Kuuma wood gasification furnace?

[Como]

Drive On Wood! | Woodgas Power.

Vehicle wood gassifying, not what we are talking about here, but a very interesting read.

There is effectively standardised wood, you chip it or pelletise it.

But unless there is something weird coming along you will not see plastic venting for wood systems. You would need a condensing system which is again contra logical for wood.

With wood you have to first burn it at very high temperatures, temperatures that would melt a metal burn chamber and then extract as much energy as possible before it exits.

 

[laynes69]

I based my decision on the EPA logo. I dont care about a few grams of smoke, it's not going to cause a chimney fire or make me burn a considerable difference in wood. I've seen many stoves where they vary from 7 grams of smoke per hour to 1 gram, and I would choose any of them. All I care is they are EPA certified. I've never seen someone over on hearth in the stove room say "Stay away from that, it's two grams higher". It's what appeals to the consumer. I love the design of the heat exchanger on the Caddy, along with the glass door, and firebox design. Just like users of the Kuuma like the computer control and ease of use. Some like soapstone, others cast or steel. As long as the unit is a clean burner, it doesn't matter. Oh yeah, I have about 1400 invested in my furnace, I can't complain.

 

[Como]

My Boilers are not EPA stamped, one of my stoves is. The Boilers are much more efficient, clean burning etc.

 

[stihly dan]

NO, you can't listen to many customers. Say someone has driven a yugo all his life, then gets a kia. Well he says there the best on earth, so should I trade my bmw for the kia? Cold hard facts, and an example of how it works to make it better. Then us customers can make an apples to apples, informed educated decision.

 

[Fyrebug]

Agree with Laynes above.

The reason EPA or CSA emission testing requires 4 test and average out the results is because wood is a non standard fuel (cant repeat this enough). Therefore each load is different. Even in the posted Kuuma results there are significant differences in efficiencies etc.. between 2 tests.

HPBA did a study a few years ago where the same stove was sent to half a dozen different 'certified' lab who followed the same prescribed protocols. The results? The very same stove had a difference of over 4 grams/hour between the lowest and highest score.

It busted out and did not qualify in one lab and passed with flying color in another. The lesson: despite the best technology, wood is not a standard fuel. And small things in a lab setting will make a big difference. But guess what? Nobody in their right mind would burn a wood stove at home the way it burns in a lab.

That's why focusing on one particular result such as combustion efficiency does not tell the whole picture.

However, for the consumer it is useful to know that a MFG spend the research, development, energy, resources and money to test their unit so they can produce the best product they can and prove it. Certification add a certain level of certainty in the consumer's mind.

By the way, do you know how big a gram is? It's very small and the difference between 5 grams per hour and 1 gram per hour cannot be measured by eyeballing it. Either way, there is no smoke coming out of the pipe.

 

[KyleOh]

Back to the unlimited money thread...I would buy both you guys stoves, one for each house, just because this thread is so awesome. Thank you.

 

[mizzou]

Back to the unlimited money thread...I would buy both you guys stoves, one for each house, just because this thread is so awesome. Thank you.

Yeah, I'd have three wings on my house and get these 2 and 1 from Keith to see which one actually worked best.:msp_biggrin:

Spread the wealth a little.

 

[lampmfg]

Yeah, I'd have three wings on my house and get these 2 and 1 from Keith to see which one actually worked best.:msp_biggrin:

Spread the wealth a little.

One thing I can absolutely guarantee is it's not Keith's

 

[mizzou]

One thing I can absolutely guarantee is it's not Keith's

True, he seems to be their "rep" on here though.:msp_unsure:

 

[Fyrebug]

Yeah, I'd have three wings on my house and get these 2 and 1 from Keith to see which one actually worked best.:msp_biggrin:

Spread the wealth a little.

I would personally buy one from Keith just to get the entertainment value out of him. More hot air coming from his mouth than any of his furnaces! :msp_scared:

 

[ziggo_2]

I would personally buy one from Keith just to get the entertainment value out of him. More hot air coming from his mouth than any of his furnaces! :msp_scared:

I know I wanted a glass door on my next furnace, but my next furnace wont be yours anymore. Im also skeptical on the "computer control" sounds like something else to go wrong to me.

Why do these threads always end up like this? Do you really think this helps your sales?

Your testing means nothing to me, either of you. Ill do my own testing. I have a non-epa, cheap POS wood furnace and I have no problem getting "smokeless" burns.

 

[stihly dan]

The computer is awesome, If it does break, then you use it like the old fashioned furnaces. I won't say anything about efficiency yet. But it makes wood burning easy, my wife evan uses it( and that is saying something) It is so nice to wake up in the morning to, not a full unit of coals, or an empty cold furnace.

