Gemini Wood Burning Furnace- Power Loss

[Btenkhoff]

I was needing to get some wisdom on a situation i experienced last night and what you all do in similar situations. I loaded up my wood burning furnace before bed last night. We lost power 2 hours in. My manual calls for a "non operational" situation where power loss happens. HOWEVER i am instructed to not overload it/keep it small and open the damper all the way to have more heat escape through the chimney (that way the furnace does not overheat). So last night i lose power at 11:30pm and open the door up to try to remove some logs since most were still in there. Oxygen + windy back draft resulted in most the logs catching fire and flames coming out of door. Thankful i shut the door in time but was not a fun experience. All that said. What do you all do/ what would you recommend so i can better prepare for a situation like i had last night?

Thanks in advance

 

[brenndatomu]

Normally you close the damper down to keep the firebox from getting too hot, then open up your duct system/vents as much as possible to let the furnace cool through convection...is it possible you misunderstood firebox damper for the duct damper?

 

[Btenkhoff]

Thanks for that, I only have one "damper"- the manual calls it a by pass. It opens up flow directly to the chimney. So in theory i would open that up all the way like you suggested. That being said would you remove logs because in my case ones i open that by pass that fire starts to get going and hot

 

[brenndatomu]

Yeah Id be closing that damper...keep the fire from getting crazy. I wouldnt be pulling fiery logs out, unless they havent caught yet, or its total last resort!
Could cut a door into the plenum for a heat dump to the basement too...in the past there were companies that made automatic heat dumps, just for this situation.

 

[Btenkhoff]

Thank you for that! I basically did everything wrong that night. I opened it up per the manual and tried to grab some extra logs which ignited once i opened the damper up full throttle. In my mind it made sense to keep the by pass/damper mostly shut (like you said) which is what i do to have a slow burn at night. In my mind that would have generated a slow burn and low heat instead of what i did.

Still trying to figure this puppy out as it is a 30 year old wood furnace i believe.

Thanks for the advice on the heat dumps. I will have to look into that as that makes perfect sense

 

[brenndatomu]

Thanks for the advice on the heat dumps. I will have to look into that as that makes perfect sense

Dont know of anyone that makes them anymore...PM me if you are interested, I might know someone though...

 

[Micdrew]

Dont know of anyone that makes them anymore...PM me if you are interested, I might know someone though...

I had one made by an HVAC supplier, it’s power close spring open so when the power goes out it will open, this only protects from power outage not a blower failure. I installed a 2x10 register in the plenum and leave it open all the time just incase the blower was to fail. Keeps the basement warm and since I don’t have insulation in the joist bays it warms the floors nicely, no socks required when you get out of bed 👍.