New Furnace Day: Drolet Heat Commander

[Rockstar1346]

Good analogy.

Agreed, that's a nasty stench being downwind of those things!
But the newer OWB's (some of them anyways) burn as clean as your Kuuma! 👍👍
My folks just installed a new HeatMaster G series (this is for those reading along, JR already knows about it) and the difference between it and their old Central Boiler is like an ox cart with stone wheels vs a new Tesla!

Wow that’s amazing I’ve only known 1 person to have an OWB up here and he burnt everything in it and I mean everything green,seasoned, construction scraps you name it he would throw it in. I assume the newer ones would need well seasoned wood only? Don’t let Elon hear of this next thing you know we will have tesla or starlink stoves that run on stardust and solar.

 

[sloeffle]

So to achieve the "max heat output " loading crib style, am I right to assume you need 2 different lengths of splits to do this?

I actually started doing this last year. I load my wood into totes after I split it, so dealing with wood of different lengths is no big deal. If it was stacking my wood in a traditional stack I'd probably still cut everything to the same length.

 

[NSGUY]

Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a new furnace to replace my 20 year old Newmac. I found the heat commander and then this site. great thread and info.

I have some questions if you guys don't mind, these new furnaces look way more technical to setup then my newmac.

By the looks of it when I remove my old furnace and if I get the HC I should be able to set that right under my existing plenum., and with some work attach my existing plenum to the HC , I'm not sure yet how the cold or return air hooks up but can be to difficult.

How are you guys measuring the static pressure, and I think I read something about putting return dampeners in the duct work, Whats that about.

The HC seems to have a lot of electrical parts working together how much work is it to get these installed and working in sink with each other. has there been many issues with failure or break down of these electronic parts.

In one of the pics you can see a round gauge on side of the plenum what that for?

Also how big of wood are you guys using in the HC , My Newmac will take big wood , round stuff 10" across anyhow, but generally larger wood.

Does the wood for the HC have to be dry, I generally run dry wood but sometimes its a little green how does that effect the HC .

sorry for all the questions but appreciate any info

 

[trx250r87]

Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a new furnace to replace my 20 year old Newmac. I found the heat commander and then this site. great thread and info.

I have some questions if you guys don't mind, these new furnaces look way more technical to setup then my newmac.

By the looks of it when I remove my old furnace and if I get the HC I should be able to set that right under my existing plenum., and with some work attach my existing plenum to the HC , I'm not sure yet how the cold or return air hooks up but can be to difficult.

How are you guys measuring the static pressure, and I think I read something about putting return dampeners in the duct work, Whats that about.

The HC seems to have a lot of electrical parts working together how much work is it to get these installed and working in sink with each other. has there been many issues with failure or break down of these electronic parts.

In one of the pics you can see a round gauge on side of the plenum what that for?

Also how big of wood are you guys using in the HC , My Newmac will take big wood , round stuff 10" across anyhow, but generally larger wood.

Does the wood for the HC have to be dry, I generally run dry wood but sometimes its a little green how does that effect the HC .

sorry for all the questions but appreciate any info

NSGUY,
I think most of these questions can be answered by reading manual for the HC.

I think the manual mentions anti-backdraft dampers in the ductwork so your gas furnace does not blow back through the HC. I have an 8" damper in each of my three take-offs. This also helps in summer when my central air runs. Without the dampers the conditioned air would blow backwards through my HC.

I borrowed a guage from a neighbor to measure static pressure and my system was setup perfectly, maybe I got lucky. The blower is variable speed and will try to compensate if your static pressure isn't correct. With an open plenum the speed will be greatly reduced, if the plenum is too restricted the fan will ramp up much higher.

Electronics and components have been solid so far and they are easy to connect. I'm not sure what you mean by round gauge on the side, can you get a picture?

Yes your wood needs to be seasoned. Anything under 20% should burn as the dampers will compensate air fed to the fire based on firebox and plenum temperature. I sometimes burn larger 8"-10" diameter pieces of wood over night. They work well as long as the wood is dry.

 

[NSGUY]

NSGUY,
I think most of these questions can be answered by reading manual for the HC.

I think the manual mentions anti-backdraft dampers in the ductwork so your gas furnace does not blow back through the HC. I have an 8" damper in each of my three take-offs. This also helps in summer when my central air runs. Without the dampers the conditioned air would blow backwards through my HC.

