Drolet TUNDRA DF02000, DF01000 Installation And Operating Instructions Manual
Installation and operating instructions for the
TUNDRA WOOD FURNACE
DF02000
Verified and tested for Canada
and the United States by :
Stove Builder International Inc.
250, rue de Copenhague,
St-Augustin-de-Desmaures (Quebec)
Canada G3A 2H3
Tel: (418) 878-3040 Fax: (418) 878-3001
This manual is available for free download on the manufacturer’s web site. It is a copyrighted
document. Re-sale is strictly prohibited. The manufacturer may update this manual from time
to time and cannot be responsible for problems, injuries, or damages arising out of the use of
information contained in any manual obtained from unauthorized sources.
Please keep this document!
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING AND
OPERATING YOUR FURNACE.
PLEASE KEEP THIS MANUAL FOR REFERENCE
45656A
Printed in Canada 10-06-2013
Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THIS DROLET WOOD FURNACE
As one of North America’s largest and most respected wood stove, furnace and fireplace
manufacturers, Stove Builder International takes pride in the quality and performance of all
its products. We want to help you get maximum satisfaction as you use this product.
In the pages that follow you will find general advice on wood heating, detailed instructions
for safe and effective installation, and guidance on how to get the best performance from
this furnace as you build and maintain fires, and maintain your wood heating system.
We recommend that our wood burning hearth products be installed and serviced by
professionals who are certified in the United States by NFI (National Fireplace Institute®) or
in Canada by WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) or in Quebec by APC
(Association des Professionnels du Chauffage).
Congratulations on making a wise purchase.
When this furnace is not properly installed, a house fire may result. To reduce the
risk of fire, follow the installation instructions. Contact local building or fire officials
about restrictions and installation inspection requirements in your area.
Please read this entire manual before you install and use your new furnace. Failure
to follow instructions may result in property damage, bodily injury, or even death. It
is important that you follow the installations guidelines exactly.
You may need to obtain a building permit for the installation of this furnace and the
chimney that it is connected to. Consult your municipal building department or fire
department before installation to determine the need to obtain one. We recommend
that you also inform your home insurance company to find out if the installation will
affect your policy.
REGISTER YOUR WARRANTY ONLINE
To receive full warranty coverage, you will need to show
evidence of the date you purchased your furnace. Keep your
sales invoice. We also recommend that you register your
warranty online at:
http://www.drolet.ca/en/service-support/warranty-registration
Registering your warranty online will help us to quickly track the
information we need about your furnace.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
Table of contents
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 6
PART A - OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ................................. 7
1 Safety information ............................................................................... 7
1.1 Summary of operation and maintenance cautions and warnings ........................... 7
1.2 Smoke detector ...................................................................................................... 8
1.3 Chimney fire ........................................................................................................... 8
1.4 Prolonged power outage ........................................................................................ 8
2 General information ............................................................................ 9
2.1 Drolet Tundra furnace specifications ...................................................................... 9
2.1.1 Technical data Tundra ...................................................................................... 10
2.1.2 General technical data ...................................................................................... 11
2.2 The benefits of low emissions and high efficiency ................................................ 12
2.3 The SBI commitment to you and the environment................................................ 12
2.3.1 What is your new furnace made of? .................................................................. 12
3 Fuel ..................................................................................................... 13
3.1 Materials that should not be burned ..................................................................... 13
3.2 How to prepare or buy good firewood .................................................................. 13
3.2.1 What is good firewood? ..................................................................................... 13
3.2.2 Tree species ..................................................................................................... 13
3.2.3 Log length ......................................................................................................... 14
3.2.4 Piece size .......................................................................................................... 14
3.2.5 How to dry firewood .......................................................................................... 15
3.2.6 Judging firewood moisture content ................................................................... 16
4 Operating your furnace ..................................................................... 17
4.1 Your first fires ....................................................................................................... 17
4.2 Lighting fires ......................................................................................................... 17
4.2.1 Conventional fire starting .................................................................................. 17
4.2.2 The top down fire .............................................................................................. 18
4.2.3 Two parallel logs ............................................................................................... 18
4.2.4 Using fire starters .............................................................................................. 18
4.3 Maintaining wood fires .......................................................................................... 19
4.3.1 General advice .................................................................................................. 19
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4.3.2 Raking charcoal ................................................................................................ 20
4.3.3 Firing each new hot load ................................................................................... 20
4.3.4 Control of the air supply .................................................................................... 21
