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Pulled the trigger on a Fire Chief outdoor furnace

Started by Woodcutter_Mo, October 22, 2017, 08:07:56 PM

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Woodcutter_Mo

 I didn't get the rest of the chimney installed yet but I have the single 10" heat supply pipe up through the floor and the 12" return towards the other end of the house installed to use until I can finish it up properly. I have a good fire going and it's working good. The hot pipe isn't insulated for the first few feet coming out of the furnace yet but but other than that it's doing a good job. The windows are open at the moment because the furnace is still putting off some fumes from being new.
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

Woodcutter_Mo

 The furnace got a good work out last night, it got down to -3F.
I loaded up the firebox with some seasoned black Oak rounds that weren't super dry as they haven't been covered. I didn't completely fill the fire box, the rounds were about 18-20" avg length so there was about a foot of space left. I loaded it up about 9:30 and at 6:00 this morning there was still a nice bed of coals so I just loaded it again and it fired right back up. The draft blower is apparently high enough up that it can keep a good bed of coals in the bottom. It got down to about 61°f in the house, which isn't too bad considering all the air gaps there are with me working on the house. And also the first few feet of the hot air pipe outside isn't insulated yet.
I think I'll be very happy with this furnace especially once I get the hang of it and get all the ducting installed properly.
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

TKehl

Sweet!

And thanks for the report on having coals remaining.  I've been leary about running a stove with a draft blower as I expected to have to relight it frequently with the blower pushing air until the coals were gone.

Sounds like it has a nice large firebox.  Sounds quite a bit bigger than mine!
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Woodcutter_Mo

 I think as long as the draft blower is installed high enough above the grates to where it doesn't blow directly  into the coals it would probably do fine. I'll certainly be learning more about it as I use it. I was somewhat surprised honestly.
The firebox is listed as 11.00 cubic ft and will take firewood up to 34" long.
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

gspren

  Is your draft blower controlled by a thermostat?
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Woodcutter_Mo

 Yea the thermostat in the house controls the draft blower on this furnace.

On a side note, it is still putting off a bit of a smell when the furnace gets good and hot. So if anyone else installs one, be sure to give it a good pre-burn to break it in before hooking it up or plan to keep the windows open all day the first couple times you fire it up.   ;)
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

TKehl

In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Woodcutter_Mo

 Dont got any hedge around here, but I though about tossing a few pine knots in the firebox and opening the draft a bit and letting it rip for a while  :o :D
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

dave_dj1

As you get used to burning it you will learn what and what not to do depending on the weather and temps. I do not believe in the forced draft, I think it burns too much wood. I don't even have a thermostat hooked to the draft of mine. I have a wind up timer on the stove, I know how long to set the timer for after i fill it depending on the weather and temps. I have some half inch holes in the door that I plug with 1/2" bolts, I take a bolt or two out depending on how cold it is. I just installed a new door gasket and I can get 12-14 hr burn times on about 5 pieces of wood and a ton of coals. I am heating about 1800-1900 sf in a ranch home with finished basement.

Woodcutter_Mo

 Just an quick update, so far I'm still very pleased with the furnace especially since I'm getting more familiar with it. I've only had to light the fire a couple times, it holds coals very well. The times I had to re-light it we're after warm days where I didn't add wood for a day or 2. I've been leaving the thermostat at 67°F and the draft blower runs very little, but the house will still stay in the 70's at near 0°. 

 I will be installing a proper size draft blower on it as I have an oversized blower with the intake dampened down pretty low on it at the moment. 

 It's easy to clean the ashes out, I just let it burn down to coals and rake the ashes with a garden hoe, which the grate is the same width as. The ash pan holds exactly what fills a standard ash bucket. 

 I'm still in the learning curve, so as mentioned i can probably get better burn times and efficiency as time goes on. But so far I'm very happy with the purchase.  8)
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

dave_dj1

Nice, thanks for the update. Like I said, there is a learning curve and once you find what works just keep doing it. I think you're on the right track keeping the blower use to a minimum.

