Northern leader newbie

[floydjr.]

I was just given a northern leader wood furnance (mfg. 1982 gibbon, mn) and noticed that it has
a thermostat that looks like it will kick on the fan as the stove warms. I am wondering if it would be a good idea to test it by starting a fire outdoors, venting the stove and checking to see if the thermostat will kick on. The only thing I can find on the thermost is Honeywell. I am hoping to have a professional install it in the basement of our house. I looked up our ceramic lined chimney and some blocks look like they shifted a little, so I am thinking of trying to put in a liner. Local heating place charges 45$ hr. so anything I can do myself( safely) will be important.. Any info stove, liner, etc. would be appreciated. I have been a lurker on this site for a while and appreciate all of the information.

 

[bama]

I was just given a northern leader wood furnance (mfg. 1982 gibbon, mn) and noticed that it has
a thermostat that looks like it will kick on the fan as the stove warms. I am wondering if it would be a good idea to test it by starting a fire outdoors, venting the stove and checking to see if the thermostat will kick on. The only thing I can find on the thermost is Honeywell. I am hoping to have a professional install it in the basement of our house. I looked up our ceramic lined chimney and some blocks look like they shifted a little, so I am thinking of trying to put in a liner. Local heating place charges 45$ hr. so anything I can do myself( safely) will be important.. Any info stove, liner, etc. would be appreciated. I have been a lurker on this site for a while and appreciate all of the information.

Pop the cover off the thermostat housing and you will find a dial with temp degrees on it. If you rotate that dial by hand toward the higher numbers, you should be able to check if the fan will kick in. Mine also had a manual override pull switch. Out for manual, in for automatic.

As for the liner. If you have doubts, hire it done. Some things are worth paying for. Believe me, I have learned the hard way more than once!

 

[floydjr.]

THanks for the reply. I will get after it tonight and knowing this will give me
more time to keep cutting for the upcoming winter.

 

[rburke65]

Or, if you feel comfortable with doing this, you could just short the 2 wires together, that are on the thermostat and that should bring on the blower. Is it 110 volts ac or 24 volts dc?

 

[floydjr.]

I got the fan running last night thanks to the advice from bama. The fan is 110 and appears to run fine, although it is a bit dirty. I have to now find a way to get it down the basement stairs (gonna call a bunch of friends and have refreshments for after the job is done), and then a local company is going to hook
it up to our chimney. I am amazed by the how helpful this site has been.

 

[bama]

Use an appliance dolly. It will make things a lot easier. Also, I don't know if your model has fire brick, but if it does, take it out and then put it back in when in place. If any brick is bad, it is the perfect time to replace it. I also use a bit of contact cleaner on the thermostat in case it has gotten too much crap on the contacts. If that happens, like on mine, it won't turn on the fan and then the stove will overheat. I happened to be downstairs when I noticed the fan not turning on, thankfully.

 

[floydjr.]

Thankfully, I followed Bama's instructions and the fan fired right up. I will rent the dolly and get some friends to help with the move. The contact cleaner is a good idea. If the fan stopped working and the stove overheated would it melt all the electric wires? What else could happen?
Any other recommendations are appreciated, I would have never thought of removing the firebrick, that is a great idea.

 

[bama]

Thankfully, I followed Bama's instructions and the fan fired right up. I will rent the dolly and get some friends to help with the move. The contact cleaner is a good idea. If the fan stopped working and the stove overheated would it melt all the electric wires? What else could happen?
Any other recommendations are appreciated, I would have never thought of removing the firebrick, that is a great idea.

You know, I don't know what would happen. If the stove is in real good shape, maybe nothing. If it is a bit fatigued, maybe you would get some cracks. I don't think you would get much melting, but I wouldn't want to find out. I have had good luck getting fire brick at Menards, but I am sure there are local places in your area that carry it. TRF must have some if you don't have any in RLF.

 

[rburke65]

I also removed my fire brick, and the 2 doors ( ash door and door to the fire box) and the ash tray. Oh and the solid steel flat bars that was used for the grates. It was very heavy but this centainly helped a lot!