New Furnace Day: Drolet Heat Commander

[FixedGearFlyer]

The difference between -0.04 and -0.06" can be huge! I tend to stay closer to -0.04" myself...after experimenting with different settings.

I feel foolish for assuming that the top of the range was better - I ran 0.06" the whole 6 years we had the Tundra I.

0.04" is notably better.

 

[brenndatomu]

I feel foolish for not assuming that the top of the range was better - I ran 0.06" the whole 6 years we had the Tundra I.

0.04" is notably better.

Higher draft will help eek out higher output when needed...but burn time, efficiency, and wood usage suffers a little too.
But too high can cause over-fire too.
-0.04 to -0.06 doesn't sound like much, but if you think about it, -0.06 is 50% more than -0.04!

 

[andym]

I may need to adjust my BD to a lower setting as well. I've had mine running .06-.07. I've never used a BD before and am slowly learning how great they are. I've had it set a little high because I don't want to wind up with too little draft at the end of a burn. But it's finally soaking into my thick skull that the damper only meters the high end, not the low. One more thing to experiment with....

So you really think I helped SBI catch a typo? That is pretty cool! Maybe I should get a raise or something?

 

[Matt78]

First fire! Knock the stank off this thing!!

 

[Matt78]

Another update:

I adjusted our barometric damper so that the furnace is running between 0.04" and 0.05" W.C. It had been running so that it was centered on 0.06" W.C.

That small adjustment seems to have made a notable difference. The secondaries are larger, the temp on the heat exchanger door went up by about 70*F, the flue temp either stayed the same or dropped very slightly, and we noticed a significant increase in the heat output in the house.

I suspect we'll also get longer burns, but didn't push it today because it's pretty warm out (30*F) and I don't want to cook my family.
Here's a short video about 2 hours into a small load this afternoon, showing the secondaries and the magnehelic draft reading.

I'm writing this 4.5 hours into that burn and we still have a strong coal bed and good heat output.

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Could I get a part # for the fields baro damper your using? Is that a manometer in your video or does that work with the fields damper? Fire looks nice man!

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

First fire! Knock the stank off this thing!!

NICE

Man, I wanted mine 8" up on blocks for easy loading, but the flue collar was about 1-1/2" higher than the Tundra I. That meant I could only go up 6" while keeping a 1/4" per foot rise on my 4 foot flue pipe. :-/

 

[Matt78]

NICE

Man, I wanted mine 8" up on blocks for easy loading, but the flue collar was about 1-1/2" higher than the Tundra I. That meant I could only go up 6" while keeping a 1/4" per foot rise on my 4 foot flue pipe. :-/

I had to adjust some things too because of that. Pretty much had to shorten the pipe. Mine 90's twice. Normally get -.04 to -.05 draft with no wind. So far so good. Little fire has house at 70 degree with it being 33 degrees outside. Can't wait for it to get cold now!

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

Could I get a part # for the fields baro damper your using? Is that a manometer in your video or does that work with the fields damper? Fire looks nice man!

It's a 6" Field Controls Type RC baro: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Field-C...eJ78Gg5VNaZ_towm0vvldYFP8a3tMdPRoCds0QAvD_BwE

That's not a recommended purchase site - just the first one that popped up in Google.

The gauge I use is a 0-0.25" W.C. magnehelic gauge, plumbed with 1/4" copper tubing to a brass 1/4" O.D. / 1/8" MIP fitting that threads into a 3/8" hole drilled into my flue pipe. The same brass fitting attaches the tubing to the low pressure port on the back of the gauge.

I picked it up for about $40 used on eBay - I got used to them when working with the propane industry to create training programs and procedures. The magnehelic gauges are much more satisfying than manometers.

 

[Matt78]

It's a 6" Field Controls Type RC baro: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Field-C...eJ78Gg5VNaZ_towm0vvldYFP8a3tMdPRoCds0QAvD_BwE

That's not a recommended purchase site - just the first one that popped up in Google.

The gauge I use is a 0-0.25" W.C. magnehelic gauge, plumbed with 1/4" copper tubing to a brass 1/4" O.D. / 1/8" MIP fitting that threads into a 3/8" hole drilled into my flue pipe. The same brass fitting attaches the tubing to the low pressure port on the back of the gauge.

I picked it up for about $40 used on eBay - I got used to them when working with the propane industry to create training programs and procedures. The magnehelic gauges are much more satisfying than manometers.

Thanks I might update to this! Seems like it would be better setup to deal with high draft!