4.3.5 Building different fires for different needs .......................................................... 22
4.4 The use of a thermometer .................................................................................... 23
4.4.1 Safety ................................................................................................................ 23
4.4.2 Combustion efficiency ....................................................................................... 24
4.4.3 Protect your furnace .......................................................................................... 24
4.4.4 Control of the air inlet damper ........................................................................... 24
4.5 Ash drawer ........................................................................................................... 24
5 Maintaining your wood heating system ........................................... 25
5.1 Furnace maintenance ........................................................................................... 25
5.1.1 Ash removal ...................................................................................................... 25
5.1.2 Cleaning door glass .......................................................................................... 25
5.1.3 Door adjustment ................................................................................................ 26
5.1.4 Replacement of the glass and gaskets ............................................................. 27
5.1.5 Cleaning and painting the furnace .................................................................... 29
5.1.6 Heat exchangers care ....................................................................................... 29
5.2 Chimney and chimney connector maintenance .................................................... 33
5.2.1 Why chimney cleaning is necessary ................................................................. 33
5.2.2 How often should you clean the chimney? ........................................................ 33
5.2.3 Cleaning the chimney........................................................................................ 34
5.3 Smoke pipe inspection ......................................................................................... 34
5.4 Blower motor maintenance ................................................................................... 34
PART B - INSTALLATION .................................................................. 35
6 Safety information ............................................................................. 35
6.1 Summary of installation cautions and warnings.................................................... 35
6.2 Regulations covering furnace installation ............................................................. 35
6.3 Connecting pipe, manual and barometric damper ................................................ 36
6.4 Chimney and draft ................................................................................................ 37
6.5 Combustion air ..................................................................................................... 38
6.6 Filter ..................................................................................................................... 40
7 Setting up the unit and clearances ................................................... 40
7.1 Unit location ......................................................................................................... 40
7.2 Location of the certification label .......................................................................... 40
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
7.3 Clearances to combustible material ..................................................................... 40
7.4 Floor protector ...................................................................................................... 42
7.5 Hot air distribution system .................................................................................... 44
7.5.1 Authorized configurations in Canada and United States ................................... 48
7.5.2 Authorized configurations in United States only ................................................ 48
7.5.3 Non-authorized configuration, Canada and United States ................................ 49
8 The venting system ............................................................................ 50
8.1 General ................................................................................................................ 50
8.2 Suitable chimneys ................................................................................................ 50
8.2.1 Factory-built metal chimneys ............................................................................ 51
8.2.2 Masonry chimneys ............................................................................................ 51
8.3 Minimum chimney height ...................................................................................... 52
8.4 Relationship between the chimney and the house ............................................... 52
8.4.1 Why inside chimneys are preferred ................................................................... 52
8.4.2 Why the chimney should penetrate the highest heated space .......................... 53
8.5 Supply of combustion air ...................................................................................... 54
8.6 Air supply in conventional houses ........................................................................ 54
8.7 Installing the chimney connector .......................................................................... 54
8.7.1 Installation of single wall chimney connector .................................................... 55
9 Electrical connections and controls .................................................. 57
9.1 Wiring diagram ..................................................................................................... 57
9.2 Manual or thermostat control ................................................................................ 59
9.3 Fan control ........................................................................................................... 59
Appendix 1: Optional thermostat installation ...................................... 61
Appendix 2: Optional filter (AC01390) ................................................. 63
Appendix 3: Fresh air return adapter (AC01392) ............................... 64
Appendix 4: Installation of secondary air tubes and baffle ................ 65
Appendix 5: Troubleshooting ................................................................ 67
Appendix 6: Exploded diagram and parts list ...................................... 68
DROLET LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY ................................. 71
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
INTRODUCTION
Take note that this furnace uses the same wood burning technology as a high efficiency
EPA certified wood burning furnace. This applies to the lighting, the ember bed, and the
minimum combustion air intake which was calibrated to burn good seasoned cordwood.
