New Kuuma VF100 Install

[woodey]

Just to be clear, the VF has more than just L/M/H...it's actually infinitely variable from minimum to maximum burn rate...

Ya it definitely takes some trial and error to not overheat the house. Guess it’s kinda better to have too much heat than not enough? Its crazy since low is only like 10k btu. I bet on high with a full load I could get house up to 90 degrees. And some of these days are our colder days. High teens to low 20s overnight and 30s during the day. That’s cold for Nc. With my old stove with those temps I’d wake up go 64-65 degree house and I’d be lucky to hit 70 during the day running it full blast all day. And the VF is so efficient and controls the burn so well. I’m burning 1/2 as much wood as I was. I’ll probably start selling and donating more of my wood. As it stands now I have enough for probably 5-6 years. And I still have tons of dead standing to take down. With my old stove it was 3 years worth. apparently the VF doesn’t do quite as well with really dry wood, and most of this will be very dry by the time I get around to burning it.

The tips I got from dale have helped quite a bit. raising the low limit switch temp makes it so the blower doesn’t run for as long, and it doesn’t come on quite as often. And also turning the thermostat down all the way so the high speed doesn’t come on helped too.

You can also play around with the Bio- damper and find the “sweet spot” for the draft going to the firebox vs chimney for temperature needed depending upon weather conditions.

 

[woodey]

I’ll bet you a cord of wood that for the first week of night loadings you stood by the Kuuma and watched the computer go down from 3-2-1- c. 😂

 

[Ncguy427]

I’ll bet you a cord of wood that for the first week of night loadings you stood by the Kuuma and watched the computer go down from 3-2-1- c. 😂

You can also play around with the Bio- damper and find the “sweet spot” for the draft going to the firebox vs chimney for temperature needed depending upon weather conditions.

Oh ya, I definitely watched the computer a lot the first few days.

Regarding adjusting the baro, on warmer days if i needed less heat would I increase the draft, and slow it down on colder days ? And are we supposed to put screws in where the actual damper attaches to the T, the part they gets leveled, or is that nut and bolt that tightens it sufficient?

 

[brenndatomu]

apparently the VF doesn’t do quite as well with really dry wood

Myself and @JRHAWK9 have not found that to be true...from experience, >20% wood means less heat to the house...again, IME.

Regarding adjusting the baro, on warmer days if i needed less heat would I increase the draft, and slow it down on colder days ?

Decrease for less heat...but don't go too far, with warmer weather you also risk losing your draft and getting CO in the house (depending on your house/chimney...but the warmer it is out, and the less heat you are wasting up the chimney, the more likely it is to happen) My old furnace called for -0.02" WC, but I've never taken the Kuuma below -0.03"...I don't think I could get that low when its cold anyways...I have enough trouble keeping it down at -0.04" when its real cold.

And are we supposed to put screws in where the actual damper attaches to the T, the part they gets leveled, or is that nut and bolt that tightens it sufficient?

You need to have at least 1 screw, 2 would be better...now not with the Kuuma, but my old furnace sneezed and blew the baro against the wall with some force...it got screwed fast after that! (make sure its plumb and level before screwing it)

 

[sloeffle]

You need to have at least 1 screw, 2 would be better...now not with the Kuuma, but my old furnace sneezed and blew the baro against the wall with some force...it got screwed fast after that! (make sure its plumb and level before screwing it)

Were you burning a HotBlast!

 

[brenndatomu]

Were you burning a HotBlast!

Ha, I think I know what you are referring to...I kinda forgot about that...it was a Fire chief though (FC1000E I think)
No, mine was the Yukon...it developed bad manners after I modded the firebox to clean up the burn (which basically worked by the way)

 

[sloeffle]

Ha, I think I know what you are referring to...I kinda forgot about that...it was a Fire chief though (FC1000E I think)
No, mine was the Yukon...it developed bad manners after I modded the firebox to clean up the burn (which basically worked by the way)

You are right, it blew the biometric damper right off of that FC1000. Too bad the video is gone.

 

[lampmfg]

Ya it definitely takes some trial and error to not overheat the house. Guess it’s kinda better to have too much heat than not enough? Its crazy since low is only like 10k btu. I bet on high with a full load I could get house up to 90 degrees. And some of these days are our colder days. High teens to low 20s overnight and 30s during the day. That’s cold for Nc. With my old stove with those temps I’d wake up go 64-65 degree house and I’d be lucky to hit 70 during the day running it full blast all day. And the VF is so efficient and controls the burn so well. I’m burning 1/2 as much wood as I was. I’ll probably start selling and donating more of my wood. As it stands now I have enough for probably 5-6 years. And I still have tons of dead standing to take down. With my old stove it was 3 years worth. apparently the VF doesn’t do quite as well with really dry wood, and most of this will be very dry by the time I get around to burning it.

The tips I got from dale have helped quite a bit. raising the low limit switch temp makes it so the blower doesn’t run for as long, and it doesn’t come on quite as often. And also turning the thermostat down all the way so the high speed doesn’t come on helped too.

It's crazy since low is only like 10k btu.

This is one of the things that is difficult to get people to understand. People always think that if the furnace isn't rated 100-200k BTU, it won't produce much heat. I guess that's what happens when a lot of advertising is done based on BTU numbers. Glad you are enjoying the way the furnace operates so far, and it's cut your wood usage down as well.

 

[brenndatomu]

Too bad the video is gone.

You've got that right! Although they say anything posted to the internet is never truly gone...so maybe someone more familiar than me could still find it?