[jen3232]

Hi, I have a Jensen Wood Furnace that I want to install and hook up to an existing furnace in my basement. The Wood Furnace will be located in my attached garage. What is the right way to run/hook up to the one in my basement?

Thanks

[ma0641]

Is it the boiler type of just forced air?

[jen3232]

Forced Air

[ma0641]

Typically the outside unit is piped into the house by a buried insulated pipe. Some people pipe the air into the return duct since the pressure side may have more pressure than the outside unit. Is this what you are planning?

[jen3232]

Typically the outside unit is piped into the house by a buried insulated pipe. Some people pipe the air into the return duct since the pressure side may have more pressure than the outside unit. Is this what you are planning?

I don't know what we plan on doing, we wanted to find out the right way to do it. We have heard several different opinions on how to do it, so I wanted to see what the best and safest way to install is. Thanks

[dalleth]

I have one that we've had in the house for 10 years. You'll need to have it in an area that meets code, likely brick, with certain distances from walls. Getting the chimney out will also need to be within code. Likely brick chimney or double walled piping that allows you to pass through non masonry walls and of course does this all while meeting those codes. That's the first step. After that's done you'll need to run the output and connect it to just after your main output on the existing furnace. You can either make your own return, or connect the return to the existing furnace return. Both the return and the output will need to have a valve in the duct for when you aren't running it. No need to lose cooling in the summer.

Our setup has it's own return, but uses the existing HVAC ducting as output. You'll want to make sure everything exceeds the codes because it's not just going to burn when you are at home, you'll want to leave and nothing is worse in your mind than thinking this thing is going to set the house on fire, which if done right, won't.

Jensen says not to use a damper on the chimney pipe (black pipe) and I agree. The burn rate should be solely controlled with the air supplying the fire. This is done with a blower on the back and a separate thermostat controlling that. We set ours to 68, and if the house hits that the blower kicks on and makes the fire hotter.

This isn't nearly as easy as modern HVACs but it's a heck of a lot more fun/work. We load about 5 logs in in the morning and then if it's cold or windy, another 3-4 more in the afternoon, at night right before bed we pack it and just let it simmer. By morning, we do it again. If you are in a cold region, we are not, then you'll have to up your usage. But it gets hot, sadly you'll lose a fair bit of radiant heat by not having it in the basement.

[jen3232]

I have one that we've had in the house for 10 years. You'll need to have it in an area that meets code, likely brick, with certain distances from walls. Getting the chimney out will also need to be within code. Likely brick chimney or double walled piping that allows you to pass thru non masonry walls and of course does this all while meeting those codes. That's the first step. After that's done you'll need to run the output and connect it to just after your main output on the existing furnace. You can either make your own return, or connect the return to the existing furnace return. Both the return and the output will need to have a valve in the duct for when you aren't running it. No need to lose cooling in the summer.

Our setup has it's own return, but uses the existing HVAC ducting as output. You'll want to make sure everything exceeds the codes because it's not just going to burn when you are at home, you'll want to leave and nothing is worse in your mind than thinking this thing is going to set the house on fire, which if done right, won't.

Jensen says not to use a damper on the chimney pipe (black pipe) and I agree. The burn rate should be solely controlled with the air supplying the fire. This is done with a blower on the back and a separate thermostat controlling that. We set ours to 68, and if the house hits that the blower kicks on and makes the fire hotter.

This isn't nearly as easy as modern HVACs but it's a heck of a lot more fun/work. we load about 5 logs in in the morning and then if it's cold or windy, another 3-4 more in the afternoon, at night right before bed we pack it and just let it simmer. By morning, we do it again. If you are in a cold region, we are not, then you'll have to up your usage. But it gets hot, sadly you'll lose a fair bit of radiant heat by not having it in the basement.

Thank you, I appreciate your time and input in answering my question:)

[jen3232]

Thank you, I appreciate your time and input in answering my question:)

HI, I let my husband read what you wrote and I have a coupe questions,
Does your distribution fan run constant?

Also my stove is roughly 25' away from my furnace, my supply pipe is piped into the plenum of the furnace, should I go on one side or the other of the plenum and tap into the main trunk?

Do you think I should rely on the distribution fan only to heat my house or should I use the fan on the house furnace to help push heat. I have a 1400sq ranch and it doesn't feel like the heat is coming through the rooms enough. Should I consider a booster fan to help push heat?