This model line is certified as meeting the emissions limits in 40 C.F.R. part 60, section
60.532 (B) per EPA methods 28 and 5G-3, February 1991.
Emissions: 6.6 g/h or 0.229 g/MJ
Average efficiency: 76 % (LHV) / 71% (HHV)
To optimize the efficiency of your furnace, here is some advice that you should follow
when installing or operating your Tundra furnace:
Respect the local codes (when in doubt, consult your local dealer);
Check the specifications on the certification label about the clearances. Make sure that
they correspond to those included in the instruction manual.
Make sure your furnace is installed according to the instructions on the certification
label;
The furnace is fully assembled at the factory and no electrical connection is required
other than plugging the power cord into an outlet. It does not include automatic variable
speed control of the fan. Factory connection is on speed 2 (medium-low) but can be
modified. The blower speed must conform to the recommendations of the Warm Air
Heating and Air Conditioning National Association and should respect the static
pressure ranges in the warm air plenum of the furnace (see section 2.1.2, General
technical data.
We recommend that our woodburning hearth products be installed and serviced by
professionals who are certified in the United States by NFI (National Fireplace
Institute
®
) or in Canada by WETT (Wood Energy Technical Training) or in Quebec by
APC (Association des Professionnels du Chauffage).
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
PART A - OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Please see Part B for installation instructions.
1 Safety information
1.1 Summary of operation and maintenance cautions and warnings
HOT WHILE IN OPERATION, KEEP CHILDREN, CLOTHING AND FURNITURE
AWAY. CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN BURNS. GLOVES MAY BE NEEDED FOR
FURNACE OPERATION.
USING A FURNACE WITH CRACKED OR BROKEN COMPONENTS, SUCH AS
GLASS OR FIREBRICKS OR BAFFLES MAY PRODUCE AN UNSAFE CONDITION
AND MAY DAMAGE THE FURNACE.
OPEN THE AIR CONTROL FULLY BEFORE OPENING FIRING DOOR.
OPERATE ONLY WITH DOOR FULLY CLOSED. IF DOOR IS LEFT PARTLY OPEN,
GAS AND FLAME MAY BE DRAWN OUT OF THE OPENING, CREATING RISKS
FROM BOTH FIRE AND SMOKE.
THIS FURNACE IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE USED WITH THE DOOR OPEN. THE
DOOR MAY BE OPEN ONLY DURING LIGHTING PROCEDURES OR RELOADING.
DO NOT LEAVE THE FURNACE UNATTENDED WHEN THE DOOR IS SLIGHTLY
OPENED DURING IGNITION. ALWAYS CLOSE THE DOOR AFTER IGNITION.
NEVER USE GASOLINE, GASOLINE-TYPE LANTERN FUEL (NAPHTHA), FUEL
OIL, MOTOR OIL, KEROSENE, CHARCOAL LIGHTER FLUID, OR SIMILAR
LIQUIDS OR AEROSOLS TO START OR ‘FRESHEN UP’ A FIRE IN THIS
FURNACE. KEEP ALL SUCH LIQUIDS OR AEROSOLS WELL AWAY FROM THE
FURNACE WHILE IT IS IN USE.
DO NOT STORE FUEL WITHIN HEATER MINIMUM INSTALLATION CLEARANCES.
BURN ONLY SEASONED NATURAL FIREWOOD.
DO NOT BURN:
o GARBAGE OF ANY KIND,
o COAL OR CHARCOAL,
o TREATED, PAINTED OR COATED WOOD,
o PLYWOOD OR PARTICLE BOARD,
o FINE PAPER, COLORED PAPER OR CARDBOARD,
o SALT WATER DRIFTWOOD, OR
o RAILROAD TIES.
DO NOT ELEVATE THE FIRE BY USING A GRATE IN THIS FURNACE.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
DO NOT INSTALL AN AUTOMATIC FEEDER ON THIS FURNACE.
DO NOT INSTALL A MANUAL DAMPER ON THIS FURNACE.
THIS APPLIANCE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AND OPERATED AT ALL TIMES IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
1.2 Smoke detector
We highly recommend the use of a smoke detector. It must be installed at least 15 feet
(4.57 m) from the appliance in order to prevent undue triggering of the detector when
reloading.
