New Kuuma Vapor Fire Install

[Erichomeowner]

I was thinking about your setup the other day and wondered how it was coming along.

You may want to remove that stove pipe thermometer from the front door. One, it looks like you may be covering one of the secondary air openings, and two, the door is not a very good spot to measure temp, as it stays relatively cool and three, those things are not very accurate anyway!

Pickup an internal probe type of gauge so you are actually measuring the INTERNAL stack temp on your flue. You will find out the external surface temp of your flue is going to be pretty low.

Ya I’m not really using the temp gauge on the door it was a extra and I just put it there. So I had my first fire yesterday and tried it out. Works great I think it will work better when it’s gets colder out. One thing that I did see was stack temp. Was not very high I hit it with a lazer thermometer and highest reading I got was 195* . Is that normal?

 

[JRHAWK9]

Having a single fire is hard to gauge, once you start stacking back to back to back loadings you will be burning more efficiently. Spring and fall, when having to do constant re-lights, are not very efficient when using wood furnaces....especially when you have to start with a cold firebox every time.

yep, that's normal. External pipe temps are not representative of the internal flue gas temps and are way lower.

 

[brenndatomu]

Vapor-fire is installed

Good to hear...and I want to second what JR said...the one thing I want to add is that since you have a downflow arrangement...you really need to install some sort of emergency heat dump door on the VF so it doesn't overheat during a power outage...it can happen quick! I just talked with another member with newer VF100 and his buddy just had this happen on his VF...burnt the paint off the front cover before he got the genny hooked up! That's hot!
The problem is nobody makes EHD's anymore (that I can find)...I might call Dale and talk to him about them making EHD's...or they can be DIY'd without too much trouble...it just consists of a downward leaning door that is held shut buy a fusible link. When the link melts the door drops open dumping the heat from the supply plenum to the basement...these links can be bought at Grainger/McMaster Carr for $5(ish)
Picture of mine here (it was in place from my old Yukon furnace so I left it..."suspenders and belt" for me since my ducts should gravity flow fine on power fail, but I like the insurance)

 

[JRHAWK9]

Yeah, a power outage in the middle of a load with that setup could get very interesting in very short order!

 

[Erichomeowner]

Well of course I don’t want that even though I have a generator. I’d still like to be safe. So know body makes them? I wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to make one myself.

 

[Erichomeowner]

So I wanted to take a moment and give my thoughts about the vapor-fire 100. This furnace is amazing! I have been burning for a week here in northeast Wisconsin and although it’s not terribly cold out this furnace works great. It’s basically load it and forget it. I have been getting long burn times and not even close to getting into my good wood yet. It’s nice not having to get up in the middle of the night to reload the furnace. I want to say thank you to Dale and all the staff at lamppa for all the time they took on making this great furnace and the help and info on install. Also everyone on Hearth that has helped me with great information and trouble shooting. I hope with what I have learned I can help someone else in deciding to get one of these great furnaces.

 

[brenndatomu]

It’s basically load it and forget it

Welcome to club Kuuma...and yes, so good, they're boring...

 

[woodey]

. This furnace is amazing!
It really is an amazing furnace. As stated above load er up and walk away. You will love the steady- even heat of the Kuuma and the extended burn times. I am heating a old large house and I rarely fill it over 2/3 full to get the burn times I need between loads.

 

[JRHAWK9]

So I wanted to take a moment and give my thoughts about the vapor-fire 100. This furnace is amazing! I have been burning for a week here in northeast Wisconsin and although it’s not terribly cold out this furnace works great. It’s basically load it and forget it. I have been getting long burn times and not even close to getting into my good wood yet. It’s nice not having to get up in the middle of the night to reload the furnace. I want to say thank you to Dale and all the staff at lamppa for all the time they took on making this great furnace and the help and info on install. Also everyone on Hearth that has helped me with great information and trouble shooting. I hope with what I have learned I can help someone else in deciding to get one of these great furnaces.

Great to hear! It's nice isn't it? I can go away for the weekend and my other half can keep the house warm with it. She just builds fire and walks away.

P.S. We will be up in your neck of the woods this weekend.

 

[Erichomeowner]

Great to hear! It's nice isn't it? I can go away for the weekend and my other half can keep the house warm with it. She just builds fire and walks away.

P.S. We will be up in your neck of the woods this weekend.

Perfect have fun up here in door county! If you need anything feel free to message me.

 

[andym]

Welcome to club Kuuma...and yes, so good, they're boring...

Thats because there's no glass door! Seriously tho, that's the beauty of (some) these modern wood burning appliances.

I wonder if it would be possible to build and sell EHDs on a forum like this? I want to make one for myself. Couldn't cost more than 15 bucks, yet worth 100. Any entrepreneurs out there?

 

[Erichomeowner]

Thats because there's no glass door! Seriously tho, that's the beauty of (some) these modern wood burning appliances.

