FP30 custom heat distribution system

[begreen]

Correct. The dealer needs to read the installation instructions.

Outside air may be drawn through either side or back of the unit by connecting 4"(102mm) rigid or flex pipe onto the outside air adapter opening provided on either side of the combustion air box. The fireplace comes with the outside air adapter factory installed on the right side. You are able to switch this with the cover plate on the left side if required. We recommend insulated flex when being installed in cold climates.

 

[geofox784]

Hi, I've been reading this forum since the spring of this year when I bought the FP30 and have been thrilled. In August, I plugged in the insert and tested it when the temperature outside dropped to 13 degrees Celsius. I have been heating continuously since September and until last week, when the temperatures were at least around 0 degrees, it was still possible, but now, when the temperatures have dropped to -8 degrees Celsius, the insert does not have time to heat the house. To be precise, the house is 2 floors + basement and I am trying to heat the whole house with the distribution systems, so far the distribution systems are temporary. I blow through one pipe to the basement, the second to the floor where the FP30 is and the third to the upper floor. The fan has a draft of up to 1000 m3/h, but it usually runs at 50%. The temperature blown into the pipe is about 50-60 degrees Celsius. The house has an area for heating of approx. 270 m2. Two floors and each 120m2 and in the basement one room 30m2. The house is not insulated, it has new plastic windows with double glazing and 6 chambers.
I will attach a photo of the house and a photo of the fireplace. Do you think the house is above the limit of this insert?
View attachment 305050View attachment 305051View attachment 305052View attachment 305053

In the photo, it looks like you have two electric baffles controlling the flow. I am planning on doing something similar. How did you control it?

 

[geofox784]

I've got the Valcourt Waterloo and have been messing with the VA4460 for a few weeks. I originally tried to tie it right into my main plenum where my ducts distribute to the rooms. This didn't work, too much pressure to overcome. How did you tie yours in? Tieing it into one duct it works excellent, tons of heat and airflow..I'm planning on doing three rooms with zone dampers and a customer smart)home automation solution to it. This is because I don't think the fan will have enough power to drive three rooms worth. I looked at the AC Infinity fan but was worried it can't handle the heat. I ran a 50 foot test run with insulated flex duct to my garage. It's pumping out air at 125 degrees. It took my temp from 52 to 58 today and my garage is a 4 car.

"I'm planning on doing three rooms with zone dampers and a customer smart)home automation solution to it. This is because I don't think the fan will have enough power to drive three rooms worth. "

I am planning on doing the same thing, but need to figure out what hardware to use and what to control it. Did you end up making this?

 

[Jiri]

"I'm planning on doing three rooms with zone dampers and a customer smart)home automation solution to it. This is because I don't think the fan will have enough power to drive three rooms worth. "

I am planning on doing the same thing, but need to figure out what hardware to use and what to control it. Did you end up making this?

Hi, sorry I'm only writing now, I've only just read the query. Yes, I am using the steering via electric flaps ordered on Aliexpress. They are a 2x T piece and each has 2 dampers, so 4 in total. The fan should have enough thrust as well, but the problem is that the insert doesn't produce enough heat for my house. When it's freezing, it's only 17 degrees in the upstairs rooms. so I have to help myself with conventional oil heating in the radiators. The house is uninsulated and I have the heat loss calculated at about 19.5 kW at -20 C. In the room where the liner is it is about 28 C but further away from the ducts it drops to about 20 down to the 18-17.
Otherwise I also use Home Assistant automation but I haven't finalised it yet, because I'm still not sure if this insert is the best solution for me. It has greatly increased the dust in the house etc. Also the wood even on the gasifier burns out within 4 hours, then it's just glowing which doesn't give as much heat. I don't know if the liner and assembly still has the potential to improve anything for me to get better results. The wood is hardwood 2 years old and dry. Every 2-4 weeks or so I have to clean the fireplace area of ash and that too is dusty. It is always ash up to the bottom edge of the door. The glass also gets smoky in the lower corners when it gases and is otherwise all greyed out. It stays clean for a few days until I use the gassing. The top BAFFLE has gotten quite twisted and bent upwards. I have no idea if you can get a new one in Europe and from what I've looked at prices in Canada similar ones cost around $500, which is a lot for a piece of iron.

If you've made any progress with your install, please share, I'd be happy to.

 

[martin hales]

Hi fellow stove and fireplace enthusiasms!

Long time lurker, it's now time for me to post on this great forum.

A little bit of background first. I had a Pacific Energy FP25 installed in my (now sold) cottage few years ago, I really enjoyed the heat output of this unit! Well built, but with few annoyances:
- burned wood too quick, fixed by blocking two-third of the OAK (outside air kit)
- east-west wood configuration can be stressful sometimes when fully loading the box, always a risk of a log rolling in the glass
- the door was mis-aligned from factory, fixed it myself
- an electrical wire was pinched between two metal plate from factory, shorting the circuit, this one took a while to diagnosis, fixed by the dealer
- the Pacific Energy heat distribution system is noisy and cheap, but was really efficient in heating the basement (once installed correctly, more on that later)!

Now I have a new bigger house being built, and decided to go with the FP30. It's been delivered few days ago and will be installed tomorrow. What a beast!

View attachment 295034

A first observation, something I've read here also: it is damn hard to find a qualified professional to install the heat distribution system. It's true now, and it was true few years ago for my FP25.

At the time, the fireplace dealer installed the Pacific Energy heat distribution system for the FP25 with soft duct, with the vent outlet in the basement ceiling, and the heat output was poor at best. The soft duct seemed to pulsate when trying to push hot air downward, resulting in very little air flow. The outlet in the ceiling was a poor decision also, hot air stayed there, leaving the rest of the basement cold. Moreover, they didn't want to touch the electrical part if it, neither my electrician (what I wanted was too custom for them). I ended up removing all the system and re-doing it myself, with solid duct, venting at 2-3 feet from the floor, with the electrical setup I wanted (one switch to activate either the fireplace fan or the heat distribution fan).

Now for the new house, the fireplace dealer (a different dealer) didn't want to install it, told me to ask the HVAC guy, who didn't want to touch this. Good chance also it would have been installed wrong again, so I do it myself this time! Since the Pacific Energy kit was cheap, I opted for something else. SBI (the company behind Valcourt, Osbourn, Drolet and other brands), sell a better kit (VA4460 Forced Air Distribution Kit), with a superb fan that is a lot quieter and efficient than the Pacific Energy kit. The dealer accepted to sell me the kit and approved my installation with the FP30. Great!

I have installed the fan and duct already, but here's the question I have for you folks: there are two parts from the Pacific Energy heat distribution kit that needs to be installed on the FP30: an adapter (part #1, WODC.9128) and a backflow damper (#3, WODC.7940).

View attachment 295035

Obviously I don't have those, and they're not sold separately. I know other guys here have installed their own custom heat transfer system, what have you done for the connection to the FP30? For the others, what would you do? Is the backflow damper really needed? Could it be installed somewhere else in the duct?

Thanks looking on information on what type of duct work I can use ? I haven’t seen any videos or pictures of this system , thanks

 

[martin hales]

Interested in the blocking of the OAK. I was thinking of doing the same. I have a relatively short 7 foot run with rigid duct. In my Valcourt Waterloo I can't get burn times longer than 4-5 hours on low. Definitely made a difference for you?

I would say it's not normal, the opposite side should be closed.

Did you use B-vent I’m trying to get clarification if I can just use standard duct work?. Any pictures or videos ?

 

[begreen]