add-on furnace install

[100 Watt]

Finally pulled the trigger and purchased an Englander 28-3500 add on wood furnace. I know it's not EPA certified but for the money seemed hard to beat.

Got it set next to the existing LP furace allowing a short amount of pipe to the plenum. I've just started running the flue pipe. 4 of the 3 foot pieces were damaged so it's back the supply house Monday for replacements. I currently have it ran from the basement through the 1st floor (ranch house) and into the attic. Luckily I had a small closet to utilize. I'll probably complete the flue this week. I've got a hvac buddy stopping by Weds to tie it into my ductwork. He's picking up a backdraft damper.

I've seen filter boxes at TSC. I know they are made for the Hot Blast furnaces, but I'm thinking they could be made to fit. What's everyone else doing?

I just bought $400 worth of propane ($1.81/gallon) that puts me a little over 25% in the tank. I'm hoping that will take me through to summer. My tankless water heater uses propane, but is very efficient.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[IthacaMan]

I thought about doing one of those before I put in a stove upstairs.I planed on running the supply duct from the furnace through the heater,then back to the house supply duct.Your HVAC friend should know how to install a seperate thermostat and relay to turn on only the furnace blower on a call for heat.Than just set the existing t-stat lower and the furnace will run as back up heat.I never drew up picture on how I was going to do my duct work but maby also having a bypass in the supply duct so in the summer the cold a/c air doesnt have to go through the wood heater.Where in Ohio are you? if you dont mind me asking?

 

[100 Watt]

My hvac friend thinks the blower is a little small for my house. He's thinking I'll run the primary furnace fan on low to help push the heat and pull from the returns. The blower on the add on has a thermostat that I think comes on @ 100 degrees. I'm sure it will take some time to figure out the most efficient way to operate.

I'm in Sunbury, just north of Columbus.

 

[CWME]

The stove has a thermostat wired to the blower so it can cycle on it's own. The blower on the unit does a good job of circulatiing the air in my shop. I tied into the existing ductwork and it works great.


Tip, keep some air going to the bottom control. If you close that up tight and slide the air control all the way off it will creosote like mad.

You will be happy with the heat that this unit can put out. It is not the most efficient stove out there but it sure puts out some heat.

 

[kugss]

I have the same furnace and it sounds like how im going to hook it up. When you get it up and running i would like to see some pics on how you did it and how it works.

 

[100 Watt]

Thanks for the tips. I'll add to the post as I go. Should be 100% complete by Weds.

 

[100 Watt]

Just finished the flue through the attic and out the roof. 27' of "triple wall" and 2 x 30 degree elbows. It all went well (other than the cost). I think I lost 5lbs working in the attic though. I ended up stubbing out the roof @ a foot behind the peak. I'm exactly 2 feet above the peak to the base of my rain cap.

Next will be the stove pipe in the basement and the 8" to tie into the existing duct work. I'll post my tie in pics when complete. Should be done tomorrow.

 

[IthacaMan]

Nice work! You can really tell when someone does things like they would it was their house,verses some slob that just wants to get to the next job.:rockn:

 

[flotek]

i bet youll love that furnace ,i really enjoy ours .theres even ways to improve it for better efficiency and wood consumption but all in all its not bad on wood IMHO and will surely heat a large area ,i havent burned a drop of propane or fuel oil in about 3 years now, i have saved many thousands

 

[kugss]

That looks like the same brand of rain cap i have. And if it is i can feel for you cause i only had to buy 20 feet. Clean looking install.

 

[woodman44]

I am interested in a add on wood furnace as well how cheap can you get one to heat a small house?

 

[100 Watt]

All done, now I just need some colder weather.

I tied the 8" into my plenum. I installed an 8" backflow damper between the two furnaces. This will keep the gas furnace from pumping air into the firebox when it is running. Hopefully this will only be used during summer months with the A/C.

My goal, like most, is to eliminate my propane useage. My house is a large ranch (3000 sq ft) so I know it will be a stretch, but during the winter months we keep the thermostat on 65. So hopefully this furnace can maintain that at least. Time will tell. I've got 4+ cords of seasoned ash ready to find out. (thanks emerald ash borer)

Currently I'm not going to use any filter box around the blower. We'll see how it works out.

To date I've got @ $2500 in everthing. The furnace itself was $1198. A local lumber yard matched the best price I could find on the internet. (can't beat that) The rest is in the flue. I'm just lucky I didn't have to pay anyone to do it.

My wife thinks I'm insane wanting some cold weather. She just doesn't understand.

 

[kugss]

All done, now I just need some colder weather.

I tied the 8" into my plenum. I installed an 8" backflow damper between the two furnaces. This will keep the gas furnace from pumping air into the firebox when it is running. Hopefully this will only be used during summer months with the A/C.

My goal, like most, is to eliminate my propane useage. My house is a large ranch (3000 sq ft) so I know it will be a stretch, but during the winter months we keep the thermostat on 65. So hopefully this furnace can maintain that at least. Time will tell. I've got 4+ cords of seasoned ash ready to find out. (thanks emerald ash borer)

Currently I'm not going to use any filter box around the blower. We'll see how it works out.

To date I've got @ $2500 in everthing. The furnace itself was $1198. A local lumber yard matched the best price I could find on the internet. (can't beat that) The rest is in the flue. I'm just lucky I didn't have to pay anyone to do it.

My wife thinks I'm insane wanting some cold weather. She just doesn't understand.

Where did you get a backdraft damper? I was going to put one of those plates with the rod you pierce the flue with but yours sounds like a better idea.

 

[atlarge54]

I agree with the HVAC guy, that single pipe (8"?) looks pretty small to heat 3000 sq ft. No doubt the stove will make a fair amount of heat but will you be able to move the heat where it's needed? How many cu ft is the firebox on that model? It's sure to save you some serious $$$$$$ on your heat bill as it is.

 

[100 Watt]

Got the backdraft damper at a local heating supply house. They had to order it. It was @ $30. It's a butterfly type damper.

The firebox measures 15"x15"x25". I'm no math wiz but I think thats about 3.25 cu ft.

 

[reaperman]

Butterlfy dampers are recommended to be mounted close to the top of the wood furnace. But what I found out on my set-up was the damper didnt allow enough heat from the wood furnace to "raise" up enough. Therefore my wood furnace blower fan would constantly cycle, turn of for a few seconds, then shut off, and continue this cycle. As I paged through the wood furnace instruction manual, (firechief brand furnace), it said this was a possible cause of cycling. So I opened up the butterfly's by putting a screw thorough the outside of the plenium to hold the butterfly's open and the problem was solved. I do this each winter because my propane furnace almost never runs so I dont worry about backdraft. But in the summer I unscrew the screw so my AC wont backdraft.

Also my setup is similar to yours where my plenium meets the ductwork making a T. My wood furnace uses its own blower without the aid of my propane furnace. So some of the wood furnace air would backdraft through the propane furnace. I had a HVAC dude install a leuver below the T so the backdrafting would stop. When the propane furnace does run the leuver simply blows open and falls closed on its own.

To aid in getting the warm air from the wood furnace forced up at the T. I bought a 90 degree elbow and took it apart to make a 45 degree elbow. Then I squeezed the 45 together and fit it inside the T of the wood furnace pipe where it meets the existing ductwork, and screwed it in place. This aids in getting the wood furnace air pushed "up" the ductwork, instead of constantly blowing directly into a T.

 

[100 Watt]

I actually have a 45 degree elbow right where supply from the wood burner meets the plenum. The manufacturer recommended a 90, but we thought a 45 would obstruct less. Heat rises but a little help never hurts.