Which Wood Furnace

[Lawson111]

Hi all,

I'm looking at installing a wood furnace to heat my home this winter. I need to heat 2500sq.ft. so I will choose a model that can handle that but I was looking at a couple brands. United states stove company 1602m, DAKA 622FBT, Shelter sf2631 and Drolet tundra. They are all within the same price, has anyone had any experience with any of these stoves? Do all have a secondary burn? Which one is better than the other and why? Looking to purchase one ASAP.

Thank you,

 

[brenndatomu]

Howdy! The Tundra is the only one with true secondary burn. The Tundra has had a few hiccups since coming out a couple years back but Drolet has taken care of things as far as I've heard, and the ones that are available now should be issue free.
I would rate them in reverse order that you listed them in
1. Tundra-Pretty good entry level secondary burn furnace
2. Shelter-Quality built old school wood furnace
3. Daka-Basic old school wood furnace
4. USSC-Chicom built smoke dragon junk

Use the search feature, there should be lots of threads on all of them. And FYI, there are a couple new secondary burn furnaces coming out any time now. Drolet was supposed to release a larger version of the Tundra Sept 1, but I haven't heard anything about it being out as of now.
USSC is jumping in the EPA furnace ring for the first time with at least 3 new models but I'd be wary of them at this point for 2 reasons...
1. USSC has a reputation for low quality/poor customer service chicom copycat junk
2. First year models...

 

[Lawson111]

Thanks for the info! I read a lot about the Drolet and it seems a lot of people like it. I just couldn't find a good comparison between the models I was looking at. My father owns a smaller ussc 1557m so I'm familiar with them stoves. The reason I listed them models is because that's what I can get at tractor supply and mernards. I'm leaning more towards the Drolet DAKA or Shelter but I'm not very familiar with the secondary burn stoves or stoves that have the blower that is controlled with the thermostat on the front of them. There all on sale at mernards and are cheaper that the USSC which is sold at tractor supply and after reading how many people don't like them i think I'll stay away from that brand.

I need a stove that will heat a 2200 sq.ft single story ranch with a full basement. Wood stove will be in basement and hooked up to existing oil furnace duck work. Will the Drolet heat that with the smaller fire box compared to the shelter, daka and USSC 1602m?

 

[Lawson111]

Also I should add it will be going to a 7 1/2x12in clay lined brick chimney.

 

[Wisneaky]

I have actually owned both the Tundra and now have the Shelter furnace. The Tundra is a good entry level furnace, but does or did have some issues. Tons of info on here about it. I bought the Shelter to replace it and I absolutely love it so far. Holds a lot of wood, can burn coal, has shaker grates, built really good, and burns a long time.

 

[Lawson111]

Thank you wisneaky. Can anyone explain to me how the a thermostat controlled induction blower works? And are these stoves easy to operate. I know the USSC wood stove I grew up with was simple. Reason I ask about ease of operation is because I have a baby sitter that watches my kids all day that will need to learn how to load and operate the stove.

 

[Lawson111]

Also what size stove should I get to heat 2200 sq. ft? Should I get a model that heats 2500-3500 or one that will heat up to 2500? I just want to make sure I make the right choice. These things aren't cheap!

 

[brenndatomu]

Can anyone explain to me how the a thermostat controlled induction blower works?

When the tstat calls for heat, that kicks the blower on which stokes the fire up, once the air around the furnace gets hot enough, there is a temp switch that kicks on the duct blower. The only issue is (in my experience) furnaces that use an induction blower really chew through the wood. I quit using the blower on mine, just ran it like a wood stove, kinda

Also I should add it will be going to a 7 1/2x12in clay lined brick chimney

Probably gonna need to drop a 6" liner in that to get it to draft very well, especially since most ranch chimneys are not very tall

Also what size stove should I get to heat 2200 sq. ft?

What's your heat load like? Annual fuel usage...gallons of oil or propain, MCF gas?

 

[Lawson111]

Thank you for explaining that @brenndatomu. And as far as fuel usage this is the first winter I will be in this home. Just purchased in May 2015. But the previous owners said they burned 8tons of pellets! Yikes that's why I'm not burning pellets when they are $280 a ton in my area when I can get a load of 20 face cord for $600 and run it threw my fathers wood processor and be done with my wood in one day .

 

[brenndatomu]

I can get a load of 20 face cord for $600 and run it threw my fathers wood processor and be done with my wood in one day

Gotta love having access to a processor. Hopefully you have dry wood already? Like actually dry, not the "seasoned" stuff that most firewood sellers have...most was split this year. If you have wood that is more than 20% moisture content (by meter) you will not like how a EPA furnace runs for you, get below 20%, they work great, under 18%, they will really start to "walk and talk"

 

[Lawson111]

Hmmm that might take the Drolet out of the running because most of the wood we get is cut in the winter and burned the next winter. Also I have to keep my wood stacked outside just with the top covered. I won't have a wood shed this year.

