Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...

[brenndatomu]

Man just trying to re read this whole thread before my install 56 pages whoaa! Looks like brenndatomu is the authority on this this thing as he is the one that started this thread. Wondering if theres any chance anyone would be insterested to compile and start a " thread everything tundra and heatmax install" and keep it just to the verified install information and mods. ie. Sensors tips and tricks. 56 pages of discussion to pull the good info from is tough. I think everyone on this site became beta testers and look whats been achieved.

Nah, I'm no authority, just a wood heat junky obsessed on making these things work better(er) and y'all help feed my addiction here!
Well, that's what this thread started out as...and then it just kind of developed into, well, more, a lot more, in the last year or so. Been thinking about starting another one, but I'm not sure how much that would really help...you'd just have two threads to read instead of one big one...what do y'all think about it?

 

[Digger79]

I was thinking that. Door off brick out. Fan off. Dolly and 3 people. Hoping I can man handle her in no damage or injury!

Well I loaded a 500lb safe out the back of my pick up and in my house by myself using leverage, 2x10's.. And a dolly. Im 150lbs soaking wet.

Id use A few 2x8's an screw em down to the stairs in the middle like a slide. 2 men below unit 1 above. Should leave enough room on both sides of the 2x8, mybe u need 2x6 pending your dolly wheels, for the guys below to still have good footing on sides of stairs. Man up top straddles the ramp. Use a furniture dolly w a strap! Should have plenty of control w 3 men on it. Ive done this before w heavy crap. Its better than trying to lower off each step trust me just be safe n be smart.

Man just trying to re read this whole thread before my install 56 pages whoaa! Looks like brenndatomu is the authority on this this thing as he is the one that started this thread. Wondering if theres any chance anyone would be insterested to compile and start a " thread everything tundra and heatmax install" and keep it just to the verified install information and mods. ie. Sensors tips and tricks. 56 pages of discussion to pull the good info from is tough. I think everyone on this site became beta testers and look whats been achieved.

lol its a good crowd here. lotta jabber though I know I did most of it. sorry. haha

 

[jb6l6gc]

Please do but like i said just keep it to the the verified and agreed on most important points from this thread only. Coles notes version im only on page 5 im dying here!

 

[Digger79]

I was thinking that. Door off brick out. Fan off. Dolly and 3 people. Hoping I can man handle her in no damage or injury!

Well I loaded a 500lb safe out the back of my pick up and in my house by myself using leverage, 2x10's.. And a dolly. Im 150lbs soaking wet.

Id use A few 2x8's an screw em down to the stairs in the middle like a slide. 2 men below unit 1 above. Should leave enough room on both sides of the 2x8, mybe u need 2x6 pending your dolly wheels, for the guys below to still have good footing on sides of stairs. Man up top straddles the ramp. Use a furniture dolly w a strap! Should have plenty of control w 3 men on it. Ive done this before w heavy crap. Its better than trying to lower off each step trust me just be safe n be smart.

Man just trying to re read this whole thread before my install 56 pages whoaa! Looks like brenndatomu is the authority on this this thing as he is the one that started this thread. Wondering if theres any chance anyone would be insterested to compile and start a " thread everything tundra and heatmax install" and keep it just to the verified install information and mods. ie. Sensors tips and tricks. 56 pages of discussion to pull the good info from is tough. I think everyone on this site became beta testers and look whats been achieved.

lol its a good crowd here. lotta jabber though I know I did most of it. sorry. haha

Well I loaded a 500lb safe out the back of my pick up and in my house by myself using leverage, 2x10's.. And a dolly. Im 150lbs soaking wet.

Id use A few 2x8's an screw em down to the stairs in the middle like a slide. 2 men below unit 1 above. Should leave enough room on both sides of the 2x8, mybe u need 2x6 pending your dolly wheels, for the guys below to still have good footing on sides of stairs. Man up top straddles the ramp. Use a furniture dolly w a strap! Should have plenty of control w 3 men on it. Ive done this before w heavy crap. Its better than trying to lower off each step trust me just be safe n be smart.

lol its a good crowd here. lotta jabber though I know I did most of it. sorry. haha

ahh I didn't see that landing. forget the slide not worth it. U got it man!