Woodcutter_Mo

 Season 2 with the Fire Chief furnace. A few days ago I plugged it in and fired it up, still looks and works like new. I'm still very happy with it and impressed with it vs my old indoor wood stove. 

 Last winter I only had to light the fire a few times, of which a couple times I let it go completely out so I could clean it ect. It held coals very well, I assume because the blower is up fairly high.
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

hedgerow

Good to hear the furnace is working out. Its nice to keep the mess that wood makes outside. Looks like the weather is going to warm back up. Its always nice to get these cool dip's early so we check wood supplies and wood burning equipment before the cool sets in. 

Pine Ridge

I installed a fire chief 2200 in our doublewide this summer woodcutter. I fired it up a week ago, it puts out the heat, i've got it too warm in the house a couple of times already. I think it will do great when it gets really cold this winter. I'm still learning what to do and what not to do with it, so far i'm satisfied with it.
Husqvarna 550xp , 2- 372xp and a 288xp, Chevy 4x4 winch truck

Woodcutter_Mo

Quote from: Pine Ridge on October 19, 2018, 09:51:42 PM
I installed a fire chief 2200 in our doublewide this summer woodcutter. I fired it up a week ago, it puts out the heat, i've got it too warm in the house a couple of times already. I think it will do great when it gets really cold this winter. I'm still learning what to do and what not to do with it, so far i'm satisfied with it.
Glad to hear you like yours so far. Do you have it ducted into the central heating ducts?
 
One thing I've found with mine is I only open the spin draft on the ash drawer when it's prety cold. I keep it closed when it's somewhat mild or it will run me out of the house. And it don't have to be open much. You will get used to it though. 
 

On a side note, one thing I would like to add to my furnace is a shield that goes over the draft blower to keep wood chips from getting in the fan and motor when loading wood into the door. I believe the newer models that were being sold at Menards had these shields on them. I've only had trouble with it once, but I can see it potentially giving trouble again.
 
-WoodMizer LT25
-592XP full wrap, 372XP, 550XP, 455 Rancher, RedMax GZ3500T
-Fixer-uppers/projects:
024AV, MS260, MS361, MS460, Shindaiwa 488, 394XPG

Pine Ridge

Woodcutter I didn't hook it up to our existing ductwork, I ran new ductwork just for the wood furnace, one 10" hot pipe run through the wall on the back of the house, and 12" cold air return run under the house and T'd to run to each end of the house. Warm air comes in the middle of the house and is pulled to each end by the returns. On the hot pipe I encased the 10" inside 12" and then wrapped it with reflectix insulation , I also wrapped the entire cold air return pipe with reflectix. Cold air returns I installed flat in the floor with 14x14 filters. Furnace sits 12 feet from the house, i have an 8 foot chimney pipe on it, double walled Selkirk brand. Forecasting a low of 28 here tonight in southwest mo, I've got it fired up.
Husqvarna 550xp , 2- 372xp and a 288xp, Chevy 4x4 winch truck

Pine Ridge

Woodcutter I didn't hook it up to our existing ductwork, I ran new ductwork just for the wood furnace, one 10" hot pipe run through the wall on the back of the house, and 12" cold air return run under the house and T'd to run to each end of the house. Warm air comes in the middle of the house and is pulled to each end by the returns. On the hot pipe I encased the 10" inside 12" and then wrapped it with reflectix insulation , I also wrapped the entire cold air return pipe with reflectix. Cold air returns I installed flat in the floor with 14x14 filters. Furnace sits 12 feet from the house, i have an 8 foot chimney pipe on it, double walled Selkirk brand. Forecasting a low of 28 here tonight in southwest mo, I've got it fired up.
Husqvarna 550xp , 2- 372xp and a 288xp, Chevy 4x4 winch truck

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