Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...

[TDD11]

I called Honeywell they said the supply voltage range is 20v to 30v. I don't think it is a voltage issue. I may measure amp draw this weekend, although the damper seems to open and close freely.

Perhaps I just got a bad one and I am reading into this too much.

I've been pretty tempted to retrofit a Totaline controller onto my old Silver Dollar Saver stove in my workshop.

 

[answ3r]

I have a Heatmax build number 676 and I've been think about adding something that actually controls the burning temp instead of the dumb thermostat for a while now. Then I started researching and found you guys !

I really like the idea of the PID controller opening / closing the damper based on flue temperature. But if I buy a controller, I would also like to be able to control fan speed.

I wonder what king of controller could do that ?

Or maybe plug the fan in high speed then wire in a rheostat to slow it down ?

 

[sloeffle]

I have a Heatmax build number 676 and I've been think about adding something that actually controls the burning temp instead of the dumb thermostat for a while now. Then I started researching and found you guys !

I really like the idea of the PID controller opening / closing the damper based on flue temperature. But if I buy a controller, I would also like to be able to control fan speed.

I wonder what king of controller could do that ?

Or maybe plug the fan in high speed then wire in a rheostat to slow it down ?

I'd recommend an Auber 2342 with an integrated relay. They provide support, and they have clear directions. If you aren't familiar with PID controllers there are some good YouTube videos on how to get one setup.

The fan speed controller has been discussed thoroughly in this thread.

 

[TDD11]

Not sure if any of you guys still run Tundras or not. I guess mine overheard my wife and I discussing OWBs over the past few weeks. While cleaning the hx tubes this morning in preparation for the big cold front, I noticed rust at the back of the main hx tube. Shined a light through it, and I've got a decent sized rust seam. Explains why I it smelled a little smokey earlier this week when starting a fire.

I've noticed a scab of rust at the back of the stove before, and always run the wire brush a little extra in that area. Didn't expect it to rust through so easily.

I recall another member having a similar issue but I haven't found the post yet.

 

[Gbawol42]

Not sure if any of you guys still run Tundras or not. I guess mine overheard my wife and I discussing OWBs over the past few weeks. While cleaning the hx tubes this morning in preparation for the big cold front, I noticed rust at the back of the main hx tube. Shined a light through it, and I've got a decent sized rust seam. Explains why I it smelled a little smokey earlier this week when starting a fire.

I've noticed a scab of rust at the back of the stove before, and always run the wire brush a little extra in that area. Didn't expect it to rust through so easily.

I recall another member having a similar issue but I haven't found the post yet.

I had the back of my Tundra 2's firebox rust out. Ended up replacing it with the Heat Commander.

 

[TDD11]

I had the back of my Tundra 2's firebox rust out. Ended up replacing it with the Heat Commander.

Out of your own pocket?

 

[Gbawol42]

Out of your own pocket?

I just realized u said Tundra 2, but I meant to say Heatmax 2.

Unfortunately I was out of warranty, but SBi did split the cost of the new unit with me. To be honest the new Heat Commander is night and day better burning than my old unit. Was a bummer to have the stove fail after 3 seasons but it is what it is.

 

[TDD11]

Thanks! Will update with whatever we figure out

 

[sloeffle]

My old Caddy had the same HX design as the Tunrda / Heatmax and I had it for 10 years and had zero issues with rust holes. I did a thorough cleaning of the furnace in the spring and disconnected the stove pipe until fall / winter. Sold it to a someone in Kentucky that I'm assume is still using it. Wonder what they cheapened up on them that's making them have so many issues with rust ?

@TDD11 If you go the OWB route, I'd buy a Heatmaster ( Polar is good too but I've heard they are very stringy on accepting any warranty claims ) and not look back. Don't cheap out on underground pipe either. PM me if you have any questions about gasification OWB's.

 

[brenndatomu]

I recall another member having a similar issue but I haven't found the post yet.

Here... https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/drolet-tundra-main-pipe-rust-holes.183296/post-2460228
We were talking about using SS wrap style exhaust clamps for the repair in this thread...I think it was discussed in another thread or two also.
It happened on the Tundra I installed at my sisters too...to repair it I cut a piece of stainless steel stove pipe about 6" long, popped the top off the furnace so that center HX tube could be accessed, then smeared some furnace cement all over the bottom of the HX tube in the problem area, and also on the stainless pipe in the area that will be on the bottom...then wrapped the SS around the HX tube, putting the overlap on the top (the HX tube is about 5" IIRC, the SS pipe was 6") then I got a couple 6" hose clamps and tightened them down to make the wrap tight on the HX tube, (I also reached back inside the tube and patted down any cement that oozed through, after the clamps were tight) let it cure for a day, then fire in the hole...that was the end of that problem, probably permanently, because the issue is that short section of the back part of the HX tube is blasted by the coolest air from the blower, and is also the coolest point internally, being right at the end...so putting this wrap on it kinda insulates it, so it should help keep the flue gasses above condensation point now. Looking back, this should have been done preventatively. They had issues with this on the early Caddys too...the return air originally passed over the center HX tube on the way in to the blower, they changed it so that it only passed over the tubes post blower then.
They have addressed the problem on the Heat Commander right from the git go...the air box that distributes the air from the controls on the back, into the various places in the firebox, blocks the air from blasting right from the blower onto the back of the center HX tube.
I'll try to post a pic of my Tundra repair here sometime soon.
Here's the Heat Commander setup...much better
(click the pic and hit the + for better detail)
Oh, and SBI did warranty the Tundra then...but it was an early model that still had the full lifetime warranty on it, and it was cracked all over the place, even with all the preventive stuff I did to it...they refunded the price of the Tundra, and gave a healthy discount to upgrade to the HC...can't complain too loudly about that IMO...other than it seems like SBI is using the consumer as RnD.