1.3 Chimney fire
A Chimney fire will happen when the flame from an uncontrollable fire ignites the sooth
and creosote deposits in a neglected venting system. It will often happen when burning
cardboard, branches or small dry pieces of wood. The first signs of a chimney fire are:
1. A rumble.
2. Smoke pipe becomes extremely hot.
3. Sparks or even flames shoot out of the chimney
In the event of a chimney fire, first call your local fire department and water the roof
in the vicinity of the chimney.
Make sure that the furnace door and the air intake damper are closed (if need be, lower
the thermostat setting and CLOSE the barometric draft damper manually if one is installed.
In the event of uncontrollable fire (caused by wrongful operation or excessive chimney
draft), follow the same procedure as in a chimney fire but you must then OPEN the
barometric draft damper manually if one is installed.
1.4 Prolonged power outage
To reduce the risk of overheating during a prolonged power outage (more than 10
minutes), it is recommended damper is closed. If your furnace is equipped with the
optional filter, remove the air filter to improve the circulation of air around the combustion
chamber of the Tundra furnace. Do not load the furnace more than 50 percent of its
capacity to prevent the risk of overheating,
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
2 General information
2.1 Drolet Tundra furnace specifications
Combustible Wood
Maximum heat input 140,000 BTU (41 kW)
Maximum heat output 106,400 BTU (31,2 kW)
Average heat output 69,160 BTU (20,3 kW)
Thermostatic control Optional
Maximum efficiency 76% (LHV) / 71% (HHV)
Average emissions 6.6 grams/hr ou 0,229 g/MJ
Loading capacity Up to 55 lb (25 kg)
Burn time* 2h to 10h
Heating capacity* 500 ft2 to 2,500 ft2 (46.5 m2 to 232 m2)
Flue outlet size 6" (152 mm)
Recommended smoke pipe dimension 6" (152 mm)
Required chimney type 2,100 °F (1150 °C)
Recommended chimney size 6" (152 mm)
Outside dimensions of the furnace 26" L x 48" P x 40" H
Dimensions of the firebox 17" L x 22,5" P x 16" H
Dimensions of the door opening 13,75" L x 10" H
Type of door Cast iron with ceramic glass
Dimensions of the hot air outlet Two 8" round outlet
Dimensions of the cold air return 20" H x 15" L Optional
Dimensions of ash drawer 20" L x 4 3/8" P
Thickness of steel (firebox) 3/16" (5 mm)
Minimum clearance (in front of furnace) 48"
Minimum clearance (rear of furnace ) 24"
Minimum clearance (sides of furnace ) 11"
Minimum clearance (standard ducts) 2" for the first 6 feet and 1" after
Recommended service clearance 24”
Weight 550 lb (250 kg), with blower
Color Grey
Warranty Limited lifetime
Standards – security CSA B366.1, UL391
Standards – emissions / efficiency EPA / CSA B415.1
Maximum log length 22” over depth**
* Burn time and heating capacity may vary subject to hot air distribution system, chimney
draft, chimney diameter, locality, heat loss factors, climate, fuels and other variables.
** Over width: through the door you see the sides of the logs; over depth: through the door
you see the ends of the logs
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
2.1.1 Technical data Tundra
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
2.1.2 General technical data
MODEL (DIRECT DRIVE) FLOW
VENT MOT. VIT. (CFM) (°F) (WOOD)
TUNDRA DCT-916-800-5 1/4 4 1400 135 140000 0,2 20” x 15” x 1”
TEMP
VAR.
BTU/ H
STATIC
PRESSURE
INCH OF
W.C.
OPTIONAL
FILTER
(IN)
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
2.2 The benefits of low emissions and high efficiency
The low smoke emissions produced by the special features inside the Brand Model firebox
mean that your household will release up to 90 percent less smoke into the outside
environment than if you used an older conventional wood furnace. But there is more to the
emission control technologies than protecting the environment.
The smoke released from wood when it is heated contains about half of the energy content
of the fuel. By burning the wood completely, your furnace releases all the heat energy from
the wood instead of wasting it as smoke up the chimney. Also, the features inside the
firebox allow you to reduce the air supply to control heat output, while maintaining clean
and efficient flaming combustion, which boosts the efficient delivery of heat to your home.
