trx250r87
Burning Hunk
Damn, that's a heat wave! Lows of -3, -11, -15, -15, -10, -9 and -4 Friday through Thursday here in Wisconsin.
Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...
- Thread starter brenndatomu
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Damn, that's a heat wave! Lows of -3, -11, -15, -15, -10, -9 and -4 Friday through Thursday here in Wisconsin.
I'd have bought a Kuuma, and have a better setup to supplement with propane, if we regularly saw those temperatures.
Boy, that doesn't sound right...have you checked the transformers voltage output?
I'd be half tempted to put one of those bimetallic spring setups on it like the amish do on the Caddys...supposedly works pretty darn well.
On Saturday, i actually just talked to an Amish friend of mine who has run a Caddy for ?10? years. Gravity ducted of course. He said he tried a bimetallic spring on his but couldn't seem get it adjusted to his satisfaction. He really likes his Caddy though. Him and a few others have had Caddys for quite a while. It's one of the reasons I got a HMX2.
I'm sure the secret sauce is getting the right spring...and then getting it mounted in the right spot too...adjusting it wouldn't do much other than to make it run hotter or colder....if I were to do this I would want to get the spring/kit from a dealer that is familiar with this mod, and can get the right one and tell you exactly where to put it...IIRC the fellow I was talking to about it said his neighbor had this setup and it worked flawless...I think it came from Cherry Valley stove shop in Andover Ohio.
I switched it to Fahrenheit for my American friends.
Just retired the Tundra to backup duty. Did about 3 years comfortably for the house only at these tempuratures. Many reasons I switched to hydronic is to keep the mess in the garage, heat multiple buildings, and infloor heat/Hotwater heatplate options.
Did a full clean on the boiler to make sure everything will perform properly in the cold weather.
Next year upgrading to a Polar G3 to heat my greenhouse year round. Been doing alot of research lately on setups and options. Really got to break down everything to get a full picture.
![[Hearth.com] Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/273/273554-2406cba5a074fe26133f2cdb8c490ed3.jpg?hash=EJ1Fu1yGyD "[Hearth.com] Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...")
A bi-metallic spring wouldn't work on a furnace with a blower. The face of the furnace would always remain too low and the damper would remain open. Though it does say alot for the Caddy's and the amish. They must be efficient for the amish are known to make the most of everything.
I dunno...never done it, but it sounds like its a pretty common mod amongst the amish...enough so that that shop keeps a kit in stock.
My impression was that the spring was not under the air jacket...on the front somewhere.
The fellow I was talking with says that his amish neighbor absolutely loves his non electric Caddy.
What I'm saying is since the Amish dont use a blower, the front of the furnace would remain much hotter. I'm curious how they are set up.
When the original damper motor failed in early December, I believe it was 26-28v. I have not checked it this time yet.
Gearhead660
Minister of Fire
Figured I would post here first, since most watchers have Drolet furnaces or experience with them. I have a Tundra 2 and was thinking about heating my DHW, possibly with a sidearm exchanger. Anyone out there doing this? If so, what's your setup?
I've also entertained the same idea, but I'm still getting mine broke in. I'll be watching for others responses. I assume you have studied the DHW option that the Max Caddy offers?
Gearhead660
Minister of Fire
trx250r87
Burning Hunk
From Tundra 2 specs: "Delivered heat output rate (min. to max.): 12,635 BTU/h (3.7 kW) to 44,857 BTU/h (13.1 kW)"
I'm too dumb to try and figure this out but my natural gas tankless water heater is 15,000 BTU min and 160,000 BTU max and I think my Trane natural gas furnace is about 60,000 BTU. I would think that you would either spend too much energy heating water and not able to provide enough heat into the house or the cooling of the cold water would contribute to a decent amount of creosote.
Also, the manual for the Caddy says "pre-heating option", not full blown heating.
Eric
JRHAWK9
Minister of Fire
I had the water coil option on my Kuuma for 2-3 years. We could take 4 showers all back to back before the water heated kicked in. It preheated the water in a separate tempering tank to feed the water heater. It worked great, but like you mentioned, once I stopped using it after the tempering tank started to leak (it was an old electric water heater), I immediately noticed the house heated easier. I did not replace the tank and I have since removed the water coil from the exterior back wall of the firebox.
![[Hearth.com] Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/274/274929-546f6bfce2117c15fb511cf008774e25.jpg?hash=dMslUUtlgJ "[Hearth.com] Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...")
trx250r87
Burning Hunk
I upgraded my electric 50 gallon tank water heater almost a year ago to tankless. I kept the old unit as a tempering tank about 4' from my wood furnace. Now the water entering my tankless is @77* rather than 45* from my well. I don't know if this helps much but it didn't cost me anything and I can still flip the breaker on to the tank heater if I ever need it.
Eric
I heat my water indirectly through waste heat off the VF100 in the winter via a HPWH (heat pump water heater)
Bonus is that it de-humidifies the basement in the summer too...enough so that I don't have to run another dehumidifier.
I have been comparing the difference over the past year (+) that its been installed, I'm running about $15/mo less on my electric bill vs the old electric water heater.
Bonus is that it de-humidifies the basement in the summer too...enough so that I don't have to run another dehumidifier.
I have been comparing the difference over the past year (+) that its been installed, I'm running about $15/mo less on my electric bill vs the old electric water heater.
Gearhead660
Minister of Fire
I'm not looking to heat it only with the Tundra, just assist the water heater and increase the temp coming into the water heater. Family of 5 and a kid that loves to take baths...
I wanted to add DHW to my system...
The guy who helped design my system said "Don't"
Because i lived in a house with 2 women's,plus i have my own septic system in clay.
Keep the electric i was told,any water you heat with your wood heat isn't free,it will take more wood,which means more work.Having an endless supply of hot water isn't something you want with 2 womens in the house because they will take advantage of it and have super long showers,which isn't the best thing for a septic sytem in clay.
So i happily kept the electric tank.
Just my story,do what you want.
The guy who helped design my system said "Don't"
Because i lived in a house with 2 women's,plus i have my own septic system in clay.
Keep the electric i was told,any water you heat with your wood heat isn't free,it will take more wood,which means more work.Having an endless supply of hot water isn't something you want with 2 womens in the house because they will take advantage of it and have super long showers,which isn't the best thing for a septic sytem in clay.
So i happily kept the electric tank.
Just my story,do what you want.
Thats my plan as well in a year or two. The room my electric water heater is in has lots of exposed ductwork which makes it warmer that s storage room needs to be. Perfect situation for HPWH when you also consider the fact we run a dehumidifier all summer long.
For me this option makes more sense than spending any money to make a preheater.
29v no load. What do you think? Received my replacement damper motor but hesitant whether to use it or replace transformer.
The 24v transformer for my Totaline outputs 26v.
Yeah they aren't regulated, so they will read high with no load...check it with motor running?
Does seem a little high...I wonder if others could check theirs for comparison...I'd do it, but don't have the Tundra anymore...