I borrowed a guage from a neighbor to measure static pressure and my system was setup perfectly, maybe I got lucky. The blower is variable speed and will try to compensate if your static pressure isn't correct. With an open plenum the speed will be greatly reduced, if the plenum is too restricted the fan will ramp up much higher.

Electronics and components have been solid so far and they are easy to connect. I'm not sure what you mean by round gauge on the side, can you get a picture?

Yes your wood needs to be seasoned. Anything under 20% should burn as the dampers will compensate air fed to the fire based on firebox and plenum temperature. I sometimes burn larger 8"-10" diameter pieces of wood over night. They work well as long as the wood is dry.

Thanks you TRX for your time and reply

this will be a stand alone wood furnace no oil or anything so I shouldn't have to worry about dampeners then.

for the gauge I mentioned look on page 5 post 120 of this thread, its in that video.

And a question for anyone, now that you had the Heat commander for heating season is it much of an upgrade over the tundra 2 . thanks

 

[trx250r87]

Thanks you TRX for your time and reply

this will be a stand alone wood furnace no oil or anything so I shouldn't have to worry about dampeners then.

for the gauge I mentioned look on page 5 post 120 of this thread, its in that video.

And a question for anyone, now that you had the Heat commander for heating season is it much of an upgrade over the tundra 2 . thanks

That is a magnehelic gauge that @FixedGearFlyer added to his install, used to measure the draft in his flue. While not mandatory, a magnehelic or manometer can be a very helpful tool to see real-time draft.

I can't compare to a T2 but I did have an original Tundra and the HC is a huge improvement.


Eric

 

[NSGUY]

Well not going to get HC , just heard back from Drolet they are not making anymore until Jan. 2023.

 

[trx250r87]

Well not going to get HC , just heard back from Drolet they are not making anymore until Jan. 2023.

Myfireplaceproducts.com shows 20 in stock. I'm not sure if these are only to be sold in the US though.

Eric

 

[NSGUY]

Myfireplaceproducts.com shows 20 in stock. I'm not sure if these are only to be sold in the US though.

Eric

Thank you Eric, I did see that in my search and thought it was us only, I just looked a little closer might be Canada to , So I just sent them an email so we'll see. I checked most of our province today for one and nothing but I might find one in a neighbouring province if I'm lucky. thanks

 

[brenndatomu]

Myfireplaceproducts.com shows 20 in stock. I'm not sure if these are only to be sold in the US though

That's the best place to get 'em anyways...and I think the warehouse is in Indiana or Illinois, so they ship pretty quick from what I've heard
EDIT: oops, I didn't see that @NSGUY is in Canada...

 

[brenndatomu]

Well not going to get HC , just heard back from Drolet they are not making anymore until Jan. 2023.

'23, or '22?

 

[NSGUY]

'23, or '22?

I was told 2023

 

[brenndatomu]

I was told 2023

What is 2022 some sort of Canadian holiday year?!

 

[NSGUY]

Ok I think I found one, how important are these option and which should I get

AIR FILTER WITH CARDBOARD FRAME AND SUPPORT​

WASHABLE ALUMINUM AIR FILTER WITH SUPPORT​

COLD AIR RETURN HOUSING WITH FILTER​

DIGITAL WALL THERMOSTAT​

it says it comes with a thermostat so not sure if I need the wall thermostat

thanks

 

[NSGUY]

What is 2022 some sort of Canadian holiday year?!

lol not sure, that just what I was told

 

[brenndatomu]

How are you guys measuring the static pressure, and I think I read something about putting return dampeners in the duct work, Whats that about.

Cheapest way it to get a Dwyer Mark II model 25 manometer online...ebay or the like...you can get lightly used or NOS for $30-$40, sometimes less...it can be used to measure the chimney draft then too.

Does the wood for the HC have to be dry, I generally run dry wood but sometimes its a little green how does that effect the HC .

You will want dryer wood than what you have been using, under 20% MC when measured on a freshly split log, in the middle of a fresh face...oh and wood at room temp too. If you get much over 20% you lose efficiency and it just becomes a pain in the rear...plus the furnace HX and chimney get all yucked up.

And a question for anyone, now that you had the Heat commander for heating season is it much of an upgrade over the tundra 2 .

The HC seems to be a major upgrade over either Tundra...there really wasn't that much difference in the T1 and the T2...just the way the front is made (to stop the cracking) and the blower is upgraded a little...more sophisticated electronics too...pretty much the same in the way they heat though.