 

[Fyrebug]

I know I wanted a glass door on my next furnace, but my next furnace wont be yours anymore. Im also skeptical on the "computer control" sounds like something else to go wrong to me.

Why do these threads always end up like this? Do you really think this helps your sales?

Your testing means nothing to me, either of you. Ill do my own testing. I have a non-epa, cheap POS wood furnace and I have no problem getting "smokeless" burns.

Sorry you took exception to this going back and forth. Garrett and I are actually friendly and praise each other's product. They have a good furnace and so do we.

Most of what we discuss has a fair amount of education value and many of the users on this forum actually have known us for the past couple of years and bought our products. They also know we are paid to be biased so they take our banter with a grain of salt.

If you were not here a couple of years ago when Crappie Keith was also an AS Forum sponsor you might get the inside joke. It's not mean... you had to be there.

Finally, unlike other forums the paid sponsors are allowed to brag, market, sell their products on forum posts. So we make the most of it. As long as we keep it respectful and good humor it also provide a certain entertainment value.

All the best with your furnace.

 

[ziggo_2]

Sorry you took exception to this going back and forth. Garrett and I are actually friendly and praise each other's product. They have a good furnace and so do we.

Most of what we discuss has a fair amount of education value and many of the users on this forum actually have known us for the past couple of years and bought our products. They also know we are paid to be biased so they take our banter with a grain of salt.

If you were not here a couple of years ago when Crappie Keith was also an AS Forum sponsor you might get the inside joke. It's not mean... you had to be there.

Finally, unlike other forums the paid sponsors are allowed to brag, market, sell their products on forum posts. So we make the most of it. As long as we keep it respectful and good humor it also provide a certain entertainment value.

All the best with your furnace.

Ive been here longer than you, i have delt with keith personally, he has helped me with my problems without a sales pitch. The best thing about his furnaces is that they are simple, no fancy bells and whistles, and they dont cost over $4000.

 

[iowa]

I talked to Keith for over an hour on the phone last yr when I was looking around for a wood furnace. He was very nice on the phone. However, he put down caddy, and kuuma constantly. Stating that there's no way to get emission #s like that etc without creosote build up. Constantly cursing etc. Yes some things he said were true , but bashing someone else's product without ever having first hand using it is bad.

I never bought a furnace last yr and decided to think things over. I finally decided on the kuuma. And I'm proudto say I'm glad that I did. I never see smoke coming out of my chimney and my house is toasty warm. The only time I see smoke is when I load it. That lasts a max of 15 min.

 

[ziggo_2]

On the Kuuma video i seen it was mentioned that the flue temps are between 200 -300 degrees. Id like to know how you can run such low flue temps and not get condensation. I have a hard time getting my flue temps to stay constantly over 250 degrees, If i dont, i have condensation up the a$$. For those of you who dont know, Condesation will ruin your chimney in no time! not to mention its a mess!

 

[stihly dan]

You may not have as much draft going up the chimney. They may be using more air extracting more heat out of it. So there air may go out the chimney faster, rather than slowely draft out cooling down evan more. These are not facts just my thoughts.

 

[iowa]

On the Kuuma video i seen it was mentioned that the flue temps are between 200 -300 degrees. Id like to know how you can run such low flue temps and not get condensation. I have a hard time getting my flue temps to stay constantly over 250 degrees, If i dont, i have condensation up the a$$. For those of you who dont know, Condesation will ruin your chimney in no time! not to mention its a mess!

I don't think I've seen my flue over 200deg and that's 8" away from stove. Right after that is my baro damper T. If I look inside my flue there is nothing but very fine greyish colored dust particles in there. NO condensation! No creosote. I will take pics if you want..... And this has been running on the low setting since running in November.

If I open the door on that thing halfway through the burn its so dang hot! You can't hardly stand 2' from it. Its amazing to say the least.

 

[lampmfg]

On the Kuuma video i seen it was mentioned that the flue temps are between 200 -300 degrees. Id like to know how you can run such low flue temps and not get condensation. I have a hard time getting my flue temps to stay constantly over 250 degrees, If i dont, i have condensation up the a$$. For those of you who dont know, Condesation will ruin your chimney in no time! not to mention its a mess!

This is true about our flue temperatures.

 

[centennial60]

I don't think I've seen my flue over 200deg and that's 8" away from stove.

How are you measuring the flue temp? magnetic surface or an internal probe type? I'm guessing magnetic being that low. Pretty impressive! Have you ever tried measuring the temp of the hot air coming out of the top of the furnace?