The emission control and advanced combustion features of your furnace can only work
properly if your fuel is in the correct moisture content range of 15 to 20 percent. See
Section 3 of this manual for suggestions on preparing fuel wood and judging its moisture.
2.3 The SBI commitment to you and the environment
The SBI team are committed to protecting the environment, so we do everything we can to
use only materials in our products that will have no lasting negative impact on the
environment.
2.3.1 What is your new furnace made of?
The body of your furnace, which is most of its weight, is carbon steel. Should it ever
become necessary many years in the future, almost the entire furnace can be recycled into
new products, thus eliminating the need to mine new materials.
The paint coat on your furnace is very thin. Its VOC content (Volatile Organic
Components) is very low. VOCs can be responsible for smog, so all the paint used during
the manufacturing process meets the latest air quality requirements with regards to VOC
reduction or elimination.
The air tubes
are stainless steel, which can also be recycled.
Vermiculite is used for the baffle. Vermiculite is a mineral. Large commercial mines exist in
China, Russia, South Africa, and Brazil. Potassium silicate is used as binder to form a
rigid board. Vermiculite can withstand temperatures above 2,000 °F. It is not considered
hazardous waste. Disposal at a landfill is recommended.
Lightweight firebrick is made of pumice and cement. Pumice is in fact volcanic rock, a
naturally green product found in the Northwest United States. Disposal at a landfill is
recommended.
The door and glass gaskets
are fibreglass which is spun from melted sand. Black gaskets
have been dipped into a solvent-free solution. Disposal at a landfill is recommended.
The door glass
is a 5 mm thick ceramic material that contains no toxic chemicals. It is
basically made of raw earth materials such as sand and quartz that are combined in such
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
a way to form a glass at high temperatures. Ceramic glass will not re-melt in the same
way as normal glass, so it should not be recycled with your regular household products.
Disposal at a landfill is recommended.
3 Fuel
3.1 Materials that should not be burned
• GARBAGE OF ANY KIND,
• COAL OR CHARCOAL,
• TREATED, PAINTED OR COATED WOOD,
• PLYWOOD OR PARTICLE BOARD,
• FINE PAPER, COLORED PAPER OR CARDBOARD,
• SALT WATER DRIFTWOOD
• ALL MANUFACTURED LOGS
• RAILROAD TIES
• LIQUIDS SUCH AS KEROSCENE OR DIESEL FUEL TO START A FIRE
3.2 How to prepare or buy good firewood
3.2.1 What is good firewood?
Good firewood has been cut to the correct length for the furnace, split to a range of sizes
and stacked in the open until its moisture content is reduced to 15 to 20 per cent.
3.2.2 Tree species
The tree species the firewood is produced from is less important than its moisture content.
The main difference in firewood from various tree species is the density of the wood.
Hardwoods are denser than softwoods. People who live in the coldest regions of North
America usually have only spruce, birch and poplar, other low-density species to burn and
yet they can heat their homes successfully.
Homeowners with access to both hardwood and softwood fuel sometimes use both types
for different purposes. For example, softer woods make good fuel for relatively mild
weather in spring and fall because they light quickly and produce less heat Softwoods are
not as dense as hardwoods so a given volume of wood contains less energy. Using
softwoods avoids overheating the house, which can be a common problem with wood
heating in moderate weather. Harder woods are best for colder winter weather when more
heat and longer burn cycles are desirable.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
Note that hardwood trees like oak, maple, ash and beech are slower growing and longer
lived than softer woods like poplar and birch. That makes hardwood trees more valuable.
The advice that only hardwoods are good to burn is outdated. Old, leaky cast iron furnaces
wouldn’t hold a fire overnight unless they were fed large pieces of hardwood. That is no
longer true. You can successfully heat your home by using the less desirable tree species
and give the forest a break at the same time.
3.2.3 Log length
Logs should be cut about 1” (25 mm) shorter than the firebox so they fit in easily. Pieces
that are too long make loading the furnace very difficult. The most common standard
length of firewood is 16” (400 mm).
