Everything Drolet Tundra - Heatmax...

[STIHLY DAN]

Its tough. I don't want to come across as a "rude American". I sometimes wonder if all of the reimbursements they've done on cracked stoves is why they seem reluctant now to send any other parts out that do nothing but cost the company.

Be as rude as you want. They should not have used the public and their money as beta testing.

 

[TDD11]

Any reason I shouldn't go with an adjustable snap disc? Thinking about the Emerson 3F05-1.

Looks like its going to get a little colder next week. Will be a good test. I know I still need to refine some settings on my temp controller.

 

[brenndatomu]

Any reason I shouldn't go with an adjustable snap disc?

Not in my mind...anybody else see why not?

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I prefer an adjustable over a set.

 

[Jacksprat]

I prefer an adjustable over a set.

just a question what do you set your adjustable discs at and why thanks

 

[STIHLY DAN]

just a question what do you set your adjustable discs at and why thanks

Well, i don't have a tundra, but my unit is adjustable. I have mine set a little lower than factory, works best for me. Location is key, so if yours was on the back and is now on top, most likely it would not be at the same set point.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I like adjustable because it allows for experimenting on what works best for your situation and outside temp.

 

[crewchief264]

I have my temp controller installed - finished it last night. I installed it and the timer exactly like @3fordasho, including the configuration settings.

It seems like my stove after the initial burn, will bounce between the 255 Low Alarm Limit and the 355 AHYS Alarm Hysteresis somewhat frequently. When it hits the 355 and closes the inlet damper,it seems like only a minute goes by before it hits the alarm again and opens the front damper. I obviously set the AHYS correctly to 100. This is only 3.5 hours into a load of 4 4-5" ash splits- wood is really coaled now.

Input conditions:
House: built 1973 1900 sq ft ranch, on partial crawl space and finished basement with 2 car garage in basement. 2x4 construction, casement pella windows, retro foamed walls, blown in fiberglass in attic about R-80. House is pounded with a west wind due to an open field. Waiting on pines to grow.

Chimney: 15 feet, selkirk insulated ran through the center of the house (where old propane flue ran)
Barometric damper installed and set to .05-.06
Temp controller installed and set high alarm 450, low alarm at 140. Chys 100, Ahys 120. tub timer.
No fan controller, fan set at factory speed 2.
Adjustable Fan temp switch set at 110
Insulated top and sides of the side panels with thermo-tec 1/4 inch 2000 degree aluminum faced insulation. I removed the top and side panels to accomplish this. Duct temps went up about 10 degrees.
Cold air return is set up to pull through the house cold air return just like main furnace.

UPDATE: after catching up on my reading my fan control snap disc is at the back and the factory snap disc turned the fans on way to late and off way too early. I put an adjustable disc in and have it set at 110. It shuts off the fans once it gets down 90... Its a 20 degree swing snap disc. I found at 100 degrees the fans ran to early and hindered reaching secondary burn.

Currently burning chinese elm that is measuring between 12-15%

My food for thought on adjusting your settings:
You will need to adjust your settings based on your cold air return set up and chimney length, and of course what Sq footage your heating. For example with the setting you had above: I never reached the 355 mark. So the damper stayed open and never closed.. I currently have my lo alarm set at 140-160 and the swing is 120 degrees. I have my high alarm set at 450 and Chys 100. I have never gotten flue temps above 375 and I have tried to get it hotter, and I haven't done anything like leaving the door cracked open. It just won't get hotter. but goes into secondary and holds it and cycles nicely with these settings. I am getting 6-10 hours of burn time and great heat output. I say 6 because yesterday was our first below 20 degrees with 15-20mph winds.. the BD was working but the furnace was flying through the wood compared to a non windy day. But the house stayed above 70. I have a magnetic temp gauge on the furnace just to the lower left of the heat exchanger door. After the timer shuts off it will be around 375-550 just depending.... and the the damper will cycle and maintain that as long as there is fuel... I am not having coal build up and am getting great burn times IMHO. Good luck and have fun playing with your settings.... I am sure when I change to different wood I may have to adjust my settings! I have also opened the heat exchanger after a month of burning and I only had a light build of very flaky easily removed black ash.... honetly ran my shop vac down it and it sucked it right up.... the lowe flue temps kinda made me wonder if I would have build up.. but so far so good...