 

[brenndatomu]

Dunno what to think about your heat load...sounds like it may be a bit high for that size house, but I really don't know how 8 tons of pellets correlates to firewood quantity/furnace size...what's your feeling about your insulation level/air infiltration, etc?
Did the PO heat 100% with pellets? Hopefully so if they used that much. If they had to subsidize with fossil fuel too...wow! Of course there could have been a problem with their setup too...

 

[brenndatomu]

most of the wood we get is cut in the winter and burned the next winter. Also I have to keep my wood stacked outside just with the top covered. I won't have a wood shed this year.

Just do two years (or even better, three ) worth to get ahead. Wood that has been cut/split/stacked for three years runs sooo sweet in the EPA fireboxes! EDIT: and like JR says below, old school furnaces really like it too!
Wood stacked outside is fine. I wouldn't worry about top cover until the fall of the year, just cover the wood you are gonna use that year. I'd hate to see you miss out on the awesomeness of a secondary burn furnace just because of what could be a temporary wood situation. FYI, there are ways to get through that first winter when you have "too wet" wood...

 

[JRHAWK9]

Hmmm that might take the Drolet out of the running because most of the wood we get is cut in the winter and burned the next winter. Also I have to keep my wood stacked outside just with the top covered. I won't have a wood shed this year.

You need to change that....regardless of what you are using to burn it in. Complete waste of BTU's. Bust a s s and get a few years ahead.

 

[Lawson111]

Yea I will be ahead next winter. I decided a little late that I was going to burn wood this year to be able to get ahead. Insulation seems to be good. House was built in 65. But they used two free standing pellet stoves to heat the house and no other source of heat. What are ways to get around burning higher moisture content wood in the secondary burn stoves. I'm leaning more towards the Drolet or shelter both look really good. Just don't want a problem burning the wood. I would rather burn more wood than not be able to burn the wood I have.

I'm glad I joined this forum before purchasing a stove a was about two days away from going and purchasing a USSC 1557m or 1602m at my local tractor supply.

 

[brenndatomu]

What are ways to get around burning higher moisture content wood in the secondary burn stoves

Mix your too wet wood with "ECO" bricks or kiln dried lumber (cut up a pile of free scrounged pallets) Others may have more suggestions too

I'm glad I joined this forum before purchasing a stove a was about two days away from going and purchasing a USSC 1557m or 1602m at my local tractor supply

Glad we could stage a intervention! Lots of 1 year old TSC (and the like) wood furnaces for sale on CL every winter/spring, people that didn't check in here first!

 

[Lawson111]

I'll check my wood buy I'm pretty sure it's going to be wetter than 20%. If I go with a non secondary burn stove is shelter the better brand? is it easy enough to un hook the induction blower if I don't like it. Shelter doesn't make a stove big enough for my needs without it. Daka does but shelter seems to be the better brand between those two. I'm trying to stay in a 2k budget or else I would look at other options.

 

[Wisneaky]

I'll check my wood buy I'm pretty sure it's going to be wetter than 20%. If I go with a non secondary burn stove is shelter the better brand? is it easy enough to un hook the induction blower if I don't like it. Shelter doesn't make a stove big enough for my needs without it. Daka does but shelter seems to be the better brand between those two. I'm trying to stay in a 2k budget or else I would look at other options.

you don't have to run the induction blower and honestly mine doesn't turn on that often. I have the Shelter 2631 and that is probably the one you'd want for your size house. Another thing you can actually limit how much air is pushed in through the blower, there is a slide on it to adjust it.

 

[Lawson111]

think im going to go with the shelter 2631. Seems like the best unit for me and they are $200 off at menards right now. Still cant get the price of the 1557m USSC for sale at tractor supply $1299 (im cheap) and reason im thinking about it is because my father and good friend have had theirs for 10 years and haven't had any issues. But I don't know if it will be big enough to heat my house? I see DAKA makes a comparable model to the 1557m, but doesn't have as much BTU's as the USSC.

 

[brenndatomu]

FYI, Menards has a big heating sale the first or second week of Oct, usually some unbeatable wood heater prices...I've seen stuff over 40% off. I don't remember what the Shelter prices are like during that sale though...unless you are in a hurry I'd wait. Even if they don't put that model on sale, they have their "11% off everything" sale pretty frequently (every 4-6 weeks?) and that would put the price about where it is now so not really much risk in "losing out" on the current price.
I agree with Wisneaky, the sf2631 should be a fine size for you. Even if it doesn't quite keep up on the coldest days, it will still cut 90% or better of your oil bill...

 

[Lawson111]

Ok thanks for the info on the menards sale. Only reason I was looking now is because I scheduled to have my HVAC guy here to hook the stove up but if it's that big of a sale I'll rescheduled .

 

[Lawson111]

Has anyone ever seen the prices of the shelter furnaces durning the menards heating sale?

 

[Wisneaky]

I think the Shelter 2631 was $1499 during the sale. So they go for about $200 off. Just hopefully they continue to have the sales.

 

[Lawson111]

Right now that model shelter is $1699. Says its originally $1899. Did the price go up maybe?

 

[Wisneaky]

they must have went up in price because I'm pretty sure I paid $1499 I see they are $200 off right now. I don't think they will go any lower than that. Usually the sales are $200 off.
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