In regards to the return I plan to run my own in the house celing and seal off the box airtight on back of wood stove, so garage smell cannot go through house.

Thanks so much for your time!

[dalleth]

Does your distribution fan run constant?

On mine, yes. But, that's because the thermocouple isn't either set right or is flat broken. There are 3 thermocouples two are for the circulation/distribution fan. (One to kick it in high when it gets really hot, the other is to turn it on and off when it gets to temp or loses temp) The other I think is for the firebox blower, I think it's a safety that shuts it off in case the fire is too hot, thus cooling the fire by cutting air supply. I don't mind that mine stays on, it was annoying when it did work, because at the fire's end of life it would cycle on and off, and it's right below the master bedroom and it would wake me at night and I'd feel guilty for not putting in some more logs.

Also my stove is roughly 25' away from my furnace, my supply pipe is piped into the plenum of the furnace, should I go on one side or the other of the plenum and tap into the main trunk?

They suggest a baffle in the plenum to angle the air up instead of just hitting the box straight on.

(take a look at this, I think it'll help: http://www.dynamitebuys.com/store/pd...4AF_Ashley.pdf

Do you think I should rely on the distribution fan only to heat my house or should I use the fan on the house furnace to help push heat. I have a 1400sq ranch and it doesn't feel like the heat is coming through the rooms enough. Should I consider a booster fan to help push heat?

I would bet that you'll be reducing the efficiency if you ran the blower on your HVAC, as it will be pushing against the blower in the Jensen. Try the baffle, first. Also, if you aren't drawing the air from the house, (negative pressure) by having the return pull from the house air, then you'll have less flow (positive pressure). Also if you garage is cold, then it'll have to heat the air that much more, thus the air will get to the house cooler than it would if it drew from the house air. (Think of your car - In mine there's a button that changes return air: Get outside air or circulate inside air. Summer the air is hot to the a/c isn't as cold, and winter is just the same, but in reverse.)
With the return fixed and a baffle installed I think you'll heat 1400 with very few logs. In fact, I would put money on it. We heat 2500sqft, but we are in Georgia, so we deal with 20s-40s in winter.

In regards to the return I plan to run my own in the house celing and seal off the box airtight on back of wood stove, so garage smell cannot go thru house.

See if you can make the box out of sheet metal, that's what mine is, there's even a place for a 21"x12" filter. Not that you'd normally have a problem, but I wouldn't want wood to be that close. (Think if you load it up, go out to eat, and there's a power failure. That box will be very hot without the air moving around it to cool the outside panels.) It'll be fine, as long as it's away from walls and on concrete, but add wood to the metal and I'm not sure my brain would be able to rest with all those 'what ifs'.

[dalleth]

Also, and a further side note about the heat, the blower is smaller than the HVAC unit, so the air is much slower coming out of the vents, almost so much so that you can't feel it unless you get right down on it. (I use my foot, but I'm lazy.) So, it's much slower system to heat. But, think of it like a barge, it's big and slow. It's really meant to be lit and kept lit, not just used as a few hour thing. Once you get it going, it just keeps heating and maintains the room temperature range with little effort. It'll take at least the first hour to get the house from 65º to 68-69º in the morning maybe a bit longer depending on the outside temp. On the other hand, it takes the gas furnace about 10-15 minutes. But, I really love saving that cash. Also, it's kind of fun to see how good you get at tending the fire and how long you can make a load last and still have a warm house.

[T-Top]

In order to connect a forced air system to a forced air system as back up heat you will need to add dampers in the duct work or your hot air will just circulate between the two units and not push it out into the supply duct and into the house. You will also need a thermostat that will operate a dual fuel system.

[dalleth]

In order to connect a forced air system to a forced air system as back up heat you will need to add dampers in the duct work or your hot air will just circulate between the two units and not push it out into the supply duct and into the house. You will also need a thermostat that will operate a dual fuel system.

Um, no. On both accounts.

[T-Top]

Um, no. On both accounts.

Explain how two separate forced air systems with common duct can circulate air with out a damper in the duct work and how it will operate correctly. Yes you can use multiple thermostats if you isolate them. Make sure one is off and one is on. With a dual fuel thermostat you set it and forget it and let it work for you instead of you working for it.

[dalleth]

Read my posts. It explains it exactly. Also read the PDF I linked to. Again, it's tells you exactly how to set it up.

[T-Top]

I guess we will agree to disagree. But I assume you read page 10 of your link. Every one have a good night and good luck with your endeavors.