 

[trx250r87]

Ok I think I found one, how important are these option and which should I get

AIR FILTER WITH CARDBOARD FRAME AND SUPPORT​

WASHABLE ALUMINUM AIR FILTER WITH SUPPORT​

COLD AIR RETURN HOUSING WITH FILTER​

DIGITAL WALL THERMOSTAT​

it says it comes with a thermostat so not sure if I need the wall thermostat

thanks

I ended up installing 2 washable air filter kits, one on each side of the blower. I do NOT have my HC connected to cold air return of my gas furnace though. I have washed them 2 or 3 times in the last year.

The Honeywell thermostat that ships with the HC is basic and just runs off batteries. It does a decent job as far as I'm concerned and batteries last a long time!

Eric

 

[NSGUY]

I ended up installing 2 washable air filter kits, one on each side of the blower. I do NOT have my HC connected to cold air return of my gas furnace though. I have washed them 2 or 3 times in the last year.

The Honeywell thermostat that ships with the HC is basic and just runs off batteries. It does a decent job as far as I'm concerned and batteries last a long time!

Eric

Thanks Eric you've been a lot of help ,

I just started researching these furnaces yesterday, So I'm still in the weeds trying to figure them out, The more I read the more complicated they seem, I hope you don't mind me asking questions

So from what I see the blower is the big box on the back of the furnace, it draws air from both sides of it, My hot air/plenum will come off the top , So I assume my cold air return will connect to one side of the blower, so i'd need a cold air return filter and one washable filter, that seem correct?

Also they strongly recommend a 6" chimney I believe I have a 7" I have to measure the chimney to be 100% sure but I just checked my brush and its 7". will that really effect the efficiency of the furnace or how it works? I think it said in the manual I'd need to run a 6" flue

Also how long or how many washes do you believe those washable filters will last, I assume a while

thanks Scott

 

[trx250r87]

Thanks Eric you've been a lot of help ,

I just started researching these furnaces yesterday, So I'm still in the weeds trying to figure them out, The more I read the more complicated they seem, I hope you don't mind me asking questions

So from what I see the blower is the big box on the back of the furnace, it draws air from both sides of it, My hot air/plenum will come off the top , So I assume my cold air return will connect to one side of the blower, so i'd need a cold air return filter and one washable filter, that seem correct?

Also they strongly recommend a 6" chimney I believe I have a 7" I have to measure the chimney to be 100% sure but I just checked my brush and its 7". will that really effect the efficiency of the furnace or how it works? I think it said in the manual I'd need to run a 6" flue

Also how long or how many washes do you believe those washable filters will last, I assume a while

thanks Scott

Scott,
Yes the blower is housed in the sheet metal box at the rear of the furnace. I think you have a choice of left, right or rear connection to cold air, or any combination of the 3 sides. I also believe any or all of the 3 sides can hold an air filter, I just happen to be using 2 filter kits for more free air flow and more time between washing them.

The washable filters from SBI/Drolet are pretty coarse and free flowing and made of metal mesh, unlike a MERV11 or MERV13 allergen filter that you might put in a natural gas or propane furnace. The metal, washable filters should last "forever".

I don't know what to tell you about your 7" flue. How tall is it? I'm sure it could work but I'm guessing your draft would be slightly reduced.

Eric

 

[brenndatomu]

Also they strongly recommend a 6" chimney I believe I have a 7" I have to measure the chimney to be 100% sure but I just checked my brush and its 7". will that really effect the efficiency of the furnace or how it works? I think it said in the manual I'd need to run a 6" flue

How tall is it? Is it an internal chimney, or external? Is this a stainless steel insulated doublewall chimney, or masonry?
General rule of thumb is you can get away with going up or down 1" on the flue size without too much trouble...but a lot still depends on the individual install...straight up, or 90* and out through the wall?

 

[NSGUY]

Its a stainless steel insulated doublewall chimney, put in when the house was build about 18 years go, it still looks to be i'm very good condition, its 20 to 24 feet in length would have to measure to make sure, and it has a 7" diameter , the chimney is straight up through the house from the basement ceiling. the way it is set up now is a 45 off the back of the furnace , about 4 foot length of pipe and a 45 onto the chimney.