 

[jb6l6gc]

Well I loaded a 500lb safe out the back of my pick up and in my house by myself using leverage, 2x10's.. And a dolly. Im 150lbs soaking wet.

Id use A few 2x8's an screw em down to the stairs in the middle like a slide. 2 men below unit 1 above. Should leave enough room on both sides of the 2x8, mybe u need 2x6 pending your dolly wheels, for the guys below to still have good footing on sides of stairs. Man up top straddles the ramp. Use a furniture dolly w a strap! Should have plenty of control w 3 men on it. Ive done this before w heavy crap. Its better than trying to lower off each step trust me just be safe n be smart.

lol its a good crowd here. lotta jabber though I know I did most of it. sorry. haha

I like that idea. Thanks

 

[DoubleB]

Now wondering if anyone has any tips to get this thing in basement

Ask @bpwelding2005 , if he's still around. Not sure maybe page 6-8 or so he showed his install, amazed me. Took out a window and a staircase, rigged up a boom on the skidsteer to move Tundra through the window into stairwell and chain-hoist it down.

As for yours, are you sure it can even fit geometrically (even if you had a gorilla to handle it)? For example at the top of your stairway, your hallway might not let you get it into the door. I'd get the tape measure out first, and if it's geometrically impossible, then you might not need to determine how many people.

What are the dimensions on your hotblast?

 

[Digger79]

Thanks for all the responses and good info guys, I never though I'd encounter such an avid developer community for...wood furnaces!

Since I haven't figured out how to reply with quotes, I'll try to answer as much as I can without them...

I got the stove on clearance at HH for basically 40$ over their cost. Returning it would basically mean that I'd have to order it elsewhere for full price, which is enough of a price difference that I can't justify right now. That being said, if this one packs it in and I have to replace it, swapping it out isn't really a big deal. The stove will basically sit just inside the basement right next to the door. I have an excavator available to sling heavy things in and out of the back of the pickup.

My unit has that galvanized wire conduit run up on top of the plenum. I think somebody said that this means it has the updated temp sensors? I agree that having the fans come on sooner and stay on longer will go a long way to reducing thermal stresses on the unit. My manual states the sensors are "thermodisc 36t11 L200" and "ceramic thermodisc f110-20F" Can anyone confirm if these are the latest sensors?

The HH people were surprised SBI hasn't initiated a recall on these units, if the problem is indeed that widespread. It seems simple to me what the problem is, as I detailed in the email I sent them...the HX and firebox both should not be welded to the same front plate. I've got half a mind to take my angle grinder out to the shed and stuff a zip cut into the front of the thing until the HX door housing is fully free of the front plate.

How welded on is that HX to the front? All I see are those cheezy tacks along the bottom, I'm assuming they barfed a bunch of weld along the back of the thing? I can't see those tacks being able to twist up and crack the front plate like has been happening..

I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions about this thing, besides, reading about all the adventures here is certainly entertaining!

Id cut the welds for sure. The new units they left a pretty good gap around it cause it expands of course all ways not just forward. They covered the gap with a cover plate cut around the HE clean out door that stops just below the HE clean out door. Skilled as you sound you could prob turn that furnace into the newer model my friend. Im not sure what all is different inside yet however. We'll know soon as summer gets here. I still have both units. I kept the old unit. What do I do with it now? Need a welder. anyways you can see my HE on this new model they warrantied for me is still pushing into the upper corner of the cover plate they installed and crushing/bending the inside of the corner up just a few millimeters or so but its obvious its expanding up into it.

