# 1557M Cold Air Return/Filter Box Pictures needed



## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 31, 2009)

I'll post a picture of my setup later on, but does anyone have any ideas or pictures of how I can make a 'homemade' cold air filter/return box around my blowers on the back?  

I dont want to buy one from US Stove's website, so I was thinking about making one out of concrete board (tile backer) or 5/8" drywall.  

Any con's to running flex duct from my 1st floor return grilles to the box?

I know it's much more efficient to re-heat conditioned air versus heating up chilly basement air.  I've done a few searches, but wondered if I could get some advice from all of you.

thanks!
 -Lance


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## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 10, 2010)

I ended up building one out of OSB board to get me through last winter.  Rather than warming up floor-level basement air, i tied my return air into two existing unused floor diffusers in my stair well and kitchen.  We sure did notice a difference.  I refuse to pay $100 from US Stove but need some 'visions' before i go to my local sheet metal shops. 

I've done searches and found a few but links or new photo posts would help out me.  

I got a buddy at work who just bought a farm house and is fixin on buying a hotblast 1557m real soon.  I've turned him on to this site and he is also looking at this thread for ideas as well.

Thanks!!


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## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 10, 2010)

I should have originally placed this in the 'boiler room' forum.  Moderators-feel free to move it.


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## begreen (Aug 10, 2010)

Find a scrap furnace and take it off of it. Most HVAC shops have them in their back lot, often with a hunk of return plenum attached. Give them $10 and bring some tools.


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## smokinj (Aug 10, 2010)

You really want this out of metal. It gets butted up against the furnace.


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## laynes69 (Aug 10, 2010)

Jays right. I had a furnace like that for years. Get a roaring fire and have a power outage and you will have wished it was metal. There is a reason to follow clearances around the unit and the ductwork. You can go to home depot and buy sheetmetal to make one.


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## LLigetfa (Aug 10, 2010)

Stihl_WoodBandit said:
			
		

> I ended up building one out of OSB board...


I used OSB to build a blower housing down in the crawlspace that lifts cold air from the concrete floor and blows it across a 3M Filtrete filter up to the bottom of my stove above.

I would not place a filter anywhere near the stove.


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## smokinj (Aug 11, 2010)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> Stihl_WoodBandit said:
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These are built to take a filter. Where the filter set in the box is about 2 foot from the furnace. (factory one)


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## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 11, 2010)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Find a scrap furnace and take it off of it. Most HVAC shops have them in their back lot, often with a hunk of return plenum attached. Give them $10 and bring some tools.


BeGreen-I'm embarassed to admit that sometimes overlook the obvious.  That is simply a great idea.


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## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 11, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> You really want this out of metal. It gets butted up against the furnace.


Anderson Indiana...I've been to your track for a few sprint car races.    Anyway, your point was my first concern but even with a crazy hot fire, the sheet metal box at the rear of the stove didnt get overly hot.  I will have it changed out to sheet metal before this heating season.


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## smokinj (Aug 11, 2010)

Stihl_WoodBandit said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
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What a wild track it is....


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## Stihl_WoodBandit (Aug 11, 2010)

laynes69 said:
			
		

> Jays right. I had a furnace like that for years. Get a roaring fire and have a power outage and you will have wished it was metal. There is a reason to follow clearances around the unit and the ductwork. You can go to home depot and buy sheetmetal to make one.


I consider Home Depot the anti-christ and refuse to shop there.  The only orange I like is on my saw!
I really need to get an HVAC guy out and get his opinion of my situation.  I have fiberboard duct (board) trunks for my supply, return, and plenums with flex duct running off those trunks.  Ideally, the Hotblast should be situated parallel to the propane furnace  to minimize lenght of travel for the hot air.  
There are several people I work with who have the same Hotblast 1557M with them blowing into duct board.  I googled the "Owens Corning Type 475-FSK" and found that OC does not recommend this duct board be connected to a wood or coal burning appliance.  Going by the book, this means that i need to switch it all out for sheetmetal.  Anyone else experience similar rework or have an idea on price?     [about 40' of 12"x10" trunk total]
My rant is over. Thanks for reading.


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## laynes69 (Aug 11, 2010)

I tore out my ductwork 3 or 4 years ago and it cost me around 1200 dollars to re-duct the whole home. The local hvac people wanted 3500 dollars. Whats important is that the ductwork has the proper clearances from combustibles. Flexible duct should not be used with a wood furnace. From the specs of the ductboard, it has an internal temp maximum of 250 degrees, with an external of 150 which can easily happen with a woodfurnace. You need all sheetmetal ducts for a woodfurnace. Sounds like you have a job ahead of you. Get a pro out there to give you an idea on the proper duct layout and size for the home. Good luck.


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