Wood furnace owners-UNITE!

[Badfish740]

Since we seem to be somewhat outnumbered here I figured it might be a good idea to start a wood furnace thread. As my signature states, I've been burning an Englander 28-3500 for six years now in a 1000 SF ranch-it takes about five cords a year to get through a New Jersey winter. My ductwork has always been crap (unbalanced, noisy, uneven heating/cooling, etc...), so eventually I'll be totally redesigning it. My hope is that I'll end up with a system that's quieter, even, and more efficient since it will be fully insulated. I'd love to hear from others who have redone their ductwork/optimized it for their wood furnaces. Or just from folks in general-always interested in hearing about/seeing other types of furnaces. The 28-3500 is an oldie but a goodie in my opinion-a smoke dragon for sure, but not if you run it correctly with good dry wood.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I had forced hot water, so when I got my furnace I was able to make my duct work optimal for it. No worries about power outages here. I can keep all 3 floors exactly at the temp I want them. best move I ever made.

 

[joed2323]

What is your post exactly? Are you trying to stir up the wood vs pellet is better?? Not exactly sure what your thread is suppose to be about but unless you pull wood off your own land I'm not exactly sure what point your trying to get across???

 

[Buzz Saw]

Joed2323 he states he would love to hear if anyone has redone/optimized their ductwork.

 

[joed2323]

No buzzsaw- just trying to come to the realization if the "op" is trying to stir the hornets nest or is.just friendly poking us since he feels he finally dialed in his system??

 

[Badfish740]

No buzzsaw- just trying to come to the realization if the "op" is trying to stir the hornets nest or is.just friendly poking us since he feels he finally dialed in his system??

Whoa! I come in peace! Not to pull rank or anything, but I've been a member since 2007 and have nearly 1500 posts. Ask BB, Web, Fossil, or any of those guys, I'm far from a firebrand or a troublemaker around here. There just isn't much discussion of furnaces and ductwork on here, that's all. I just wanted to see who we have here and what they're burning. Just like there are many ways to do the plumbing for a boiler, there are many ways to do ductwork for a forced air system-especially when central air is involved.

Personally, I'd love to convert to a hydronic system but it's just not possible, so I'm working with what I have as are many others out there. If this thread gets a lot of activity maybe it can even be made a sticky. Also, as you pointed out, furnaces can eat a lot of wood, perhaps it can also be a source of education on good burning practices. No offense taken-this is just the nature of the internet, in some places, it seems there's a troll around every corner, but as I see you're new here, I can attest that hearth.com is one of the friendliest places on the 'net. Did you start over at Arboristsite? If so I can certainly understand the reaction-a lot of guys get PTSD from that place.

 

[joed2323]

lol its cool badfish, sorry if I came off hostile I apologize.

You are absolutely correct on diff ways of running duct work, I'm sure most systems are probably installed wrong, not intentionally.

 

[mustash29]

My '94 stove (got it used around 2000) had dedicated secondary burn, but was getting up there in age.

I decided to go with the Englander 28-3500. It went online late Dec '12. I just started a fire it it Fri night, Oct 31, so I have burnt it less than 2 seasons. I run it like a stove, dumping the heat to my rec room. I don't use the factory blower, instead I use none, one, the other or two 4" 120 vac muffin fans as furnace blowers. There is a short duct and 10" fan that blow heat from the rec room ceiling into the master bath. This circulates the house very well.

Last night was mid 30's & very windy. The fire was simmering all day. I loaded 2 good handfuls of junk (bark, splitter crumbs, etc) and 2 6" oak uglies at 9 pm. At 6 am the rec room was 78, living room 72, bedroom 68. No furnace blower. Distribution blower on medium speed. The furnace was down to a 2" coal bed, primary air shutter open 1/4", ash pan spin draft shut.

The typical maintenance burn for me is with the primary air open 3/8". Burnt it all season last year like that. Used about 3.5 - 4 cord of good oak, heating 1800 sqft.

I've been learning stuff on hearth for 2-3 years now, picked up a refurbished Empyre Elite 100 fall '13 and collecting parts ever since. I will be doing some major plumbing modifications very shortly.