So maybe cut around it not just the welds and make you a plate and paint it. SBI sent me there stove paint.... and some gloves, moisture meter and of course a replacement stove. They where pretty quick to warranty mine after seeing my pics, of all the cracking going on, then seeing my installation (THX to Brenndatomu he is an Authority here I don't care what he says), they saw and were fully aware of my temp controller, my ducting lines, They approved my installation and operating temps and replaced it right away. took umm 5 days I believe maybe a weekend in between there but that was the shipping company. SBI had the stove in Indianapolis in 2 days. I told them I would freeze to death if the current stove broke open and I had to quit using it. lol. Seriously I did. Said I had no other form of Heat really and would run out of gas by the end of winter.. which actually is kinda true. I got an insert the will easily heat the house so long as Im home to load it.

The old unit actually had not failed really just had minor surface cracks all around the firebox and one at the corner of the HE clean out door.. which was just the outer panel of the stove anyhow not the actual HE it self. Any ways it does have cracks at the welds inside the door in the corners too. However I lined it with fire brick before I got the new stove and the cracking didn't go anywhere as I continued to use it. I actually over fired it or tried too any ways, burned it hotter than I ever had just to see if I could get a failure once I knew the new stove was shipping.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Good point on the measuring. I guess i shoulda done that first just figured since the hotblast got down there somehkw that this would. So my plan is to remove both doors at the top of the stairs to make more room the move around. Measurment shows it will fit easy if i remove the fan and fan housing Use a dolly to get through front door onto some sort of cart . Cart over and turn at top of stairs onto rails screwed into stairs . Manhandle down rails and stairs onto cart at bottom where it can stay until im ready to take hotblast out of srevice . Replace fan and shroud on heatmax and prepare for install day. Worry about getting hotblast out of basement whenever!

 

[Digger79]

Man just trying to re read this whole thread before my install 56 pages whoaa! Looks like brenndatomu is the authority on this this thing as he is the one that started this thread. Wondering if theres any chance anyone would be insterested to compile and start a " thread everything tundra and heatmax install" and keep it just to the verified install information and mods. ie. Sensors tips and tricks. 56 pages of discussion to pull the good info from is tough. I think everyone on this site became beta testers and look whats been achieved.

yeah but its a hoot! (same guy who says neat) lol

 

[jb6l6gc]

Just measured again dont think i can make the turn at the landing however i can make it without turning and go down the bottom sideways if i remove fan and control box from the back how hard it all this to remove.? This is the only logical way i can see

 

[Digger79]

Ask @bpwelding2005 , if he's still around. Not sure maybe page 6-8 or so he showed his install, amazed me. Took out a window and a staircase, rigged up a boom on the skidsteer to move Tundra through the window into stairwell and chain-hoist it down.

As for yours, are you sure it can even fit geometrically (even if you had a gorilla to handle it)? For example at the top of your stairway, your hallway might not let you get it into the door. I'd get the tape measure out first, and if it's geometrically impossible, then you might not need to determine how many people.

What are the dimensions on your hotblast?

it will fit no problem. get the fan box off. its only 26" wide and like 48" tall. basically has the dimension of half a sheet of ply wood with fan off side ways so no worries that way and its only 2' the other way.. well 26". Two men under it will easily be able to hold it. specially with one on top. U could prob roll it off each step too but be much tougher. if you use a ramp and you may want to but some safety measures in like some chocks for the guys below so they can stop the dolly wheels if needed I dunno maybe just a 2x4? Get creative but safety first that always my M.O. That thing will kill anyone it falls on for sure. Of course you''l have to stop and turn at the landing.. The ramp should lead the dolly wheels rt to the spot you need to turn on though. Might take a quick look at your stairs as well to be sure they are safe enough to support all this weight. 500lbs plus as well 3 180 lbs Im guessing men.. Thats a lot of stress and as a GC I can tell you I seen some week stairs in my days. Those short stairs should be good and solid but I'd look em over and put in a few extra supports if you see anything concerning.

