I just ordered one of these by Vogelzang for 6 " stovepipe to use on a Napoleon 1900 p woodstove I also ordered today. Do these heat reclaimers work well and any advice on getting the most effiecency our of them ?
Woodstove heat reclaimers..
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As they move air quickly over a small surface area, they are challenged to provide the level of efficiency one might enjoy from simply aiming a box fan at the entire stove. Moving a larger quantity of air more slowly over the entire surface of the stove will give you good performance for less money.
But since you already ordered it, give us a thorough review!
TS
But since you already ordered it, give us a thorough review!
TS
I read reveiws and out of 75 people, 74 posted 4 and 5 star reviews. Thats pretty impressive reults IMHO. I realize there may be more of a buildup of creosote issue within the reclaimer unit itself, but I always use dry wood and am hoping to hook up the reclaimer so I can easily take it out of the stovepipe connecting pieces, and clean it as needed. For $105 shipped, its worth a shot.....
I noticed on the one I rodered, by vogelzang, it has what seems to be 4 tubes isnide the reclaimer all inline with each other in a vertical position. This may help keep creosote problems to a minimum compared to having the tubes stacked horizontally and constricting the stovepipe more.
Why not try it with out first? These things are creosote factories and rob what little draft you have with an EPA stove. They are designed to run with the old stoves that burn hot chimneys. Besides, they are a pita to clean, I'd cancel your order.
Where did you read those reviews?
Where did you read those reviews?
well...after reading some more posts on this site..it looks like most people advise agasint this reclaimer because they clog up to easily. WOW...but on borthern tools website, this style reclaimer gets incredible reviews by 99.99% of the people. I went ahead and cancelled the order though because I surley dont want anything to add to a cresote buildup problem with my new napoleon 1900 p.
You know anyone who has one? You know any of those folks who posted the reviews? Any idea whether or not any of them has any connection to the manufacturer? Any confidence they're not just all the same person? I think there are better ways to research the viability of a product I'm considering purchasing than to rely soley on reviews posted on the site of the vendor trying to sell it. Just a thought. Rick
fossil said:
Let me start out and say I'm not advocating the heat reclaimer but come on Rick 75 reviews by the same person or the manufacturer?? Little bit paranoid aren't ya? I could see 4 or 5 but 75??? I have great confidence they aren't the same person, I read them. I also have great confidence in the fact that they probably have more creosote build up than they would without the device. And yes I have known several people that have had them or still have them and they swear by them. Albeit all with smoke dragons...
I said it was "just a thought". I don't have one, nor am I particularly interested in having one, nor did I visit the website. I have no emotional or financial investment whatever in anyone deciding to buy or not buy one of these things. It was just a thought. Am I a bit paranoid? Well, perhaps, but that's a pretty strong term to be tossing around, as my PhD Clinical Psychologist wife sometimes reminds me. ;-) Rick
Yeah it takes one to know one :lol: because I think the same thing too when I read these reviews on various websites. I don't give any credence to anything with less than 10 reviews...
I have also recommended against them because of the possibility of more creosote forming due to cooling down your flue gases. Also alot of manufacturers will void their warranty on a new stove if you have one installed on your pipe.
I think the reviews are valid..because there are many other items sold by NORTHERN TOOLS and have numerous bad reviews...
but, since this napoleon 1900p is suppose to be very efficient anyways, with a double burn system, I figured it dont make sense to put a reclaimer kit in, without first trying out the stove by itself...
but, since this napoleon 1900p is suppose to be very efficient anyways, with a double burn system, I figured it dont make sense to put a reclaimer kit in, without first trying out the stove by itself...
i have seen pictures of one of our stoves (a 28-3500) which had one of those things in the stack above it , it ddint look like it was installed correctly , and it has creosote just dripping down the pipe all over the top of the stove , i hate to think how bad it musta smelled with that creo baking on top of the unit. persoanlly i strongly recommend to my customers who inquire about them NOT to install one. i HATE em. they may have been ok with the smoke dragons of the past which wasted much more heat up the flue , but modern EPA cert stoves have a much more tightly controlled air budget and installing one of tose tings in the flue could rob heat needed for a proper draft making the stove less efficient, essentially robbing peter to pay paul, and peter is the stove you just dropped a couple grand on to heat your house. for what you would get from one , i would think its simply not worth the potential headaches it could cause. if the stove you selected isnt big enough to heat our house , look at a bigger stove.
I love how the ad on northern tools includes "Peak performance is maintained by the use of Flue Stove Pipe cleaner "
They are telling you that it is going to creosote up!
Why invite the danger?!? For a couple of extra btu's? For a greater chance at destorying your chimney and/or home because of an unnessary chimney fire?
Hey, most wood burners do what we do to save a buck. However, don't be "cheap" by trying to rob your chimney of the heat that your stove company has decided needs to go up that chimney for it to operate effeciently.
Don't you think that Jotul or Harman or other top companies would have saved this heat you are "reclaiming by magic" if they could have done it effeciently and safely with their own stove design???? Thier reputations depend on a quality product.
Of course the reviews for the product are good. IT WORKS! There is heat there. However, this heat has a purpose and a job and should not be removed.
pen
They are telling you that it is going to creosote up!
Why invite the danger?!? For a couple of extra btu's? For a greater chance at destorying your chimney and/or home because of an unnessary chimney fire?
Hey, most wood burners do what we do to save a buck. However, don't be "cheap" by trying to rob your chimney of the heat that your stove company has decided needs to go up that chimney for it to operate effeciently.
Don't you think that Jotul or Harman or other top companies would have saved this heat you are "reclaiming by magic" if they could have done it effeciently and safely with their own stove design???? Thier reputations depend on a quality product.
Of course the reviews for the product are good. IT WORKS! There is heat there. However, this heat has a purpose and a job and should not be removed.
pen
That's correct, it doesn't make sense to put this device on an efficient EPA stove. Modern stoves are a lot more efficient about extracting heat from the wood. Often this leads to cooler flue gases than would be coming from an old stove. That doesn't work well, especially if this is with an exterior chimney. Once the flue gases are below 250 degrees they start condensing into creosote deposits. And that's something you want to try to avoid.
Here is a recent first hand report that didn't work out too well with a heat reclaimer:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/30446/
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