28-3500 thread:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/englander-28-3500-furnace-install-mods.102100/

 

[mustash29]

My wood piles:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/woody-mustash.110700/

 

[mustash29]

My gasser thread:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/gasser-about-to-pull-the-trigger.111869/

 

[Chicken Farmer]

Charmaster wood furnace here. Burned it a season and a half. Way to much stove my place. Trying to sell, might have to relocate it to the shop if I can't sell. It's a shame, that thing makes some serious heat.

 

[Buzz Saw]

Currently burning a USSC "hot blast". I can't wait till I move and either get a Kuuma or go Hydroponic. I'm trying to talk my dad into a Kuuma so I don't have to cut some much wood for him in the future.

Stihly Dan are Kuuma's sold direct from the factory or through a vendor?

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Direct from the factory, They are a sponsor here as well.

 

[Chicken Farmer]

The Kuuma's are where it's at. I should have gotten a VF200 but I didn't know enough then.

 

[BrotherBart]

Direct from the factory, They are a sponsor here as well.

Since when?

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah the "Boiler Room" is a misnomer. Years ago I was the one that named it because I liked the sound of it and most people were doing boilers. But a central wood furnace is a good thing. No screwing with valves and storage and on and on and on. Just heat.

 

[Chicken Farmer]

Since when?

I am looking at the add on the bottom the screen now.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just Google ads. Not sponsors. Without the Google ads we would have had to fold this tent five years ago. Free membership has it's price.

And idiot fools that moderate for free.

 

[Chicken Farmer]

I see, and stand corrected.

 

[Buzz Saw]

If I can come up with a way to keep the wood out of the house(within reason) and use a Kuuma I'm sold. I just really like the idea of no more dirt,bark and BUGS in the house.

 

[Chicken Farmer]

I just use an old stock watering tank. I set it outside the back door with an old tarp over it. When it's time to load, just step out and grab a few pieces, and back inside. Tada

 

[sloeffle]

PSG Caddy here. I like the Caddy but they are still stuck in 1970's with their motor and damper controls compared to the Kuuma. They are less mess money so I guess you get what you pay for. It however saved my a$$ last year during the polar vortex so I probably shouldn't complain.

 

[JRHAWK9]

<======= I just installed a Kuuma this summer.

This is one thing I noticed right away on here, there is not a lot of traffic related to indoor wood furnaces. I'll admit, a gassification boiler with storage is pretty much the "Cadillac" of wood heat, but the simplistic approach of an add-on furnace is what I liked.

 

[laynes69]

PSG Caddy here. I like the Caddy but they are still stuck in 1970's with their motor and damper controls compared to the Kuuma. They are less mess money so I guess you get what you pay for. It however saved my a$$ last year during the polar vortex so I probably shouldn't complain.

I wouldn't say 70's technology, it's light years ahead from my old furnace. It's a simple control, but a more advanced combustion. I've burned very little wood at night and always have coals hours later after the fire dies down. I wouldn't mind a computer controller which I have thought about retrofitting the smart stove controller to automate the furnace, but I'm only in about 1200 for my furnace so I can't complain. I've increased my burn times and cut my consumption quite a bit from the old.

 

[psebowhunter]

I'm running an englander 28-3500 here. I installed it in early February last year when it was cheaper to buy the furnace and insulated ss chimney pipe than it was to get a refill on the propane tank. Its installed at the end of the house in the basement. I ran the duct up and split it into two 6" runs which are tied into the ends of the two plenum runs. I know it's not the right way or most effective way for the heat distribution but it works for now. The gas furnace hasn't burnt a drop of lp since the install and the house stays cozy throughout. I'm heating a single story about 1200 sf ranch. We're planning on a complete tear down of the house in about 5 yrs and rebuilding as a two story. (As the boys all get older the house seems to be getting smaller) My plan is to put in a Kuuma at that time and do all the ducting properly. Then the englander is going into the barn for intermittent/work time heat. I'm also planning on looking into an on demand lp hot water heater for the rebuild but that's a whole nother topic.