I own a hotblast 1500 add on furnace.Been heating with it 12 yrs.Go thru 10 cords of wood a year.House stays 65-68 if outside temp is above 40.below 40,and the woodburner struggles to get temp up above 60.I don't have cold air return hookes into hotblast furnce,but I do have a fresh air source in the furnace room to help feed the woodburner.woodburner has its own chimney and is close(within 3 feet of exiisting furnace.
1.Should I build a ductwork system around the the 550 blowers and duct into my existing cold air return?
2.will this cause woodburner to heat upstairs better?
3.should I install booster fans-back bedrooms upstairs are colder than rest of house(i own a 2500 sq ft colonial)
4.what temp should the blowerers on the woodburner come on and off at?
thank you
Not Enough Heat Upstairs
- WNY
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- Location: Cuba, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90K, Leisure Line Hyfire I
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If you have fresh air coming in for the combustion, your blowers will be pulling that fresh/cold air thru the duct and taking longer to heat up. If you can hook a cold air return somehow to circulate the air better upstairs, it would even out the temps and the return air would probably be warmer then basement air.
You can try and put a duct fans in, but try the Cold air return first and see how that affects the temps.
You can just have adjust the temp that your blowers come on for you own comfort, you don't want them too low then, it just blows cool air. I think my keystoker they come on at 140-150, off at 110, approx.
You can try and put a duct fans in, but try the Cold air return first and see how that affects the temps.
You can just have adjust the temp that your blowers come on for you own comfort, you don't want them too low then, it just blows cool air. I think my keystoker they come on at 140-150, off at 110, approx.
- CoalHeat
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- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
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- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
If you can burn Anthracite in that Hot blast I'd consider trying it along with improving your air flow.
Can I Use Anthricite in My Hot Blast 1500?
10 cords of wood a year is a lot of work. I used to burn 6 to 8 cords here in 2 stoves and still needed the oil heat when the stoves burned low. Anthracite will burn hotter and longer and make life much easier.
You can also add another stove on the first floor to add more heat as needed.
Can I Use Anthricite in My Hot Blast 1500?
10 cords of wood a year is a lot of work. I used to burn 6 to 8 cords here in 2 stoves and still needed the oil heat when the stoves burned low. Anthracite will burn hotter and longer and make life much easier.
You can also add another stove on the first floor to add more heat as needed.
-
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- Location: Glens Falls NY Area
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Older Ashley Cabinet ( pre US Stove gobble up)
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Energy King 480 EK
- Coal Size/Type: Warm weather smaller coal. Cold weather larger coal.
- Other Heating: Oil Furnace Backup when repairs are needed
If you want maximum heat from your hot air wood furnace duct it into the existing system.There are several options to do this. Each requires some effort and the results can be outstanding if you do it correctly.
I now burn coal but also burned wood for many years .
I have an Energy King EK480 and its hooked up so the EK is piped into hot air plenum of my oil furnace.
It uses a swing gate baffle to shut of reverse air flow automaticly depending which unit is heating. the blower fan on either unit determines position of baffle.This is all done on the hot air side. the cold air side(wood) is tapped into cold air trunk and needs no baffles.
The baffle needs to cover the top of the outlet of your oil furnace. When its in down position and blocks off the wood side hot air ducting completely when in the up position from the oil furnace blower operating .
A small counter weight is on an arm to hold the baffle in up postion if oil is being used and fan is off. .Gravity holds it down if wood side is used. Very simple and foolproof .
to give you an idea ..If your existing plenum measures(oil) measures 24" X 24"your baffle would measure 23 and 3/4" by 23 and 3/4"
By hooking your wood and oil together you gain the benifits of hot air moving all thru the house via the ducts.And just gravity will move a lot of air around.
My house gets too hot now with wood if I build a medium fire but its ok I like the heat.
Coal is my prefered heat now.
The main thing to watch for when doing a furnace to furnace is to eliminate just pushing air thru one unit thru the other without going thru ducts via the whole sys the way it was designed.(kinda like dog chasing its tail)
If you look enough you can find several detailed outlays on how to set up the 2 together. Its not complicated and several ways to do it correctly
The way I have the baffle set up I can biuld a coal fire .Leave for a few days and the oil will come on by itself and baffle will set itself without anyone doing a thing .
you can even run both at once if you wanted to .I tried it just to see what would happen it was ok.Feel free to PM if you want any info
I now burn coal but also burned wood for many years .
I have an Energy King EK480 and its hooked up so the EK is piped into hot air plenum of my oil furnace.
It uses a swing gate baffle to shut of reverse air flow automaticly depending which unit is heating. the blower fan on either unit determines position of baffle.This is all done on the hot air side. the cold air side(wood) is tapped into cold air trunk and needs no baffles.
The baffle needs to cover the top of the outlet of your oil furnace. When its in down position and blocks off the wood side hot air ducting completely when in the up position from the oil furnace blower operating .
A small counter weight is on an arm to hold the baffle in up postion if oil is being used and fan is off. .Gravity holds it down if wood side is used. Very simple and foolproof .
to give you an idea ..If your existing plenum measures(oil) measures 24" X 24"your baffle would measure 23 and 3/4" by 23 and 3/4"
By hooking your wood and oil together you gain the benifits of hot air moving all thru the house via the ducts.And just gravity will move a lot of air around.
My house gets too hot now with wood if I build a medium fire but its ok I like the heat.
Coal is my prefered heat now.
The main thing to watch for when doing a furnace to furnace is to eliminate just pushing air thru one unit thru the other without going thru ducts via the whole sys the way it was designed.(kinda like dog chasing its tail)
If you look enough you can find several detailed outlays on how to set up the 2 together. Its not complicated and several ways to do it correctly
The way I have the baffle set up I can biuld a coal fire .Leave for a few days and the oil will come on by itself and baffle will set itself without anyone doing a thing .
you can even run both at once if you wanted to .I tried it just to see what would happen it was ok.Feel free to PM if you want any info
- CoalHeat
- Member
- Posts: 8862
- Joined: Sat. Feb. 10, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: Stillwater, New Jersey
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1959 EFM 350
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Magnafire Mark I
- Baseburners & Antiques: Sears Signal Oak 15 & Andes Kitchen Range
- Coal Size/Type: Rice and Chestnut
- Other Heating: Fisher Fireplace Insert
Stove into hot air furnace: