Wood pellet Stove Heat Distribution - Getting the heat up one floor!!

[Don2222]

Hello

Heat does rise but ducting makes a big difference! The original 6" ductwork I put in consisted of 2 registers, one in the kitchen and one in the hallway towards the living room area. The fan in the ductwork sure helps alot but I ended the ductwork 1.5 feet over the stove. I did not realize the convection fan in the pellet stove could really boost the heat upstairs if fully utilized!

Like a Hot Air Furnace the Temp at the registers is approx 120 Degrees F which feels warm to the human touch.

Therefore extending the ductwork 1.5 feet to cover 5 of the 10 heat exchager tubes makes an astounding difference. The heat coming out the register is now 130 Degrees instead of 80 Degrees with the heat feed rate at only 2 that is 2.46 lbs/hr !

That is over a 62% Improvement ! Bring on the cold weather tonight!!

After running on feed rate 2 for a while this afternoon the temp in the living room shot up to 74 Degrees F so I had to turn the stove down to Heat setting 1 which is 1.7 lbs/hr !! Heat setting 1 measures 116.5 Degrees out of the heat registers!!

See before and after pics below!

 

[Heaterhunter]

Looks great. Do you have ducting all the way to the register or does the duct terminate near the register? That's when I noticed a huge difference when ducted all the way into the register.

 

[Don2222]

I

Looks great. Do you have ducting all the way to the register or does the duct terminate near the register? That's when I noticed a huge difference when ducted all the way into the register.

Thanks Heaterhunter

Yes the ducting goes all the way to 2 registers.

The pic shows a damper so I can adjust the air flow so both registers have equal heat.

They now both have 130 Degrees F coming out and fnally after many years, the upstairs is now very toasty (I tried this with a wood stove but no luck!!)

 

[Bobby]

If you get some of that 2" wide fiberglass rap insulation with the one side foil for pipes you'll gain more heat. I did mine and it work out great. Don't cost to much either. Got mine at lowes.

 

[Don2222]

If you get some of that 2" wide fiberglass rap insulation with the one side foil for pipes you'll gain more heat. I did mine and it work out great. Don't cost to much either. Got mine at lowes.

Great idea Burnpot !!

Did you use the foam and foil like this?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_24437-1410-...Ntt=foam+and+foil&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151

Or a different one?

 

[Bobby]

Mine was the fiberglass with the foil. The foam might work good.

 

[Bobby]

I looked on lowes site and didn't see the wrap I bought. The foam wrap would be better then nothing. It will take quite a few to wrap all the pipe, think I used five rolls for 20 feet of pipe.

 

[Don2222]

I looked on lowes site and didn't see the wrap I bought. The foam wrap would be better then nothing. It will take quite a few to wrap all the pipe, think I used five rolls for 20 feet of pipe.

Thanks for the info Burnpot. Do you have any pics? I would really like to see em.

 

[Bobby]

 

[Don2222]

Thanks so much for the pic burnpot! Looks like your getting plenty of heat where you want it

Well last night was my 1st night with the direct connection to the registers and WOW what a difference!! I ran the stove on 1 most of the night as the temp dropped from 25 to 15 degrees F during the night. Then I bumped it up to feed rate 3 early in the morning because the living room dropped to 68. Then the livingroom shot up to 71 so I had to back it off to feed rate (heat setting) 2!!

Anyways thanks for your comments and keep warm in NH without oil !

My neighbor just got a oil fill from the cheapest place at $3.19 per gallon yesterday!! I still like to talk to the driver because I do not see him anymore in the winter!! LOL

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Well, the upper level of our split was real cozy last night.

If the temp starts droping outside and we start feeling chilly as the temp drops down from 70 inside,
all we need to do now is put the stove on heat setting 3 for a while (3.22 lbs per hr)
to bring it back to 70 - 72 then turn the heat setting to 2 (2.46 lbs per hr)
before bed and when the temp drops down to approx 10 degrees F outside it is still nice and cozy inside!

Heat setting 3 (3.22 lbs per hr) BELTS OUT 150 Degrees F out of the 2 registers in the floor
above the wood pellet stove with the direct 6" ductwork connection !! See pic Below:

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Watch the bare toes or they'll get a tan.

 

[Don2222]

Watch the bare toes or they'll get a tan.

Just tried it with my sock on and not real hot. Would be nice after being outside as a foot warmer though,
but being up against the wall it is not in any walking path or near a chair to sit next.

Thanks Smokey, You got us thinking

 

[jtakeman]

3 things to watch out for.

1.) Try not to exceed the temps your pipe insulation is rated for. Some duct insulation is only rated at a maintained temp of 200ºF and a max of 250ºF. If you run the stove on max this is a critical thing to keep an eye on.

2.) Keep an eye on the blower voltage and amps draw. Check them with no duct attached. Then compair with your duct hooked up. Don't want to over-load or over-work it.

3.) You might want to investigate more CFM's from the convection blower or adding a duct fan. AiroFlo is a good choice due to the temp rating of the blower. Most of the cheapies available st the box stores are only rated for much lower temps. This will improve air flow thru the duct, Lower the temps and circulate the heated air faster.


What "we"(yep me too!) are doing has be frowned on in other forums. But doing some home work and watching some things to keep things on the safe side should settle things. We are proof it works and a sure clue that a pellet furnace would be an advantage in our future!

 

[Don2222]

Hi Jay

Thanks for your comments.

So far the heat is not that extreme.

I did install a fan in the ductwork. It is also important to have a speed control on the ductwork fan. See pics.


The top switch connects the fan to the cooling contacts on the Honeywell T651A1269 (Replacement T651A2028/U which was also replaced by T651A3018 ) Line Voltage Thermostat and goes on when the air above the stove goes over 74 Degrees F. The bottom switch turns the fan on manually.

Honeywell thermostat T651A3018
(broken link removed to http://www.patriot-supply.com/search_new.cfm?q=T651A3018&search=Go)
HONEYWELL LINE VOLT THERMOSTAT SPDT. MEDIUM DUTY PRECISION LINE VOLT HEATING/COOLCOOLING STAT. SPDT, 120-277V SUPER TRADELINE. RANGE 44-86F, WITH THERMOMETER LOCKING COVER AND RANGE STOPS. INCLUDES STD HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL SCALEPLATE & WALLPLATE

Home Depot Duct Fan
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-materials/heating-venting-cooling/inductor/6-in-inline-duct-booster-fan-62750.html)

The Ductwork fan is 120 VAC and the Thermostat is a Honeywell Heat/Cool 120 VAC Line Voltage thermostat T651A1269
The thermostat pic is below.

From Amazon I believe this is the new model see link
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-T60...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1250214207&sr=8-1

Here are some on e-bay. Nice Price!!
(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/Honeywell-Super-Tradeline-T6051A-1016-HD-Thermostat-NEW-/250814820118)

 

[jtakeman]

Very well thought out Don, I did the same with the ducted hood I had before the duct was connected straight to my stove. No sense having the fans come on if its only cool air down there. Plus its totally automatic as the stat would control what temp it came on and shut off.

There is a little thing called a duct stat at HD/Lowes that is a self contained stat for ducts. It will come on where you set it and shut off when the duct cools down. Pricey, But a nice one piece unit. You can put the rheastat right on the fan utility box for speed controlling of said fan.

 

[Don2222]

Hello Jay

Thanks for your comments, I lookup the cost of the new Honeywell Replacement Thermostat with the cooling contacts part # T651A3018 it is approx $53 That still might be the cheapest way to automate the doorway and ductwork fans!!

(broken link removed to http://www.patriot-supply.com/search_new.cfm?q=T651A3018&search=Go)

Anyway, last night was the second night with the direct connection to the ductwork. The outside temp fell from 25 down to 9.7 degrees F. I set the stove on Feed Rate 2 (2.46 lbs per hr) before bed and at 4:30 AM bumped it up to 3 (3.22 lbs per hr) because the livingroom above the stove in the basement was 68 degrees F and the Bedrooms were 67 Degrees F. that brought the upstairs back up over 70 Degrees Then turned it back down to 2 (2.46 lbs per hr)

Also I had to get some oil for a neighbor while she was away. The oil man said the price is going up every day now due to the unrest in the Middle East. Today's fantastic price is only $3.299 per gallon! So the 138 gallons cost $604.00


Guess we got our stoves just in time with the Tax Break last year and the fuel prices this year !!

 

[ivanhoe]

hi,
i need to help on heating the upstairs living space but was told to not install ductwork about the stove, insurance(yes, i hate them too for being too nosy) do not approve on the modifications. i'm sure you're aware of not getting coverage in case of a fire! or is there a loop hole i'm not aware of?

 

[Don2222]

hi,
i need to help on heating the upstairs living space but was told to not install ductwork about the stove, insurance(yes, i hate them too for being too nosy) do not approve on the modifications. i'm sure you're aware of not getting coverage in case of a fire! or is there a loop hole i'm not aware of?

Hello ivanhoe

That is an issue so let me answer it in the best unbiased way. I am not an expert or an inspector so to be sure you should consult one.

What inspectors and insurance companies DO NOT want to see are openings or open vents or registers cut in the floor to let the heat rise from the stove below. The reason is that there is no fire stop so flames and especially smoke can also rise up and engulf the floor above. That really is a no-no

What some of us did here was HVAC work where in my case I used the standard 6" enclosed ducting from the stove up and horizontal to the ceiling until it connects directly to a register or in my case 3 registers to the floor above. The fan in the ducting actually pulls the heat up to the floor above. Since this is not a conventional way that professionals install HVAC there may be some disagreement as to what is correct or how safe it is. I myself have had this ducting in my house for 20 years with no issues. Would this passed code 20 years ago? Probably it would have since I know someone personally that connected a wood stove to the same flue as his oil boiler 20 years ago and it passed because the connection was atleast 12" higher than the boiler connection. This would still be against code today!! Is what I did against code? Not specifically.

So I contend that it is very safe as long as there is no opening that smoke and fire can easily go up into. However it seems if you wish to use a method that is 100% approved then there are Wood Pellet Stoves with ducting connections in the back that are meant to be used for this purpose. They are called "Ducted Wood Pellet Stoves" and a common one is made by Ecoteck.

http://www.ecoteck.us/ducted-heat/

As you can see by the smaller red arrows at the top of the pic below, warm air can be moved to other rooms or upstairs with this wood pellet stove using the proper duct work and stove connection.


Description of "Ducted Wood Pellet Stoves" from Ecoteck in above link.

The Ecoteck wood pellet stove range also includes 3 ducted units for people who want more even heat diffusion throughout the home. Ducts conveys heat from one room to another and distributes it throughout the home, spreading the stove's warmth over as wide an area as possible.

Models equipped with the air canalization use 2 pipes, 3.15 Inches in diameter, to service other rooms. Depending on the model, the delivery of the air for canalization can be in the top or in the bottom part.

In the Elena Airplus, the second fan for the air canalization, can be activated simply by pushing the button on the display.

In the Laura & Veronica, there is the possibility to adjust the front and back air delivery by adjusting a lever.

More info on Ecoteck Laura 11kW Ducted Stove
Ducted Heating with wood pellets
Wood pellets are one of the few truly environmentally friendly ways to heat. Ducted stoves have a two extra warm air outputs at the rear of the unit and these can be connected to aluminum ducts routed other rooms in the property. A simple mechanical flap controls the ratio of air coming into the main room compared with the air being diverted to the back. All wood pellet stoves require a 13amp electrical connection.

---------------------------

Hope this answers your question, good luck

 

[jtakeman]

Speaking with my local fire marshal. He told me I needed to have the duct terminated with a duct boot at the registers. And the system needed to be enclosed the same as a ducted forced air furnace. So my duct hood failed and was actually not as safe as the full duct run I have now. I called the insurance co. and they said as long as the stove was on the policy, I was covered with the install. There was no claus on ducting with the policy I have. This is all subject to local fire and building codes. Best to talk to them to get the ins and outs.

 

[Don2222]

Hello Jay

That's good to know, glad you made out!

I also wanted to say that I really tried to do this ducting with a wood stove (See Pic Below) and the results were not nearly as good.

That is because a blower on a wood stove is not the same as the convection blower IN a wood pellet stove!!

This discussion for a blower on a wood stove proves it
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/71652/


I bought a FA288CCL extra large cast iron airtight Vermont Castings Consolidated DutchWest Federal design combination Wood/Coal stove with EPA approved Catalytic Combustor and 2 speed blower for another $60 dollars about 20 years ago!

 

[Don2222]

Hello

With the price of oil now at $3.30 per gallon, we have to do something

So, It is good to see all these direct duct work connections. I like the one that goes into the FHA furnace cold air return!!

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Jeff in Gorham Maine is currently adding in heat registers and returns
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/71504/

This is more that what I did but sounds like the best way to go!

 

[cgokey]

Old thread but I'm interested. How big is your house? Do you still have only 2 registers? One downstairs and 1 upstairs? How many BTU's is your stove rated for? The blower on your fan is how many CFMs? I've got my pellet furnace (SCF50) piped directly into the main trunk where my oil furnace sends heat, but I think the main trunk ducting is way oversized and too large so not getting very much static pressure, so thinking maybe creating another trunk that is smaller, with fewer runoffs. Do you have a main truck or since you only have 2 registers, have some kind of split in your piping? I see you also have a fan in the duct, I've thought about that as well to help get more airflow at the other end of the house.

Thanks,
Chris

Hello

Heat does rise but ducting makes a big difference! The original 6" ductwork I put in consisted of 2 registers, one in the kitchen and one in the hallway towards the living room area. The fan in the ductwork sure helps alot but I ended the ductwork 1.5 feet over the stove. I did not realize the convection fan in the pellet stove could really boost the heat upstairs if fully utilized!

Like a Hot Air Furnace the Temp at the registers is approx 120 Degrees F which feels warm to the human touch.

Therefore extending the ductwork 1.5 feet to cover 5 of the 10 heat exchager tubes makes an astounding difference. The heat coming out the register is now 130 Degrees instead of 80 Degrees with the heat feed rate at only 2 that is 2.46 lbs/hr !

That is over a 62% Improvement ! Bring on the cold weather tonight!!

After running on feed rate 2 for a while this afternoon the temp in the living room shot up to 74 Degrees F so I had to turn the stove down to Heat setting 1 which is 1.7 lbs/hr !! Heat setting 1 measures 116.5 Degrees out of the heat registers!!

See before and after pics below!