# PSG Max Caddy



## vic (Mar 9, 2014)

I would like to know of peoples experiences with the max caddy or caddy. I have a 2400 sq ft home not counting the basement. I'm interested in burn times and efficiency(wood usage/cords) of furnace. Would this furnace be large enough to heat my home? I have a forced air lp furnace now. I was going to connect to the duct work. _I'_m also concerned about power loss. Will the stove function without power? My wife doesn't like the looks of the max caddy but the reviews all seem to be good. Any and all information would be appreciated! Thank you>


----------



## newyorker (Mar 9, 2014)

I have a new  well insulated 2200 sq ft house and I'm going to buy the caddy with a blower I have heard so many good things about them


----------



## vic (Mar 9, 2014)

newyorker said:


> I have a new  well insulated 2200 sq ft house and I'm going to buy the caddy with a blower I have heard so many good things about them


Do you have any idea how long the burn times will be with the caddy? I thought about the caddy but I don't want to be under sized. Thanks.


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Mar 9, 2014)

I don't have any experience with the Caddy or Max Caddy (except with what I have found doing my own research), but you also may want to throw in the Kuuma Vapor Fire 100 into the mix.  I too am in the market to add an add-on wood furnace and I too was also looking at the Caddy's along with the larger Kuuma.  I'm pretty sure I'm going the Kuuma route when I decide to do it.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 9, 2014)

I've got all my info off this site and I would say from other ppls experience 7-8 hours heat with a few more with coals im sure others would chime in I was thinking max caddy but my lp furnace is a 2 stage 60k and it has never run on high so its always on 40k and the caddy is a constant 69k so it should heat me out as the kuuma 100 is bad azz but I can buy a caddy for just about half


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 9, 2014)

Your winters aren't as harsh as the winters here in Ohio. I have a 2500 sqft Victorian (2 story, 10' ceilings) plus the basement. The Caddy heats well for us until it drops -10 and below if it's windy. I didn't have the clearances, or I'd have the Max Caddy. This winter has been hard on us and we've burned almost 6 cord, but our home is drafty and we have over 40 windows. This would have been a 12 cord winter with the old furnace. As we tighten up our home, our burntimes increase. In the teens with good hardwood, I can keep the house at 70-72 after 10 hours. Today, it was in the 30's, and a half load kept the house warm for 9 or 10 hours with cherry. I finally put a few pieces in it, or it would have gone out. How well is your home insulated, and how tight is it?


----------



## vic (Mar 9, 2014)

laynes69 said:


> Your winters aren't as harsh as the winters here in Ohio. I have a 2500 sqft Victorian (2 story, 10' ceilings) plus the basement. The Caddy heats well for us until it drops -10 and below if it's windy. I didn't have the clearances, or I'd have the Max Caddy. This winter has been hard on us and we've burned almost 6 cord, but our home is drafty and we have over 40 windows. This would have been a 12 cord winter with the old furnace. As we tighten up our home, our burntimes increase. In the teens with good hardwood, I can keep the house at 70-72 after 10 hours. Today, it was in the 30's, and a half load kept the house warm for 9 or 10 hours with cherry. I finally put a few pieces in it, or it would have gone out. How well is your home insulated, and how tight is it?


Our home built in 2005  is well insulated 2x6 walls with Pella windows. We have a open fireplace in family room that heats our house on the cold days to 74 on the first level and keeps the upstairs in the mid 60's. I think the caddy would be good I would just like the longer burn times of the max caddy. but if your getting 9-10 hours that's great. the open fireplace is so inefficient and would never use unless we our home. thanks


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 9, 2014)

You shouldn't have a problem seeing 8-10 hours or more per load then. Your in much better shape than we are.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 12, 2014)

Well I just ordered a caddy with blower will be here in 7-10 days I won't do install till spring I have to do some research in dampers for my A coil thanks laynes I bought it mostley for your rave reviews hopefully next winter it treats me good I have 6 cords split and stacked I hope it will be dry but the next year I will be in better shape


----------



## newyorker (Mar 12, 2014)

Laynes do you think the stack would heat a 3/8 water coil maybe fifty foot or so wrapped around it will a shield or would that effect effiency


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 12, 2014)

Congrats! Unfortunately, I wouldn't run a coil around the flue pipe. The temperatures run low in the 200 to 250 range on the flue. If you put a coil around the pipe, you will bring those numbers down. There has to be some heat to produce a draft for he furnace, as well as keep the chimney warm.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 12, 2014)

I have a inside 18 ft 6inch metalbestos chimney I live in the middle of a field 50 mph winds tonight never had a problem with draft will I have to buy a baro and put it in or will it work fine or just have to wait and see


----------



## sloeffle (Mar 12, 2014)

newyorker said:


> I have a inside 18 ft 6inch metalbestos chimney I live in the middle of a field 50 mph winds tonight never had a problem with draft will I have to buy a baro and put it in or will it work fine or just have to wait and see


Any wood burning furnace should have a baro. I ran my Caddy the first year without one and my burn times were definitely shorter.