 

[brenndatomu]

It's a 6" Field Controls Type RC baro: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Field-C...eJ78Gg5VNaZ_towm0vvldYFP8a3tMdPRoCds0QAvD_BwE

That's not a recommended purchase site - just the first one that popped up in Google.

I recommend them...Supply House rocks! That's where I bought my last BD...normally next day delivery for me too! (And Matt78 is closer to them than I am, so...)

 

[usernametaken]

I recommend them...Supply House rocks! That's where I bought my last BD...normally next day delivery for me too! (And Matt78 is closer to them than I am, so...)

I agree. I've been buying all my HVAC filters, water filters, humidifier panels, and various HVAC repair parts from them for years... since back when they were called "Pex Supply." They offer almost Amazon Prime type service and shipping.

 

[SpaceBus]

It's a 6" Field Controls Type RC baro: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Field-C...eJ78Gg5VNaZ_towm0vvldYFP8a3tMdPRoCds0QAvD_BwE

That's not a recommended purchase site - just the first one that popped up in Google.

The gauge I use is a 0-0.25" W.C. magnehelic gauge, plumbed with 1/4" copper tubing to a brass 1/4" O.D. / 1/8" MIP fitting that threads into a 3/8" hole drilled into my flue pipe. The same brass fitting attaches the tubing to the low pressure port on the back of the gauge.

I picked it up for about $40 used on eBay - I got used to them when working with the propane industry to create training programs and procedures. The magnehelic gauges are much more satisfying than manometers.

I used to work in a parts room and I shipped those mag gauges out regularly, which meant I had to order them. The price new is eye watering!

 

[Matt78]

Got everything ordered! I'm falling in love with this thing already! Plenty of nice even heat in the house. Had a nice coal bed in the morning on a half load. House was 68 outside was in the 20's. Operating seems to be set it and forget it!

 

[Matt78]

Got everything ordered! I'm falling in love with this thing already! Plenty of nice even heat in the house. Had a nice coal bed in the morning on a half load. House was 68 outside was in the 20's. Operating seems to be set it and forget it!

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

I used to work in a parts room and I shipped those mag gauges out regularly, which meant I had to order them. The price new is eye watering!

For sure . . . Love me some eBay!

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

Lookin' good, Matt!

We had a full load burn yesterday and still had the fan cycling at 11pm. That makes for 13 hours of heat and a house that was between 70 and 72*F the whole time.

 

[Matt78]

This thing brings in combustion air through the ash pan box! I tell ya after running the T1, that is huge!!

 

[brenndatomu]

This thing brings in combustion air through the ash pan box! I tell ya after running the T1, that is huge!!

I bet that came from the whole ash pan/CO issue on the early T1's...

 

[Matt78]

I bet that came from the whole ash pan/CO issue on the early T1's...

Or the coal build up! T1 was horrible for that. My biggest knock on the T1

 

[brenndatomu]

Or the coal build up! T1 was horrible for that. My biggest knock on the T1

I guess I never had as much problem with that as some people did...I even set up the temp controller with the "coals burn down" feature, but never used it then.

 

[Matt78]

I guess I never had as much problem with that as some people did...I even set up the temp controller with the "coals burn down" feature, but never used it then.

Yeah the control helped but it was hard to get any heat out of the thing. This HC has a large coal bed and flames coming out the coals when the t-stat is calling for heat. So it's still making good heat

 

[SpaceBus]

Yeah the control helped but it was hard to get any heat out of the thing. This HC has a large coal bed and flames coming out the coals when the t-stat is calling for heat. So it's still making good heat

I'm surprised there aren't more updraft gassifiers out there. My cookstove takes in primary air from the ash pan and has two over fire air intakes. The air wash is adjustable but the rear over fire air is not, like most stoves.

 

[trx250r87]

I wonder if the grate will hold up to heat on the HC?

 

[Gbawol42]

Yeah the control helped but it was hard to get any heat out of the thing. This HC has a large coal bed and flames coming out the coals when the t-stat is calling for heat. So it's still making good heat

This is an issue I currently face. Not enough heat when burning down coals with the Heatmax 2. Nice to see they changed things up.

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

I've spent a disturbing amount of time peering in at the control shutters with a flashlight, trying to figure out the operating logic.

It seems that the "grill" shutter that feeds the ash pan grate opens about 30% during a reload and initial firing, closes completely for the main part of the burn, then opens progressively once temps drop during the coaling phase.

The primary air shutter is a lot more active, handling most of the fine adjustment, while the secondary supply is always fully open.

Seems to work well, whatever they did! :-D