I wonder if it would be possible to build and sell EHDs on a forum like this? I want to make one for myself. Couldn't cost more than 15 bucks, yet worth 100. Any entrepreneurs out there?

I’d buy one!

 

[lampmfg]

So I wanted to take a moment and give my thoughts about the vapor-fire 100. This furnace is amazing! I have been burning for a week here in northeast Wisconsin and although it’s not terribly cold out this furnace works great. It’s basically load it and forget it. I have been getting long burn times and not even close to getting into my good wood yet. It’s nice not having to get up in the middle of the night to reload the furnace. I want to say thank you to Dale and all the staff at lamppa for all the time they took on making this great furnace and the help and info on install. Also everyone on Hearth that has helped me with great information and trouble shooting. I hope with what I have learned I can help someone else in deciding to get one of these great furnaces.

Looks great and thanks for sharing. Dale and our team do a fantastic job!

 

[brenndatomu]

I wonder if it would be possible to build and sell EHDs on a forum like this? I want to make one for myself.

Looks great and thanks for sharing. Dale and our team do a fantastic job!

I emailed Dale a while back about the possibility of you guys making, or having made, EHD's available as an accessory for people that really need, or just want them for the safety factor...there is none to be found for sale these days...mine is a remnant from my old Yukon...even if they still had them, you wouldn't want more people putting Yukon accessories on your Kuuma's, would ya?!
So far I've not heard back from anyone...

 

[JRHAWK9]

I emailed Dale a while back about the possibility of you guys making, or having made, EHD's available as an accessory for people that really need, or just want them for the safety factor...there is none to be found for sale these days...mine is a remnant from my old Yukon...even if they still had them, you wouldn't want people putting Yukon accessories on your Kuuma's, would ya?!
So far I've not heard back from anyone...

I wonder what type of liability would be assumed? I can see it turning into a legal mess if the EHD failed and a house burned down, even though the root cause of the fire had nothing to do with the heat dump. Wonder if that's why they stopped making them....?

 

[brenndatomu]

I wonder what type of liability would be assumed? I can see it turning into a legal mess if the EHD failed and a house burned down, even though the root cause of the fire had nothing to do with the heat dump. Wonder if that's why they stopped making them....?

Its a fusible link, and gravity...not much to fail...as far as why they quit making them, some wood furnace company in Minnesota put 'em outta business... (Yukon and Charmaster were the only places that I ever knew of selling them...no idea if they made them, or were buying from a fab shop)
I'd sure rather take my chances with a EHD "failing" vs having a downflow supply duct with nothing! Even with ranch style houses...those long flat trunk duct runs often don't gravity flow very well.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Its a fusible link, and gravity...not much to fail...

I'd sure rather take my chances with a EHD "failing" vs having a downflow supply duct with nothing! Even with ranch style houses...those long flat trunk duct runs often don't gravity flow very well.

I completely agree, I'm just wondering why nobody makes them. Heck, I'd probably buy one if they were available.

 

[brenndatomu]

build and sell EHDs

I’d buy one!

I completely agree, I'm just wondering why nobody makes them. Heck, I'd probably buy one if they were available.

Any others that would be interested in an emergency heat dump? Considering making a few...

 

[Erichomeowner]

Any others that would be interested in an emergency heat dump? Considering making a few...

Put me down for one.

 

[sloeffle]

Any others that would be interested in an emergency heat dump? Considering making a few...

Sign me up too.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Any others that would be interested in an emergency heat dump? Considering making a few...

Any idea on the cost? What temp fusible link would you be using? How about size? Sorry, gotta ask questions so I know what I am commuting to!

In case anybody is wondering or has any doubts, bren is a stand up guy and won't screw you over.

 

[brenndatomu]

so I know what I am commuting to!

I thought you were working from home?!

Any idea on the cost?

Not yet...wanted to see how much interest there actually is first...have some ideas in mind for design...probably 12" x 12" (tall/wide) x 8" ish deep.
As far as the link, I was planning on the same one that came on my Yukon EHD https://www.mcmaster.com/1147A19/

 

[Erichomeowner]

I thought you were working from home?!

Not yet...wanted to see how much interest there actually is first...have some ideas in mind for design...probably 12" x 12" (tall/wide) x 8" ish deep.
As far as the link, I was planning on the same one that came on my Yukon EHD https://www.mcmaster.com/1147A19/

I might be wrong here but on the kumma Isn’t the high temperature probe that is mounted in the plenum 250*?

 

[JRHAWK9]

I thought you were working from home?!

oops. I blame spell check.
*committing*

 

[brenndatomu]

I might be wrong here but on the kumma Isn’t the high temperature probe that is mounted in the plenum 250*?

High temp is handled by the fan control/limit switch and should be adjustable, mine is...250* might be the max?
250 is too high in my opinion...pyrolysized wood (framing) will auto ignite lower than that...