What size is the pipe coming out of the heat commander ? this what it says in the manual

A chimney having a diameter of 7" (178 mm) is permitted, if it allows the proper
venting of combustion gases and that such application is verified and authorized
by a qualified installer. Otherwise, the diameter of the flue must be reduced to 6"
(152 mm) by the use of a stainless steel liner made for this purpose.

 

[trx250r87]

Its a stainless steel insulated doublewall chimney, put in when the house was build about 18 years go, it still looks to be i'm very good condition, its 20 to 24 feet in length would have to measure to make sure, and it has a 7" diameter , the chimney is straight up through the house from the basement ceiling. the way it is set up now is a 45 off the back of the furnace , about 4 foot length of pipe and a 45 onto the chimney.

What size is the pipe coming out of the heat commander ? this what it says in the manual

A chimney having a diameter of 7" (178 mm) is permitted, if it allows the proper
venting of combustion gases and that such application is verified and authorized
by a qualified installer. Otherwise, the diameter of the flue must be reduced to 6"
(152 mm) by the use of a stainless steel liner made for this purpose.

That sounds like it could work. I think my 6" double wall stainless class A is 27' from 90 degree at back of furnace to top of cap. I have plenty of draft, -.2" wc if I don't adjust manual damper.

Eric

 

[brenndatomu]

ts a stainless steel insulated doublewall chimney, put in when the house was build about 18 years go, it still looks to be i'm very good condition, its 20 to 24 feet in length would have to measure to make sure, and it has a 7" diameter , the chimney is straight up through the house from the basement ceiling. the way it is set up now is a 45 off the back of the furnace , about 4 foot length of pipe and a 45 onto the chimney.

That'll do.

 

[Rockstar1346]

Hey guys,

I'm in the market for a new furnace to replace my 20 year old Newmac. I found the heat commander and then this site. great thread and info.

I have some questions if you guys don't mind, these new furnaces look way more technical to setup then my newmac.

By the looks of it when I remove my old furnace and if I get the HC I should be able to set that right under my existing plenum., and with some work attach my existing plenum to the HC , I'm not sure yet how the cold or return air hooks up but can be to difficult.

How are you guys measuring the static pressure, and I think I read something about putting return dampeners in the duct work, Whats that about.

The HC seems to have a lot of electrical parts working together how much work is it to get these installed and working in sink with each other. has there been many issues with failure or break down of these electronic parts.

In one of the pics you can see a round gauge on side of the plenum what that for?

Also how big of wood are you guys using in the HC , My Newmac will take big wood , round stuff 10" across anyhow, but generally larger wood.

Does the wood for the HC have to be dry, I generally run dry wood but sometimes its a little green how does that effect the HC .

sorry for all the questions but appreciate any info

hey NSGUY welcome to the forum these guys definitely know their stuff when it comes to wood burners so you’re in the right place. So I’ll try to answer as best as I can as you and I were in an identical spot about a month ago when I took the plunge haha.

So technical the stove is more advanced but nothing you should be scared of it’s actually a dream of you have someone like a wife or kids who’s always been scared of the stove haha you hit the green button load the firebox wait for fire and shut the door the stove takes over from there it adjusts draft to the need of the thermostat in your house.

So attaching it to your existing plenum you can do but the manual says minimum 6 6” take offs which Is somewhere around 175” of air distribution the stove needs so just make sure your existing has that and your golden. For my setup I had ductwork already running through my house so I tied 6 of the take offs into it and ran an extra 1 to the master bedroom close to the stove.

The dampers people are talking about are because they have ac or tied into another heating appliance and don’t want it to back feed is all. You don’t need to worry if it’s by itself.

It does have lots of electrical parts but everything is assembled when it arrives you don’t have to worry about messing with anything other than getting it in place and connecting the flue and thermostat. So as for wood you do have to use dry wood as the manual calls for 15-28% moisture for it so it’s not like the older ones where throw in what you want. But I will add I tried a fairly wet round that I didn’t split last night to see how it would handle it and it did an amazing job there was coals and nothing when I woke up this morning.

 

[Rockstar1346]

That's the best place to get 'em anyways...and I think the warehouse is in Indiana or Illinois, so they ship pretty quick from what I've heard
EDIT: oops, I didn't see that @NSGUY is in Canada...

They have a warehouse in Canada too mfp is who I bought mine from. It’s in Quebec City for anyone wondering from the Canada end.