 

[crewchief264]

Has anyone sent in for their rebate on the Tundra from Menards? I see that my $300 rebate has been processed but my 11% rebate has not yet. Anyone else deal with this?

I bought mine before they offered the 11% but I did get the $300 rebate. Long story short I hadn't picked up the furnace yet, and I asked the manager about it at menards... and they gave me a in store credit right there and then for $74.99 because the price had been dropped... I have also received my 300 rebate already. I don't think you will get the 11% because menards will say it wasn't on anything that was onside.. you may have to groan at the manager.... I submitted my 11% rebate but doubt I will see it....

 

[TDD11]

Adjustable snap disc should be in today. I think I may just adjust it lower but leave it at the back of the stove. Why I didn't think of that sooner... I don't know.

Also, loaded my stove today and set the timer. After the timer set up, and with flue temps between 500 and 550, I wondered why my damper was still open. I tapped it and it closed. First time I have observed that.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Wasn't that one of the issue's on the 1st generation? Something about honing the linkage, or replacing the cotter pin.

 

[brenndatomu]

Wasn't that one of the issue's on the 1st generation? Something about honing the linkage, or replacing the cotter pin.

Yup, just need to tweak the linkage, some have even used just a dab of high temp lube on the pivoty places

 

[crewchief264]

Adjustable snap disc should be in today. I think I may just adjust it lower but leave it at the back of the stove. Why I didn't think of that sooner... I don't know.

Also, loaded my stove today and set the timer. After the timer set up, and with flue temps between 500 and 550, I wondered why my damper was still open. I tapped it and it closed. First time I have observed that.

Also check that your damper door is fully closing. I noticed mine wasn't fully closing before I even fired it up the first time... the damper (the arm that extends behind the cover) was actually contacting the damper linkage cover. So I removed the cover and out came a round and square file to fine tune the damper to fully close. anyhow just something else to check. I haven't had issues (knock on seasoned fire wood) with my linkage.

Ps getting ready for our first winter snow storm........ and the furnace is fired up... running great. This tundra is a huge upgrade from the hot blast. I would never go back to the hot blast.

 

[zmcnutt]

Finally got everything hooked up and fired for the first time. Just loaded with a small load to get the feel for how the stove burns. Hopefully I can order temp controller set up this week and really get into burning some wood

 

[TallBoy]

Hey All,

my secondary burn tubes are looking ROUGH! after three years of burning they are warped and dont really perform as the should. i suspect some of the air holes are clogged with debris or corrosion. i was planning on replacing them , they (drolet) sell the main 3 for $60, and the front tube (singular) for $60 bucks also...so $120 for 4 tubes. wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom when it comes to the secondary burn tubes. replace all 4 or just the back 3? I didnt locate this topic in the previously threads so im asking now.

thanks!

 

[laynes69]

Those tubes should be under warranty.

 

[TDD11]

Looks like a low of 3°F Wednesday night and -2°F on Thursday night, Will be a good test. Installed my new adjustable snap disc yesterday and blocked off a duct in my basement. House went from 71°F to 78-79°F upstairs in less than an hour, after a reload of ash.

Still need to have a backdraft damper installed on my propane furnace but for now I blocked off the filter housing on the furnace and shut it off. It did improve the amount of airflow to the ground floor. I'm getting there slowly..

 

[DoubleB]

after three years of burning they are warped and dont really perform as the should. i suspect some of the air holes are clogged with debris or corrosion.

Do you want replacements due to the warpage? Or the corrosion? You might be able to clean out the corrosion yourself, even with tools (I don't think these are as critical as carburetor jets). Are you sure its corrosion? It might be fine ash buildup.