The pieces should be a consistent length, with a maximum of 1” (25 mm) variation from
piece to piece.
3.2.4 Piece size
Firewood dries more quickly when it is split. Large unsplit rounds can take years to dry
enough to burn. Even when dried, unsplit logs are difficult to ignite because they don’t
have the sharp edges where the flames first catch. Logs as small as 3” (75 mm) should be
split to encourage drying.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
Wood should be split to a range of sizes, from about 3” to 6” (75 mm to 150 mm) in cross
section. Having a range of sizes makes starting and rekindling fires much easier. Often,
the firewood purchased from commercial suppliers is not split finely enough for convenient
stoking. It is sometimes advisable to resplit the wood before stacking to dry.
3.2.5 How to dry firewood
Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is the cause of most complaints about wood
inserts. Continually burning green or unseasoned wood produces more creosote and
involves lack of heat and dirty glass door. See Section 5: Maintaining your wood
heating system for concerns about creosote.
Here are some things to consider in estimating drying time:
• firewood takes a long time to dry
• firewood bought from a dealer is rarely dry enough to burn, so it is advisable to buy the
wood in spring and dry it yourself
• drying happens faster in dry weather than in damp, maritime climates
• drying happens faster in warm summer weather than in winter weather
• small pieces dry more quickly than large pieces
• split pieces dry more quickly than unsplit rounds
• softwoods take less time to dry than hardwoods
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
• softwoods like pine, spruce, and poplar/aspen can be dry enough to burn after being
stacked in the open for only the summer months
• hardwoods like oak, maple and ash can take one, or even two years to dry fully,
especially if the pieces are big
• firewood dries more quickly when stacked in the open where it is exposed to sun and
wind; it takes much longer to dry when stacked in a wood shed
• firewood that is ready to burn has a moisture content between15 and 20% by weight
and will allow your furnace to produce its highest possible efficiency
3.2.6 Judging firewood moisture content
You can find out if some firewood is dry enough to burn by using these guidelines:
• cracks form at the ends of logs as they dry
• as it dries in the sun, the wood turns from white or cream coloured to grey or yellow,
• bang two pieces of wood together; seasoned wood sounds hollow and wet wood
sounds dull,
• dry wood is much lighter in weight than wet wood,
• split a piece, and if the fresh face feels warm and dry it is dry enough to burn; if it feels
damp, it is too wet,
• burn a piece; wet wood hisses and sizzles in the fire and dry wood does not.
You could buy a wood moisture meter to test your
firewood.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4 Operating your furnace
4.1 Your first fires
Two things will happen as you burn your first few fires; the paint cures and the internal
components of the furnace are conditioned.
As the paint cures, some of the chemicals vaporize. The vapours are not poisonous, but
they do smell bad. Fresh paint fumes can also cause false alarms in smoke detectors. So,
when you first light your furnace, be prepared by opening doors and/or windows to
ventilate the house. As you burn hotter and hotter fires, more of the painted surfaces reach
the curing temperature of the paint. The smell of curing paint does not disappear until you
have burned one or two very hot fires.
It is recommended to burn it at high rate and ventilate the building until the odours
disappear. Once the paint smell disappears, your furnace is ready for serious heating.
4.2 Lighting fires
Each person who heats with wood develops their own favourite method to light fires.
Whatever method you choose, your goal should be to get a hot fire burning quickly. A fire
that starts fast produces less smoke and deposits less creosote in the chimney. Here are
three popular and effective ways to start wood fires.
4.2.1 Conventional fire starting
The conventional way to build a wood
fire is to bunch up 5 to 10 sheets of
plain newspaper and place them in the
firebox. Next, place 10 or so pieces of
fine kindling on the newspaper. This
kindling should be very thin; less than
1” (25 mm). Next, place some larger
kindling pieces on the fine kindling.
Open the air control and light the
newspaper. If you have a tall, straight
venting system you should be able to
close the door immediately and the fire
will ignite. If your venting system has
elbows or an outside chimney, you may
need to leave the door closed but
unlatched for a few minutes as the
newspaper ignites and heat in the
chimney produces some draft. Once
the fire has ignited, close the door and
leave the air control open.
A conventional kindling fire with paper under
finely split wood.
