Installation:

Choosing a location: When installing your furnace, keep in mind the direction of the winds during heating months. Try to place the furnace in an area where smoke will not be a problem for yourself or you surrounding neighbors. Also keep in mind that you will want an easy access to your furnace to feed and stock wood.

Placing the furnace: Under normal conditions four cement blocks are all that is required to support the furnace. Blocks should be at least 6 inches wide, 10 inches long, and 4 inches thick. Under very soft conditions a larger concrete blocks may be needed. For model 4400 the pad should be no less then 5 feet wide, 6 feet long, and 4 to 6 inches thick. For the model 5500 no less than 6 feet wide, 7 feet long, and 4 to 6 inches thick. Always use a non-combustible base.

Remember call before you dig!!!

The Trench: The trench should be 24 inches deep and 6 to 12 inches wide. It can be dug with a shovel or a backhoe. Place all the dirt to one side of the trench to allow room for working on the other side.

Place electric supply in the bottom of the trench and cover with dirt. Electrical wire rated for underground use (14-2 +ground) can be buried in the same trench as the water lines but must maintain a minimum 24 inch depth. Always follow state and local codes.

The remaining 18 inches of the open trench is where the water lines are placed. Use a one inch water line with a minimum rating of 100 psi at 180 degrees (Pex Line) and insure that your water line insulation has a minimum R-value of eight in order to maintain adequate heating efficiency.

Note: Use only materials purchased through the CT Wood Furnace. If you use poor insulation for your underground insulation you will burn a lot more wood. Trying to save a couple dollars here: This is  not the place to do it! 

A quote to think about:

"If you don't have time to do it right the first time when are you going to find the time to do it the second time"?

Mounting the pump: Attach the 1" X 2" black nipple (BN001) and one half of the flanges from the 1' cast iron pump flange kit (PF001) to one of the hot water supply valves on the back of furnace. All the material to do this comes in a kit FK00

Locate one of the black rubber gaskets, and placing it between the pump and the mounted flange, bolt the pump to the flange. Make sure the arrow on the pump indicating direction of the water flow points down.

Hooking up the water lines: Hot water supply 1" Pex x 1" MIP (DP002) fitting to flange on the bottom of the pump. Then attach the hot water supply 1" pex water line (DP001) to the fitting using 1" pex crimp ring (DP007).

Cold water return: Attach the 1" pex x 1" MIP (DP002) fitting to the cold water return valve on the same side of the stove on which the pump was attached. Then attach the cold water return 1" pex water line (DP001) to the fitting using 1" pex crimp ring (DP007).

Wiring the Pump: Remove the cover on the pump. Then using an approved wire, connect the ground wire to the green ground screw on the pump. Finally, connect the remaining two white wires together and replace the pump cover.

Locate junction box on back of unit and remove the cover. Connect the running end of the approved wire coming from the pump to the junction. 

Note: The wires from the pump will have to be connected with the main power wires in the junction box along with the power wires from the ETC system.

The Home: Entering the building with the water lines can be done underground or over the sill plate. Once inside the building the typical hookup would run first to the domestic hot water supply and next to an existing heating system such as forced air furnace or to a hot water heating system (boiler). Finally before leaving the building a fill valve must be installed near enough to the homes water supply for filling and flushing the boiler at the end or beginning of the season.

Domestic Hot Water: The domestic hot water/ flatplate kit consists of a water to water heat transfer unit and the fittings needed to hook it up. The unit goes on the top of the domestic hot water heater and is connected as shown below.

Existing forced air: A water to air heat exchanger is inserted in the existing plenum. In most cases the heat exchanger is placed in a horizontal position, keeping al four sides level. The air must be forced through the finned area of the heat exchanger evenly. The hot water line coming from the hot-water tube enters the bottom fitting of the heat exchanger and exits the top fitting, which returns to the furnace. If the plenum is too large or to small, it must be altered to fit the heat exchanger properly.

Note: The water to air exchanger must be installed below any existing  off peak electric coils already in plenum.

After installation of a water to air heat exchanger in the plenum the fan speed of the existing furnace needs to be increased to compensate for the water to air heat exchangers resistance.

Existing Hot Water Heat (Boiler): This is the easiest of all the setups. All we have to do with a boiler is to add a water to water plate exchanger to the existing boilers loop and keep the loop circulating. Which fools the existing boiler to think it is always at temp and it doesn't turn on. 

Filling with water: Connect your domestic water to the return line to the furnace using a ball valve. This makes it much easier to fill and flush the unit. start filling the unit inspect for leaks. Make sure the ball valves on the unit are open to the return and supply. Once the green light on the control panel goes on your full. Or if is simple over flows. Don't worry this is not a problem. 

Bleeding the unit: Routinely pay attention to the water level light. If light is not lit, this indicates water level is low and the furnace may need to have water added. Add water until it over flows the vent pipe on top of unit. Not a bad idea to check to make sure the light is working properly. Open ball valve in back to see if light goes out or check the over flow pipe with flash light. The circulation pump will be very helpful in bleeding the air out. It can take several minutes to do this.

Installing your Ash Auger: (This is an option)

The ash auger is very simple to install. As seen in picture (left) place cork screw portion in first then insert long cork screw through the auger hole. (middle Picture) Mount auger cover and handel. and finally place cover on the auger assembly.  Caution watch your back this is heavy steal!

Firing the Unit: Once you have determined that there are no leaks and all looks good. Paper and kindling should be used for starting the fire. Build a small fire, and add wood as needed. Be sure pumps are circulating when firing the furnace. You might notice some water on the inside walls of the unit, this is normal the furnace is sweating like a cold drink on a summer day. Once the furnace has reached 180 degrees, the furnace is ready to be filled to capacity. I recommend burning cut, split, seasoned wood. Do not overfill the unit so hot coals fall out when opening the door. The best is a well controlled fire and when the wood get low, rake the ashes exposing buried unburned coals. You will be surprised those coals will heat your home all day and then some.

Caution: Do Not Burn garbage, rubber, gasoline, or any oil products. Do not use chemicals or oil products to start fire.

Ash removal, rotation and disposal: Maintain a good ash rotation. This should be done weekly. Remove ashes when the furnace is very low on wood. If your furnace is not equipped with an ash auger system use a shovel to take ashes from the front of the firebox and use a rake to pull ashes from rear of the furnace to create a level bed of hot coals. Tip Ashes are great for the garden. Ashes should be placed in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. The closed container of ashes should be placed on a noncombustible floor or the ground, well away from all combustible materials, pending final disposal. Ashes should be retained in the closed container until all cinders have thoroughly cooled. At least 48 hours. (coals can live for a week or so) Keep this in mind when disposing ash and coals. Forrest fires!

Creosote information and need for removal: When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar and other organic vapors, which combine with expelled moisture to form creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the relatively cool chimney flue of a slow burning fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates on the lining. When ignited this creosote makes an extremely hot fire. The chimney connector and chimney should be inspected at least monthly during the heating season to determine if a creosote build up has occurred. If creosote has accumulated it should be removed to reduce the risk of a chimney fire.

If you would like more details feel free to contact us at (203) 881-1602 Jeff or Claudia