I heat a 2200 sq ft ranch with my Caddy when temps are below 30. We usually burn around 2 cord a year.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 12, 2014)

Sorry for my lack of knowledge what is the tool you use to check draft and does the fire have to be going? Oh and how do you like the caddy


----------



## sloeffle (Mar 12, 2014)

A lot of folks run a Dwyer Series Mark II manometer inline and then adjust the damper as needed. I still need to get one. I adjusted mine "by feel", but I doubt it is correct. 

No complaints about the furnace and the efficiency of the unit. Most of the time you will not even see smoke come out of the chimney unless you idling. Make sure that your wood is properly seasoned. I season mine for two years. It does not like wet wood.

My only complaint is the blower noise. The front of the cabinet is insulated but the back is not. It probably would take two more dollars worth of insulation to do that. And that would probably knock down some of the noise. 

I can barely hear my geo furnace run so maybe I am setting the bar a little high.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 12, 2014)

With geo why even run the caddy electric expensive?


----------



## newyorker (Mar 13, 2014)

Hey laynes do you work for PSG I was just wondering what the limited lift time warranty covers


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 13, 2014)

Lol, I'm just a consumer. As far as I know it covers welds. Other things like the baffle and tubes should hold up for some time.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 13, 2014)

Lol thanks


----------



## sloeffle (Mar 14, 2014)

newyorker said:


> With geo why even run the caddy electric expensive?


Our electric rates are about average I guess. I am glad I had the furnace after this winter though. I would much rather burn wood than make the electric company richer.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 15, 2014)

Someday I would like to retro fit hot air geo but hopefully caddy lasts 20+ years


----------



## sloeffle (Mar 16, 2014)

If you have NG available the geo is a waste of money IMHO. If you have NG, I would get a NG furnace and air source heat pump. The geo shines in the summer and during the spring in fall when daytime temperatures are in the 40's - 50's. It does okay when below 20F but it runs too much IMHO. 

Yes my system is designed and sized correctly.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 16, 2014)

Yea no ng hear a buddy has a similar house then me and has geo and hea on a budget of 90$ a month but I didn't have the cake as tech gets better hopefully price will come down


----------



## newyorker (Mar 16, 2014)

Well anyways my caddy should be here by the end of this week won't get it installed for awhile got to get a few dampers and such I got seven cords split and stacked for next year hope I burn half of that lol and its dry enough haven't actually seen a caddy in person hope it treat me well


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Mar 16, 2014)

newyorker said:


> I got seven cords split and stacked for next year hope I burn half of that lol and its dry enough haven't actually seen a caddy in person hope it treat me well



If it's oak, it's not going to be ready to burn in an EPA furnace.  I'd start cutting now in order to get a stockpile to allow for future winters.  You need to get ahead to allow a few years for seasoning.  We currently have ~20 full cords of oak....most of which are ready to burn.  I plan on cutting each year to replenish what we burn so we never are left w/o fully seasoned firewood.  My plan is to have my Kuuma installed by the time the next heating season comes.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 16, 2014)

About 5 cords of ash and 2 oak yeah I want to be atleast three years ahead by fall love the kuuma but got a deal on the caddy with blower and fan limit for 2300 it was hard to pass up


----------



## newyorker (Mar 19, 2014)

I'm going to run my caddy in parallel with my lp furnace the caddy it about 20 ft away so I was going to run a 8x18 duct what did you guys do for a backdraft damper I will have to add a heat dump won't I?


----------



## brenndatomu (Mar 19, 2014)

I like this set up from the Kuuma manual. A heat dump is a good idea.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 19, 2014)

I'm I need one in the lp furnace because I have to keep the heat off the ac coil but I really don't understand how that check flap works it must have a motor and be wired to both furnaces?


----------



## brenndatomu (Mar 19, 2014)

If done properly they just open and close from gravity and air flow...


----------



## newyorker (Mar 19, 2014)

Yea I was planning on putting ome in lp plenum and caddy plenem just gravity ones but if the power ever went out the caddy might over heat just looking for ideas


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Mar 19, 2014)

brenndatomu said:


> I like this set up from the Kuuma manual. A heat dump is a good idea.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I don't like that, I think the flap should be on the fossil fuel unit. What if power goes out and nobody is home or are sleeping. I think the best would be a motorized dampers, 1 normally open and 1 normally closed.  When the fossil fuel unit runs it powers them in the opposite direction.