 

[Digger79]

Ask @bpwelding2005 , if he's still around. Not sure maybe page 6-8 or so he showed his install, amazed me. Took out a window and a staircase, rigged up a boom on the skidsteer to move Tundra through the window into stairwell and chain-hoist it down.

As for yours, are you sure it can even fit geometrically (even if you had a gorilla to handle it)? For example at the top of your stairway, your hallway might not let you get it into the door. I'd get the tape measure out first, and if it's geometrically impossible, then you might not need to determine how many people.

What are the dimensions on your hotblast?

The Gorilla would be most helpful too.

 

[Digger79]

Just measured again dont think i can make the turn at the landing however i can make it without turning and go down the bottom sideways if i remove fan and control box from the back how hard it all this to remove.? This is the only logical way i can see

agreed. shouldn't be that tough. few wires few screws Id think.

 

[Digger79]

Just measured again dont think i can make the turn at the landing however i can make it without turning and go down the bottom sideways if i remove fan and control box from the back how hard it all this to remove.? This is the only logical way i can see

U don't think it will turn with the fan box off? Slide to landing with fan box off. turn slide to concrete. U maybe could even lay it back and literally slide it on a blanket and stand it up when the bottom corner planes out at the landing below I'd just make sure the joist are perpendicular or the pressure of a 500lb stove all on one edge may crush through the ply wood.. nah Im just messing with you you got this. get some friends. ropes, blankets, dolly what ever it takes get that fan box off there... You'll have it running with pics on here in days I just know it.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Thanks man reminds me of the time i reno'd tge bathroom at my old 1920 wartime house had to get tubs in and out through window at bottom of stairs off neighbours garage roof. Definetly a challenge to say the least . Still wondering if i should save the hotblast and install in my shop thats the least of my worries right now. Tommorows supposed to be warm so ill prob go out to garage and disassemble this beast as much as i can

 

[mcmac]

Id cut the welds for sure. The new units they left a pretty good gap around it cause it expands of course all ways not just forward. They covered the gap with a cover plate cut around the HE clean out door that stops just below the HE clean out door. Skilled as you sound you could prob turn that furnace into the newer model my friend. Im not sure what all is different inside yet however. We'll know soon as summer gets here. I still have both units.

As much as I want to "fix" this thing, I'm probably going to leave it and see what happens. If I start modifying it then it's game over warranty wise. I'm confident that I could totally make it last, but the reality is I shouldnt have to. If it fails, I warranty for the new one. Stupid and wasteful, I know.

 

[Digger79]

So about these speed controlled fans. I am seeing some benefit to these but mainly a false sense of warmth or comfort such as avoiding a few minutes of a cool draft more than anything else. One of the guys on here I feel has a good understanding of heat transfer mentioned if the blower comes on earlier and goes off later then any heat that comes off the stove that can be is being pushed into the house or duct work. In my case this is fairly important as my stove is in a separate garage so radiant heat is a waist for putting heat in the house. Of course it heats the garage though. Well my point is I feel like the varying speeds have little effect on how much more heat you will put in the house and for me thats the ultimate goal. My fans setting is on high and the air come blasting out of my registers. If I turned that fan down in speed at any point thru out the burn I would be putting less heat in the house period. it might feel warmer cause there is no breeze in certain areas by registers in hallways and such but its loosing heat if the stove is hot and the fan is not running.. the house I mean. The damn fan never goes off. not till way at the end of the burn cycles like the last few hours it will start to cycle. So I set it to high to see if it would cool the plenum faster and shut off giving my elect usage a break. nope. When the air comes out of the registers at first its a little cool but after just a few minutes its warm then in 10-15 minutes its getting hot an just gets hotter. Takes along time for it to become warm and only cycles for a short while again as cool. I firmly believe Brenndatomu was right, I believe it was him who said the sooner the fan turns on and later it comes off the more heat goes in. I noticed a warmer house with the new stove. only thing that really makes sense. everything was exactly the same. I don't mind the cool air at first I want all the heat that thing puts off pushed in the house. 68 deg or 140 deg. its still warmer than 0 degrees!

