Introducing Brand New Wood Furnace to Market - The Drolet Tundra!
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spadjen
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I would start it again since there is no ash in the box. thus being no safety issue. so do you have the same unit? the heatmax or the caddy. I can be sure the ash box is the same on both. but in your pic there is welds at the bottom of the box. then it looks to be some square tubing at the top. above that square tubing is where the gap is. looks like some gap in yours too? cant tell from the pic.
laynes69
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There's no gap, it's a caddy not a tundra. I believe the gap your seeing is where the pan housing goes around the preheat tunnels for the secondary air, that's the only difference I know of between the two. Your ashplug on the firebox isn't sealed 100% between the pan and firebox, that's why there is a gasket on the ashpan door. Was it warmer today where you are? Chimneys can reverse draft, especially with warmer weather. I'm not saying your furnace isn't defective, but a 1400 cfm would turn your ductwork into a dust cloud.
spadjen
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there is no gasket on the ash pan door. you have a different unit. i do understand about draft and chimney pressures and back draft. if you read my post that is where i started. But after 3 hours with the FD and getting a ZERO reading at the register and the only thing we changed was empty the ash draw then why would you think it is anything but the ash draw? dont mean to rain on anyone's parade. still love the furnace. just hope it can be fixed before it kills me.
laynes69
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Your ashpan housing is (should) be welded behind the preheat channels on the furnace. If you want to test it, pull the ashpan plug, and keep the ashpan door closed. If the fire ramps up quickly around the ash plug inside the firebox then it's leaking. How is your furnace return ducted, does it take air from the furnace room?
laynes69
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I'm just going off the manual where it states to keep the ashpan door closed at all times, or it could cause an uncontrollable fire. I've never seen an ashpan that didn't have a gasket. That's new if that's the case. I'll let someone with a tundra chime in then, if the designs are that different.
spadjen
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it takes air from upstairs. has its own cold air supply. i can fit my fingers between the gap in the back of the firebox so i know it is not sealed. i would assume that the reason the manual says to keep the ash pan door shut is that it would not circulate air around the fir box causing it to over heat. most of the air would be pushed out thought the ash pan opening and would not circulate enough air around the box.
laynes69
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That's a poor design if that's the case. Our ashpan housing is welded inside the preheat channels. That way there's no way to leak ash or CO. Our ashpan always has ash in it, I empty when full. Good thing you caught it. I take it, this is the first time you kept ash in the pan?
What kind of wood stove does spandjen have? My old energy mate doesn't have a gasket ashpan. When I open the ashpan on mind when there is a fire going ashes are flying inside the ashbox but that's because it is sucking air into the furnace. DDoing this also causes the fire to realreal burn. I have never emptied ashes while the stove was burning. Doing so would cause the fire to get to much draft. I just ordered a tundra and it isn't in yet so was wondering what kind of stove he has.
Yeah I noticed this issue also. .. The blower can get into the ash drawer it I'd not sealed very well . But it doesn't seem to blow the ash up into the ducts
I've gotten into the habit of dumping it
No sense in getting co2 in your house
And of coarse air going over hot embers in your ducting is dangerous
I've gotten into the habit of dumping it
No sense in getting co2 in your house
And of coarse air going over hot embers in your ducting is dangerous
Steve NW WI
Unwanted Riff Raff.
Doesn't the Tundra/Heatmax use a plug in the bottom of the firebox to get ashes into the pan? If so, I don't know why they bother. My HT2000 is the same way, and it's a total PITA, easier to scoop em and dump em out the door.
I like ash pans, but only if the ashes get there on their own via a grate. Finding a little plug amongst coals and ash, raking just the ash while trying to leave the coals, and then trying to re-fit the plug and reloading the stove is about the dumbest idea ever devised, and it was probably done because people like me wanted a built in ash pan. My bad, I apologize. When I have to replace bricks, I've got half a mind to weld it shut and "pave" over it.
I like ash pans, but only if the ashes get there on their own via a grate. Finding a little plug amongst coals and ash, raking just the ash while trying to leave the coals, and then trying to re-fit the plug and reloading the stove is about the dumbest idea ever devised, and it was probably done because people like me wanted a built in ash pan. My bad, I apologize. When I have to replace bricks, I've got half a mind to weld it shut and "pave" over it.
The plug in the floor of firebox seals it off . This concern only pertains to those who dump their ashes down through the plug hole into the ash drawer and then continue to run the furnace with blower . If you just use it as a "dump" and promptly empty it then it would be fine . To me this
Something sbi should know better on how many thousands will purchase the unit and have no knowledge of this problem . I like mine but it begs the question ;How many people could be getting headaches and fatigue ect ,and not even know about coals in their furnace it seems unusually careless for sbi to not at least not have clear warnings
Something sbi should know better on how many thousands will purchase the unit and have no knowledge of this problem . I like mine but it begs the question ;How many people could be getting headaches and fatigue ect ,and not even know about coals in their furnace it seems unusually careless for sbi to not at least not have clear warnings
laynes69
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That's a scary thought! I still can't believe they didn't enclose the housing to the firebox. I've seen quite a few furnaces, and I've never seen one with a detached ash pan. One of the selling points of the tundra was the extra large ash pan, unlike our small ashpan in the Caddy. I assumed that it meant one could let ash accumulate in the pan before removal. It doesn't state in the manual that ash to be removed right away from the pan, just remove every 2 to 3 days. Not good on their part.
I'm going to call them Monday. I just got mine and might send it back for this reason. The company might be able to answer this. If this is indeed happening I don't see a quick fix. My old energy mate ashpan can go 2 days before I empty it and all toxic gases go out the flue.
brenndatomu
Hey you woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!
If I was buying this furnace, I just wouldn't use the ash pan. PITA to use anyways. My small "shoulder season" stove has an ash pan, never used it. It is easier to just dig the firebox out. I'm gonna try my hand at fabbing up something like this for my stove.
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spadjen
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I am going to call them on Monday too. Spending 3 hours outside in the cold while the fire department trashed the carpets is not something I am happy about. Until then I will bypass the pan and use a shovel. I still am going to demand they fix the problem . I am sure the state fire marshal would be thrilled about this design.
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