 

[Gbawol42]

Here... https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/drolet-tundra-main-pipe-rust-holes.183296/post-2460228
We were talking about using SS wrap style exhaust clamps for the repair in this thread...I think it was discussed in another thread or two also.
It happened on the Tundra I installed at my sisters too...to repair it I cut a piece of stainless steel stove pipe about 6" long, popped the top off the furnace so that center HX tube could be accessed, then smeared some furnace cement all over the bottom of the HX tube in the problem area, and also on the stainless pipe in the area that will be on the bottom...then wrapped the SS around the HX tube, putting the overlap on the top (the HX tube is about 5" IIRC, the SS pipe was 6") then I got a couple 6" hose clamps and tightened them down to make the wrap tight on the HX tube, (I also reached back inside the tube and patted down any cement that oozed through, after the clamps were tight) let it cure for a day, then fire in the hole...that was the end of that problem, probably permanently, because the issue is that short section of the back part of the HX tube is blasted by the coolest air from the blower, and is also the coolest point internally, being right at the end...so putting this wrap on it kinda insulates it, so it should help keep the flue gasses above condensation point now. Looking back, this should have been done preventatively. They had issues with this on the early Caddys too...the return air originally passed over the center HX tube on the way in to the blower, they changed it so that it only passed over the tubes post blower then.
They have addressed the problem on the Heat Commander right from the git go...the air box that distributes the air from the controls on the back, into the various places in the firebox, blocks the air from blasting right from the blower onto the back of the center HX tube.
I'll try to post a pic of my Tundra repair here sometime soon.
Here's the Heat Commander setup...much better
(click the pic and hit the + for better detail)
Oh, and SBI did warranty the Tundra then...but it was an early model that still had the full lifetime warranty on it, and it was cracked all over the place, even with all the preventive stuff I did to it...they refunded the price of the Tundra, and gave a healthy discount to upgrade to the HC...can't complain too loudly about that IMO...other than it seems like SBI is using the consumer as RnD.
View attachment 322620

I do believe it was that insulation blanket staying moist that caused the issue. But to be honest I will really never know. SBi hasn't really publically addresses the issue even though I know of a few that have had it already.

 

[brenndatomu]

I do believe it was that insulation blanket staying moist that caused the issue. But to be honest I will really never know. SBi hasn't really publically addresses the issue even though I know of a few that have had it already.

I was referring to the HX tube issue...on the boost air rusting out in the rear, I'd have to agree.

 

[sloeffle]

I do believe it was that insulation blanket staying moist that caused the issue. But to be honest I will really never know. SBi hasn't really publically addresses the issue even though I know of a few that have had it already.

My caddy had insulation blanket on it and the exhaust ran through the cold air return as @brenndatomu mentioned in his post. The exhaust was inside of another piece of round metal on mine though. Never had any rust problems on mine. Generally would only use it when temperatures were <40 because the house would get too hot.

For these to be rusting out as fast as they have been they’d had to have cheapened the grade of metal up or maybe the HX metal is thicker on the caddy and that’s why they are more expensive ? The tundra or Heatmax wasn’t available when I bought mine.

 

[brenndatomu]

I didn't have time to take the top off, but here is a pic of the SS wrap over the center HX tube rust hole...

 

[TDD11]

I did the bandaid fix this evening with black stove pipe, and no stove cement, as posted here. Thanks! Go figure, on the eve of single digit temps an issue would pop up like that.

@sloeffle Thanks for the tip! I did run across Heatmaster in my research, and saw a post maybe by you, about Polar. Agreed about not cheapin out on the buried line. Do you have external water storage tank? There's a whole world to Gassy OWB that I didn't realize existed.

 

[sloeffle]

@sloeffle Thanks for the tip! I did run across Heatmaster in my research, and saw a post maybe by you, about Polar. Agreed about not cheapin out on the buried line. Do you have external water storage tank? There's a whole world to Gassy OWB that I didn't realize existed.

No, the G4000 has 116+ gallons of water in it. I'm not a fan of reinventing the wheel so I don't have any kind of external storage. The OWB is designed and built to run without so that's why I left it that way. The new gasification OWB's are some of the most efficient wood burners out there according to the EPA database. The G4000 from Heatmaster is the second most efficient cord wood boiler behind the G10000 according to the EPA woodstove database.

 

[TDD11]

I present to you the SBI Exhaust tube repair kit.

 

[brenndatomu]

I present to you the SBI Exhaust tube repair kit.

View attachment 324252 View attachment 324253

Is there 3 of them there?