set to where DS recommends and I’ve closed it off even more, nothing seems to help. I’m also getting a lot of smoke, this furnace has secondary combustion but It can’t be working with the amount of smoke I’m seeing out of my chimney (6” SS insulated) I cant see into the firebox since it’s a solid door. I’ve been on the phone with DS multiple times and they finally said bring the furnace back for a full refund. any thoughts on this would be great.

Definitely return it, there are two other ones you will be much happier with

 

[Micdrew]

That’s what I’m planning on doing just wanted to pick someone else’s brain, thanks for replying.

 

[brenndatomu]

As you have already found out, coal burners make poor wood burners.
2 choices:
Legendary king of the hill, Kuuma Vaporfire VF100
New kid on the block Drolet Heat Commander

 

[andym]

What do you mean when you say it has secondary burn? Is there a draft fan forcing air into the firebox? How tall is the chimney? How 'seasoned' is your wood? The last two questions will apply to any wood furnace.

 

[laynes69]

My neighbor had always burned fresh cut wood. The other day I took down a bucket load on the tractor and he was telling me about some wood he got from inside an outbuilding that had been cut and split for 7 years. He explained to me that the wood had worm holes so those holes introduced more air and it burned hotter lol. I said no, your wood is actually seasoned. I agree with those who posted. If your chimney is drafting too hard and/or wood isn't seasoned, you will get little heat from the furnace. It's a little difficult to burn water and your furnace needs time to exchange heat. If the furnace had provisions for secondary air and it half works, with seasoned wood you should be able to get the furnace hot, then close down the air and it should put out some heat. Also make sure that any heat exchange tubes inside are clean.

 

[maple1]

I am doubting your furnace has secondary combustion.

 

[brenndatomu]

OP didn't say which model he has, but the DS furnaces do have a secondary air system, this is a pic of the 100-14 firebox...secondary air tubes up top, heat exchanger tubes on the sides. Even so they really are meant to be mainly coal burners...DS is well known among the black rock burning crowd. https://woodstoves.net/ds-stoves/coal/ds-stoves-100-14-kozy-king-furnace.htm
If they are still selling these things they are either marketing them as strictly coal burners now, or the Amish are just giving the EPA the middle finger so to speak. I seen an ad in a local free classified ad type newspaper yesterday where a local amish repair shop is advertising (1/2 page ad) doing deletes and tunes on your diesel equipment...pretty brazen IMO.
After thinking more about it, I have to agree with @laynes69 though, if OP was going through a load of Oak and Hickory in 2 hours, the firebox should have had adequate temperature to fire off secondary combustion, especially if air settings were at, and then less than manufacturers recommendations...sounds like "seasoned wood" (read: wet) to me...even the mighty Kuuma will go through wet wood faster than normal...because air settings would remain high to try to compensate for all the steam that is knocking the firebox temps down...

 

[Micdrew]

My wood has set for over a year, I was thinking it was wet as well so I took a log split it in half and checked it with the moister meter it’s reading 14% Yes I think Amish are basically giving the finger to the EPA, I was told that the furnace would burn wood the same as coal I took that as it’s going to to burn clean and efficient. I have the 100-14 I haven’t measured my chimney but I’m thinking at least 30’ I’m in a cape cod. The stove does have a draft blower with fan limit switch inside plenum I install oil fired boilers and when we’re firing a boiler the burner will shut down on hi limit I was thinking I would get the same affect on the stove to where the draft blower would shut down on high limit there for saving wood. They say no need for barometric damper but I’m starting to think that I may have to much draft? There’s no port where I can check the draft in the fire box idk if checking in the stove pipe would work or not?

 

[brenndatomu]

They say no need for barometric damper but I’m starting to think that I may have to much draft? There’s no port where I can check the draft in the fire box idk if checking in the stove pipe would work or not?

If you have 30' chimney, you have high draft...almost a money back guarantee...running a barometric damper is probably gonna be required on any furnace there.
Yes, you can drill a small hole in the stovepipe to check draft...easily plugged with the proper size bolt...just "threads" right in...but many of us wood furnace guys use the Dwyer Mark II model 25 manometer to check draft, and then just leave it in place all the time.

 

[brenndatomu]

My wood has set for over a year, I was thinking it was wet as well so I took a log split it in half and checked it with the moister meter it’s reading 14%

Well, that sounds like the right procedure...results are surprising though...dense hardwoods like Oak and Hickory normally take 2-3 years CSS (cut/split/stacked, and top covered) to be under 20%, let alone 14%! Oak is notorious for holding on to its moisture...

 

[brenndatomu]

The stove does have a draft blower with fan limit switch inside plenum I install oil fired boilers and when we’re firing a boiler the burner will shut down on hi limit I was thinking I would get the same affect on the stove to where the draft blower would shut down on high limit there for saving wood.

The high limit won't normally kick the draft blower off...unless the duct blower fails or something...the houses thermostat is what normally kicks the draft blower off...but even that is not a great setup for most houses...just wastes wood.

 

[maple1]

OP didn't say which model he has, but the DS furnaces do have a secondary air system, this is a pic of the 100-14 firebox...secondary air tubes up top, heat exchanger tubes on the sides. Even so they really are meant to be mainly coal burners...DS is well known among the black rock burning crowd. https://woodstoves.net/ds-stoves/coal/ds-stoves-100-14-kozy-king-furnace.htm
If they are still selling these things they are either marketing them as strictly coal burners now, or the Amish are just giving the EPA the middle finger so to speak. I seen an ad in a local free classified ad type newspaper yesterday where a local amish repair shop is advertising (1/2 page ad) doing deletes and tunes on your diesel equipment...pretty brazen IMO.
After thinking more about it, I have to agree with @laynes69 though, if OP was going through a load of Oak and Hickory in 2 hours, the firebox should have had adequate temperature to fire off secondary combustion, especially if air settings were at, and then less than manufacturers recommendations...sounds like "seasoned wood" (read: wet) to me...even the mighty Kuuma will go through wet wood faster than normal...because air settings would remain high to try to compensate for all the steam that is knocking the firebox temps down...
View attachment 272103

Maybe I should have worded it different.

I doubt it has 'secondary combustion' that works the way secondary combustion should work.

 

[brenndatomu]

Maybe I should have worded it different.

I doubt it has 'secondary combustion' that works the way secondary combustion should work.

I'm saying you are right...having the heat exchanger tubes in the combustion chamber is a bad design for burning wood...steals too much heat from the fire for secondary combustion to be sustained well...that's why the better modern wood furnaces all have the heat exchanger outside of the combustion chamber itself. And why Lamppa claims to not be able to install glass in the door of the Vaporfires...

 

[Micdrew]

So Would barometric damper correct the burn time and smoke issue Or just the burn time? Either way sounds like this stove should be coal only....

 

[brenndatomu]

o Would barometric damper correct the burn time and smoke issue Or just the burn time?

Won't help with the smoke issue...could/should help with the burn time some though...possible a lot. The Draft will need to be controlled no matter what furnace you have...many call for -0.04 to -0.06" WC...some will let you go as high as -0.08" before calling that "too high"

 

[Case1030]

Looks like these furnaces also have cracking issues.

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[Micdrew]

I’ve watched some his videos when I was looking for a furnace he had nothing but good things to say about it, guess that’s changed.