DO NOT LEAVE THE FURNACE UNATTENDED WHEN THE DOOR IS SLIGHTLY
OPENED DURING IGNITION. ALWAYS CLOSE THE DOOR AFTER IGNITION.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
After the kindling fire has mostly burned, you can add firewood pieces until you have a fire
of the right size for the conditions.
4.2.2 The top down fire
The top down fire starting method solves two problems with the conventional method: first,
it does not collapse and smother itself as it burns; and second, it is not necessary to build
up the fire gradually because the firebox is loaded before the fire is lit. A top down fire can
provide up to two hours of heating or more. The top down method only works properly if
the wood is well-seasoned.
Start by placing three or four full-sized split pieces of dry firewood in the firebox. Next,
place 4 or 5 more finely split pieces of firewood (2” to 3” [50 mm to 75 mm] in dia.) on the
base logs at right angles (log cabin style). Now place about 10 pieces of finely split kindling
on the second layer at right angles.
The fire is topped with about 5 sheets of newspaper. You can just bunch them up and stuff
them in between the kindling and the underside of the baffle. Or you can make newspaper
knots by rolling up single sheets corner to corner and tying a knot in them. The advantage
of knots is that they don’t roll off the fire as they burn. Light the newspaper and watch as
the fire burns from top to bottom.
4.2.3 Two parallel logs
Place two spit logs in the firebox. Place a few sheets of twisted newspaper between the
logs. Now place some fine kindling across the two logs and some larger kindling across
those, log cabin style. Light the newspaper.
4.2.4 Using fire starters
Many people like to use commercial fire starters instead of newspaper. Some of these
starters are made of sawdust and wax and others are specialized flammable solid
chemicals. Follow the package directions for use.
Gel starter may be used but only if there are no hot embers present. Use only in a cold
firebox to start a fire.
DO NOT USE FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE, NAPHTHA, FUEL OIL,
MOTOR OIL, OR AEROSOLS TO START OR REKINDLE THE FIRE.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4.3 Maintaining wood fires
4.3.1 General advice
Wood heating is very different than other forms of heating.
Do not expect steady heat output from your furnace. It is normal for its temperature to rise
after a new load of wood is ignited and for its temperature to gradually decline as the fire
progresses. This rising and falling of temperature can be matched to your household
routines. For example, the area temperature can be cooler when you are active, such as
when doing housework or cooking, and it can be warmer when you are inactive, such as
when reading or watching television.
Wood burns best in cycles. A cycle starts when a new load of wood is ignited by hot coals
and ends when that load has been consumed down to a bed of charcoal about the same
size as it was when the wood was loaded. Do not attempt to produce a steady heat output
by placing a single log on the fire at regular intervals. Always place at least three, and
preferably more, pieces on the fire at a time so that the heat radiated from one piece helps
to ignite the pieces next to it. Each load of wood should provide several hours of heating.
The size of each load can be matched to the amount of heat needed.
When you burn in cycles, you rarely need to open the furnace’s loading door while the
wood is burning. This is an advantage because there is more chance that smoke will leak
from the furnace when the door is opened as a full fire is burning. This is especially true if
the chimney connector has 90 degree elbows and if the chimney runs up the outside wall
of the house.
IF YOU MUST OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THE FUEL IS FLAMING, OPEN THE AIR
CONTROL FULLY FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN UNLATCH AND OPEN THE DOOR
SLOWLY.
IMPORTANT
WHEN RELOADING, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE AIR INLETS LOCATED BELOW
THE DOOR INSIDE THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FREE OF ASH.
OPENING PROCEDURE FOR THE LOADING DOOR
TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF SMOKE SPILLAGE, CRACK THE DOOR OPEN ABOUT
AN INCH AND WAIT ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE OPENING IT WIDE TO ALLOW
STABILISATION OF THE PRESSURE INSIDE THE FURNACE.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4.3.2 Raking charcoal
Rekindle the fire when you notice that the room temperature has fallen. Do not operate
your furnace at too low a setting. Keep the air inlet opened long enough during the fire
start-up to prevent the fire from smouldering, which could stain the glass. You will find
most of the remaining charcoal at the back of the firebox, furthest from the door. Rake
these coals towards the door before loading. There are two reasons for this raking of the
coals. First, it concentrates them near where most of the combustion air enters the firebox
and where they can ignite the new load quickly, and second, the charcoal will not be
smothered by the new load of wood. If you were to simply spread the charcoal out, the
new load will smoulder for a long time before igniting.
