minutes away from englander wood furnace purchase

[aaronmach1]

Guys all i have to do is click buy. Im looking at this furnace alot today and others last couple days and i really like this one and the glass door is awesome. Any issues why i shouldnt buy this one? I know its not top line best but looks really good for what i expect. I currently have a 1970's johnson 7900 which is very nice still but i mainly wanted a bigger log length capacity and a glass door is a bonus.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Englande...rnace-28-3500/100185844?N=c4ky#specifications
I cant figure out why only one 8 inch heat pipe insted of 2 like mine and all the others. Should i be concerned about that? Will it be enough if i add a bigger blower like my current setup with a furnace blower?
And also major concern, does the glass break or crack often?

 

[Big_Al]

Can't help with the furnace but we've had good luck with their stoves. Sorry not much help but good for a bump anyway.

 

[NSMaple1]

It can heat 3000 sq.ft. with one 8in. outlet?

That sounds highly suspect to me.

I think that even with the bad stuff posted in the last few pages of the Tundra thread, I would still give it serious consideration if I was looking at a new wood furnace - as long as I knew it would be operated the way it needed to be to be safe. I think it's easier to disable an ashpan that it is to add secondary combustion and the benefits that come with it.

 

[wudpirat]

I have one. I believe it's going on five years now, no problems, just normal maintence.
Had to replace some fire brick and now the smoke shelf, was warned it would need replacement because it is directly over the flame.
I hammered it flat a couple times but finaly replaced it . Have a buddy iron worker who cut one out of 1/4" plate of me.
The 8" outlet is 'cause its made to tie into your hot air system. I don't have any duct work (electric heat) so I plumbed in a 25' duct and directed it up the cellar steps to heat the living area.
Its zero outside now and have no problem heating basement and upstairs. close to 2500 sq/ft.
Any lost heat in the basement is keeping the floors warm.
The glass is no problem. I keep it clean with Zip glass cleaner, just let it cool some and spray it on.
The seals around the doors needs replacement, maybe next year.
I spend most of my time indoors in my underwear, its that comfy in here.
If I had to, I would buy another, I'm that satisfied.
I picked mine up at the store, saved on shipping and used the HD credit card for an aditional 10%, deals are available, so check.
A call to the factory. because I had a cracked firebrick, got me a new one free.
I cut my spits close to 18", but have burned some at 24", just too close to the glass and sooted it up.
Depending on the wood, burn times average 4 hours, 6 hrs with good dry oak and maple. I burn a lot of pine.
As I have stated, I'd pull the trigger on another.

 

[stihly dan]

There are a lot of units out there, I would spend more than a few days researching them. unless of course its an immediate need. Never would have found mine if I only spent a few days at it, very glad I did a thorough search.

 

[brenndatomu]

+1 ^^^ Stihly is right, do the reasearch. The Englander is not a bad stove from what I hear, but for me there are several others out there that I would have a WHOLE lot more interest in if I was buying today.
Also, I agree with NSMaple too. I wouldn't rule out the Tundra. Using the ash pan on that kind of a setup is a PITA anyways. Who wants to dig through the ashes to find the plug, pull it, then chase ash all around to get it to go down a lil ole 3" x 3" hole, then try to put the plug back in and get it to seal?! Just dig ash out like most any other modern stove and be done with it! Still seems like a lot of heater for the money to me. Maybe let 'em work the bugs out, buy one for next winter? Unless you need to replace yours now of course.
Bottom line, IMO, hard to beat that unit Stihly has, if ya can handle the $ that is.

 

[Vibes]

Being its this late in the burning season I would wait another month or so. Home Depot and Lowes always does a total clearance on all there woodburners and pellet stoves once they start getting gas grills (for barbequing) in. I bought one of those Mr. Heater tough buddy heaters on clearance at Lowes a few years back. They were clearing them out at like 60% discount.

 

[brenndatomu]

Thinking about this for a few minutes more, you mentioned wanting longer log capacity and a glass door. Is that your main motivation? Paying $1k or so to get a glass door and a lil longer firebox seems like a lot to me (JMO) Why not gain some efficiency or clean burn technology if you're gonna spend the money?

I'd really question the BTU output off of one 8" outlet too. Like you said, most have two. Even if you can put a bigger blower on it, you can only cram so much air through an 8" pipe with a centrifugal furnace blower. Will that flow the CFMs you need to push to the far end of the house? What about when the power goes out? It would be almost impossible to get enough heat off of one 8" pipe on gravity heat to accomplish anything, not to mention the fire hazard of overheating your firebox trying to heat during power outage with that setup.

Just throwing out some stuff to think about. Obviously you have to make the best decision for you n yours...

 

[laynes69]

Why would you need a longer log capacity? You go with a more modern, clean burning unit that's sized correctly for your house and you don't need to stuff it. I have a 22" log capacity now, and I cut everything to 16-18". Always a good overnight burn, and never a cold furnace. That's with a load half the size of the old furnace. Do your homework.

 

[aaronmach1]

hard to explain but on my current stove a 16" log will bridge unless i leave the ash a foot deep. Then it really cuts down on fire box size etc. Which means burn times are cut down etc. Thats why i want bigger log capacity, the glass door is an added bonus. I bought it online earlier and they will be bringing it within 7 days.
Anyone got pics of theirs installed? Any issues getting the heat up through the just one 8 inch pipe instead of 2?
basement and house total sq ft is 2448.
Another plus is it will plug into my existing setup very easy with very little modification.

 

[aaronmach1]

i also should add i want to use the furnace im using now in my barn. Thats another reason for this purchase.

 

[flotek]

I had one it did good it really threw the heat and for the money it was a excellent unit. ... But it will use a good bit of wood your burn times will be around. 8 hrs when it's fully loaded with hardwood which is ok . It is archaic in design and requires manual adjustment resulting in temperature swings it burns dirty when dampened down so frequent cleanings may be in order to prevent buildup . I felt it was well built but like I said its a furnace from a different era and there is other options . I sold mine and bought a drolet epa furnace .. longer burns cleaner burns and half the wood but I will say the englander threw more heat

 

[aaronmach1]

all in all im thinking it will be an upgrade from what i currently have, but i know its not top of the line.

 

[laynes69]

I've never known length to play a part in bridging. Wood diameter, and firebox shape plays a big role. The old furnace had a v shaped firebox, which I think the Johnson's had, and from time to time it would bridge. Larger wood would get bound up above, while the stuff by the grates would burn, leaving a gap and little heat. I would load rounds as big as the door to try and get a good overnight burn which didn't help matters.

 

[flotek]

The englander is a square firebox not a v shape like most and burns on a bed of firebrick floor like modern stoves but with multiple narrow slots between rows to permit ashes to fall down through . Wood lasts longer and coals better without falling through a shaker grate. .knowing both models well it is safe to say It's better than a Johnson energy hotblast in my opinion. However it doesn't really have any heat exchanger area and the air controls are very simple and don't offer precise control they are completely manual and require user input throughout the burn cycle

 

[aaronmach1]

manual is what im looking for. that why i got rid of the bi metal coil on the front of my johnson. I changed it to a type simular to the englander but off a hot blast version. I like it alot better.

 

[flotek]

The door bi metallic control was the Edsel of the wood stove world it never worked right. .. Total junk

 

[super3]

I wouldn't have any use for a furnace with a 4-8 hr burn time.

 

[flotek]

An englander that's setup correctly should never require you to have to reload in the night you should wake up with coals if its packed and air set on low setting. . My drolet will burn for 12 hours on less wood and still have a nice bed of glowing coals

 

[blades]

just a note Drolet Heat Max and Tundra are the same furnace.