 

[Digger79]

As much as I want to "fix" this thing, I'm probably going to leave it and see what happens. If I start modifying it then it's game over warranty wise. I'm confident that I could totally make it last, but the reality is I shouldnt have to. If it fails, I warranty for the new one. Stupid and wasteful, I know.

good move

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Been thinking about starting another one, but I'm not sure how much that would really help...you'd just have two threads to read instead of one big one...what do y'all think about it?

Maybe consider a furnace install thread, not brand specific. All furnaces need the same install for the space they are being put in. Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat, but a tundra install will have the same rules of any other unit. Only difference would be that octopus choice of a plenum they are putting out now.

God knows its needed, Have to have a rule that if you do not know what you are talking about, you can't go all MR Know it all, giving facts and Chit.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Well just read entire install manual, pretty confident i can strip allot of weight from this thing to get her downstairs, 30 firebricks wow think my hotblast has 12 lol. Heres the list of what im gonna remove. Door, firebricks, combustion tubes, baffle, ash pan, damper motor and housing, fan and housing, and various tools manuals and parts in it then i think it will fit no prob and be a ton lighter for safeties sake. Plus like previos post said re enforce stairs with a bunch of temporary posts. Love this thread already!

 

[DoubleB]

Door, firebricks, combustion tubes, baffle, ash pan, damper motor and housing, fan and housing, and various tools manuals and parts in it

Heck you could even pull off the side plates, top plate, maybe a rear plate on there, just like @brenndatomu has gotten really good at. Probably a bunch more removable things once you get inside of there too. Of course then you need to find something to hold onto and to make sure all the internals don't get damaged.

Even the damper door, HX cleanout door, etc. could come off. Interesting to think about how light it could get.

 

[laynes69]

I know when I moved our Caddy, I tore it down to a basic firebox. Air jacket, tubes, firebricks, baffle and blower were removed. It was lighter, but still very heavy.

 

[Digger79]

As much as I want to "fix" this thing, I'm probably going to leave it and see what happens. If I start modifying it then it's game over warranty wise. I'm confident that I could totally make it last, but the reality is I shouldnt have to. If it fails, I warranty for the new one. Stupid and wasteful, I know.

U should see if SBI will do the updates on site for you. Try it. Email them. If they do it your covered and it shouldn't have any issues after they make all the adjustments. Be better to have them do that before anything cracks cause you know how well repaired welds may be for a steel firebox.. This may be a touch difficult to get done but if you discuss it with them in the proper manner such as suggesting they do this now rather than replacing the stove down the road it could save them a ton of money in paying a welder plus doing the updates or replacing the unit. Im serious they just may do it because they know its probably going to crack. There hoping you don't fire it up hot enough to crack it I am sure. Again the biggest issue really is the firebox door. line that thing with fire brick and you should be ok along with getting the high limit switch and fan to come on real soon.. before HE gets hot to the touch. Even if the HE stuff cracks I honestly am not so sure it will hurt an real integrity of the stove.

 

[Digger79]

This pile was even about 3 1/2 - 4 weeks ago.. Not bad not bad at all.. Weather was decently cold an I burn more wood than I really need playing around w stuff. There is no stack on the far corner by the stove ever. This is all the closer I care to get that much fuel to the furnace.

 

[Digger79]

As much as I want to "fix" this thing, I'm probably going to leave it and see what happens. If I start modifying it then it's game over warranty wise. I'm confident that I could totally make it last, but the reality is I shouldnt have to. If it fails, I warranty for the new one. Stupid and wasteful, I know.

and maybe let them know if it does fail you will refuse the repair and demand a replacement. That may push them to do the update up front for you to avoid the replacement cost down the road. With there track record it should be obvious to them replacement is going to be likely.