Remove ash first, and then rake charcoal towards the front of the firebox before loading so
that it will ignite the new load.
4.3.3 Firing each new hot load
Place the new load of wood on and behind the charcoal, and not too close to the glass.
Close the door and open the air control fully. Leave the air control fully open until the
firebox is full of flames, the wood has charred to black and its edges are glowing red. Firing
each load of wood hot accomplishes a few things:
• drives the surface moisture from the wood,
• creates a layer of char on the wood, which slows down its release of smoke,
• heats the firebox components so they reflect heat back to the fire, and
• heat the chimney so it can produce strong, steady draft for the rest of the cycle.
DO NOT LEAVE THE FURNACE UNATTENDED WHILE A NEW LOAD IS BEING
FIRED HOT.
DO NOT OVERFIRE.
When you burn a new load of wood hot to heat up the wood, the furnace and the chimney,
the result will be a surge of heat from the furnace. This heat surge is welcome when the
room temperature is a little lower than desirable, but not welcome if the space is already
warm. Therefore, allow each load of wood to burn down so that the space begins to cool
off a little before loading. Letting the space cool before loading is one of the secrets to
clean burning and effective zone heating.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4.3.4 Control of the air supply
Once the firewood, firebox and chimney are hot, you can begin to reduce the air supply for
a steady burn.
As you reduce the air supply to the fire, two important things happen. First, the firing rate
slows down to spread the heat energy in the fuel over a longer period of time. Second, the
flow rate of exhaust through the furnace and flue pipe slows down, which gives more time
for the transfer of heat from the exhaust. You will notice that as you reduce the air setting,
the flames slow down. This is your indication that the furnace is burning at its peak
efficiency.
If the flames get small and almost disappear when you turn down the air, you have turned
down the air too early, or your firewood is wetter than it should be. With good fuel and
correct air control use, the flames should slow down, but should stay large and steady,
even as the air supply is reduced.
The following figure shows the position of the air inlet damper according to the position of
the air inlet damper switch.
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Tundra Furnace Installation and Operation Manual
4.3.5 Building different fires for different needs
Using the air control is not the only way to match the furnace’s heat output to the heat
demand. Your house will need far less heat in October than in January to be kept at a
comfortable temperature. If you fill the firebox full in fall weather, you will either overheat
the space or turn the furnace down so much that the fire will be smoky and inefficient. Here
are some suggestions for building fires to match different heat demand.
4.3.5.1 Small fires to take the chill off the house
To build a small fire that will produce a low heat output, use small pieces of firewood and
load them crisscross in the firebox. The pieces should be only 3” to 4” in diameter. After
raking the coals, you can lay two pieces parallel to each other corner to corner in the
firebox and lay two more across them in the other direction. Open the air control fully and
only reduce the air after the wood is fully flaming. This kind of fire is good for mild weather
when you are around to tend the furnace and should provide enough heat for four hours or
more. Small fires like this are a good time to use softer wood species so there will be less
chance of overheating the house.
4.3.5.2 Long lasting low output fires
Sometimes you will want to build a fire to last up to eight hours, but don’t need intense
heat. In this case use soft wood species and place the logs compactly in the firebox so the
pieces are packed tightly together. You will need to fire the load hot for long enough to fully
char the log surfaces before you can turn the air down. Make sure the fire is flaming
brightly before leaving the fire to burn.
4.3.5.3 High output fires for cold weather
When the heat demand is high during cold weather, you’ll need a fire that burns steadily
and brightly. This is the time to use your biggest pieces of hardwood fuel if you have it. Put
the biggest pieces at the back of the firebox and place the rest of the pieces compactly. A
densely built fire like this will produce the longest burn your furnace is capable of.
You will need to be cautious when building fires like this because if the air is turned down
too much, the fire could smoulder. Make sure the wood is flaming brightly before leaving
the fire to burn.
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