Can you describe your burning habits? If you have corrosion and uncleanable junk on your secondaries and they're warped, I wonder if your wood is on the wet side and the damper is open a lot to compensate? I ask, just so the same thing doesn't happen quickly again.

 

[brenndatomu]

Noticing some interesting things with ole Tundra recently...I have been burning some slab wood that my in-laws donated to me when they moved recently...and it seems to burn nice and hot, but still seems to last almost as long and regular splits! My old Yukon would be lucky to go 3-4 hours on a load of slabs, let a lone 8-12 hours!
And another thing is, these things love dry Pine! I have a ton of construction cut-offs to burn up from a large project at work so I have been putting a piece or two on top of my regular loads...it burns hot! My supply duct air temps run about 5* hotter for an hour or so when I do this

 

[brenndatomu]

Another tip for anybody just starting out with this whole wood heat thing, load according to the weather forecast. I have 5 basic strategies, starting with warmer weather and working down to "Polar Vortex"
1. Load light every 12 hours. On a light load I load the wood in an X shape (corner to corner) alternating the direction of each layer so you end up with about half the wood, but it is still "to the top" It burn hot this way, just not for as long.
2. Load full every 12 hours. A full load is basically 2 side by side rows even to the top of the loading door.
3. Load light very 8 hrs.
4. Load full every 8 hrs.
5. And last but not least, for those really cold nights, fill 'er up, as much as you can get in without damaging the baffle/tubes!

And this list doesn't even account for all the different types of wood that can be used, as far as softwood/hardwood.
Doing this wood heat thing well is a real skill! Well, except for those Kuuma cheaters!

 

[DoubleB]

I'll add, for those polar vortex days, that my number 6 on the list is:

6. Fill 'er up. Once off-gassing is complete, open damper, rake the pile of coals forward, and throw a small split or two on top. Since it's mostly coals, it won't get too hot with the damper full open, but you get more heat than just coals. Also, it extends time until the next full load, so that there are fewer coals when you load the next full load, which leaves more room for new firewood.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I think I may just adjust it lower but leave it at the back of the stove. Why I didn't think of that sooner... I don't know.

I would put it where it accurately represents and is able to quickly sense change in temp. This is more than likely going to be above center of the firebox. It will make your turn on/off temps more consistent. In my experience, putting it off to the side makes it a bit sluggish when compared to be right above the source of heat.

 

[brenndatomu]

I would put it where it accurately represents and is able to quickly sense change in temp. This is more than likely going to be above center of the firebox. It will make your turn on/off temps more consistent. In my experience, putting it off to the side makes it a bit sluggish when compared to be right above the source of heat.

Absolutely correct. I had the adjustable switch in the back early on, it works better mounted in the newer position up top.

 

[TDD11]

I agree, I think that it would more accurately turn the blower on - sooner. Otherwise, I assume once there is airflow throughout the air jacket, that with better mixing, at least the shut off would be more representative. For now.. it already makes a huge difference, and is a clean installation until I decide to order some parts for a clean installation on the top front of the stove (box to conceal snap disc and conduit).

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Another tip for anybody just starting out with this whole wood heat thing, load according to the weather forecast. I have 5 basic strategies, starting with warmer weather and working down to "Polar Vortex"
1. Load light every 12 hours. On a light load I load the wood in an X shape (corner to corner) alternating the direction of each layer so you end up with about half the wood, but it is still "to the top" It burn hot this way, just not for as long.
2. Load full every 12 hours. A full load is basically 2 side by side rows even to the top of the loading door.
3. Load light very 8 hrs.
4. Load full every 8 hrs.
5. And last but not least, for those really cold nights, fill 'er up, as much as you can get in without damaging the baffle/tubes!

And this list doesn't even account for all the different types of wood that can be used, as far as softwood/hardwood.
Doing this wood heat thing well is a real skill! Well, except for those Kuuma cheaters!

Actually fairly similar..... with all your add on's you may be at risk of being a cheater too.