----------



## brenndatomu (Mar 20, 2014)

Good point stihly...


----------



## newyorker (Mar 20, 2014)

Motorized ones are expensive I was just thinking gravity ones?


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Mar 20, 2014)

I would also like to know the best way to accomplish what I need to.  I'll be placing an order for my new furnace soon and I will be having an HVAC guy come out and look at what I have and give me recommendations on what has to be done.  I will also want to accomplish the same thing as newyorker, keep the hot air off of the AC coil as well as keep the ducts open to gravity flow in the event of a power outage.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 20, 2014)

$250+ x 2 where gravity are $90plus


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Mar 20, 2014)

where do you even buy the large rectangle ones (gravity or otherwise)?  My current main duct coming off my furnace/A coil is 20"x10"


----------



## newyorker (Mar 20, 2014)

Irr supply in newyork I'm sure there is a HVAC supplier near you first they say we don't sell to the consumer but if you have cash and no exactly what you are taking about and want they will sell it to you


----------



## newyorker (Mar 20, 2014)

Im thinking a gravity one over the caddy and a gravity one over the a coil is what I am going to do I guess I will have to put a heat dump in down the road I'm up to better idea tho I'm no pro


----------



## newyorker (Mar 20, 2014)

I really don't see away to have gravity with a  parallel installed with out back feeding either furnace


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Mar 20, 2014)

Depending how you do the install you could do one gravity at fossil furnace supply. Location of tie in is key.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 21, 2014)

Yea true put a gravity damper on lp furnace and motorized on wood furnace then if power goes out and you were burning wood that damper would be open to let the heat gravitate out good idea


----------



## newyorker (Mar 21, 2014)

Caddy arrived today wo
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
 nt be able to get into the basement till Sunday or Monday have never seen one in person I am quite impressed


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Mar 21, 2014)

What I mean is ! only. For instance, wood furnace beside oil furnace. Supply of the wood furnace feeds the duct 1st, then the oil with the gravity damper. So when the oil fan runs it pushes the damper open, by doing this it seals off the wood furnace supply. 1 damper 2 duties.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 21, 2014)

Yeah that won't work with my set up bit I know what you mean


----------



## JRHAWK9 (Mar 21, 2014)

Attached is a crude sketch of how I'm going to be having mine setup.  Any comments/concerns??  newyorker, is this how your going to do things as well?

The cold air for the LP furnace is connected to the cold air ducts, while the cold air for the wood furnace will be a combination of an open staircase and laundry chute, which extends from the basement up to the second floor loft and has an open grate on it.  The chute also has an opening in the first floor bathroom which I may remove the door for winter to allow even more possible places to pull from.  The HVAC guy said I will have very good circulation with things setup like that.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 21, 2014)

That's exactly how in doing mine I think except I'm hooking in a return


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 21, 2014)

STIHLY DAN said:


> What I mean is ! only. For instance, wood furnace beside oil furnace. Supply of the wood furnace feeds the duct 1st, then the oil with the gravity damper. So when the oil fan runs it pushes the damper open, by doing this it seals off the wood furnace supply. 1 damper 2 duties.



That's basically how our works. If it would happen to close the dampers above the woodfurnace, I can manually open them. The only way our damper would be closed above the woodfurnace is if the lp furnace ran and the woodfurnace didn't.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 21, 2014)

Got my caddy today laynes pretty impressed with quality one hell of a blower on it if it works half as good as it looks I'm going to be happy camper


----------



## laynes69 (Mar 21, 2014)

That's good, hope everything works well for you. Ours has served us well.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 23, 2014)

Got her in the basement today used tractor with forks was pretty easy


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Mar 23, 2014)

I don't know whats more impressive the caddy or the pile of ammo? Looks good, you will be feeling the heat EARLY next yr I bet.


----------



## newyorker (Mar 23, 2014)

Yea I might fire it up on a cool September night lol I am a ammo hoarder that's just what I picked up at Walmart today I live in NY and they are trying vary hard to take are guns not a very nice state for country boys


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Mar 23, 2014)

newyorker said:


> Yea I might fire it up on a cool September night lol I am a ammo hoarder that's just what I picked up at Walmart today I live in NY and they are trying vary hard to take are guns not a very nice state for country boys



Yes that's why the small pile is impressive.


----------



## M1sterM (Mar 24, 2014)

STIHLY DAN said:


> Yes that's why the small pile is impressive.



You're spending time in the wrong forum, if you think that's an impressive pile...even for us NY'ers.


----------

