Wood Add-On

[laynes69]

Here is my setup, the 3 8" ducts coming off the plenum go into the back and side of the woodfurnace. When the limit on the wood furnace calls for heat, it triggers the board on the furnace and kicks on the blowers. When the heat is done, the blowers shut off. The system has worked great, but I am about ready to retire the woodfurnace and get a new one. This way all of the air goes one way only, and If I dont want to use the woodburner the furnace air goes around the firebox. I heat a 2400 sq ft home thats 150+ years old with 10 foot ceilings, 76 to 78 all winter.View attachment 36331

 

[kallaste]

wood furnace

do you use a return air on the woodfurnace. when the house furnace kicks on how do you keep the force from blowing back into the woodfurnace. I just bought a woodfurnace that looks alot like yours. I am still wondering about the best way to duct it in. Thanks Steve

 

[laynes69]

The duct going over the furnace is the cold air return. The only air that goes through the woodfurnace is from the furnace. The air can only go one way.The cold air returns go to the return on the furnace, then from there the heat thats goes out the furnace plenum goes into the side and back of the woodfurnace. I removed the original blowers and in there place ran 2 8" ducts off the furnace plenum into the woodburner. Then on the limit of the woodburner run to r and g of the furnace, so when the limit comes on, only the blowers come on. Then the heat from the woodfurnace is pushed though the ductwork. Its actually ran in series.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

I am in the process of installing a wood furnace as an add-on to electric. I took the blower out of the wood, and put it downstream of the electric one, in series. So the hot air from the electric blows through the wood furnace.

If I am using the wood furnace, the blower on the electric furnace is supposed to be kicked on. This way, if the wood runs out, the elec can kick in automatically.

Any opinions on this would be very appreciated too.

DeanB

 

[laynes69]

I have 2 thermostats, one controls the furnace, the other controls the forced draft on the wood furnace. Just make sure if you are running in series to make sure your furnace is in good working order, for if it shuts down, misfires when its supposed to, the blower may not kick on in the furnace and overheat the woodfurnace. Also make sure you follow all clearances for the ductwork to the floor joists. Good Luck, You do it right, it will heat you out of your home.