HYC Fire Chief FC1900 User manual

FIRE CHIEF FURNACE
WOOD BURNING
OUTDOOR FURNACE
MODEL: FC1900
Manufactured by:
Fire Chief Industries
10950 Linpage Place
Saint Louis, MO 63132
1-800-875-4788
MADE IN USA
Tested to
UL391 and
CSA B366.1-2011
and B415.1-2010
Standards
Contains
Proper Burn
Practices!
Revision III
May 2017

PROPER BURN PRACTICES
FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY!
• The chimney is one of the most important elements of the furnace. If the chimney is not
connected properly and installed according to manufacturer’s specication and national
and local codes, the unit is not safe and will not burn eciently. Lack of proper chimney
installation will cause unit to produce more smoke and less heat output. See Page 5 of
this owner’s manual to ensure proper installation.
• Proper use of all electrical components is essential: For instance, the wall thermostat
must be hooked up to the furnace and the draft blower must be in operation at all times.
This will increase furnace eciency and produce more heat output.
• Wood that is properly cut and stored to dry will produce more BTUs and higher heat
output than wood that has a higher moisture content. Wood with higher moisture
content will create creosote in the chimney and cause ue res. See pages 7 and 13 for
proper wood handling practices.
• There should be no alteration of the Fire Chief Furnace in any way, as this will void the
UL391 listing and aect the operation of the furnace. This will also void the warranty of
the unit.

1
FIRE CHIEF OUTDOOR FURNACE MANUAL
MODEL: FC1900
EPA Certied to the Warm Air Furnace NSPS requirements, for sale May 2017 through May 2020.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Congratulations! You have selected the nest quality outdoor wood burning furnace, manufactured with pride in the USA.
Please take a few moments to carefully read the owner’s manual. By taking the time to familiarize yourself with your new Fire
Chief Furnace, you will be able to look forward to years of trouble-free, dependable service.
Installation:
• First, check local codes. The installation must comply with all local rulings and requirements.
• This furnace is an outdoor hot air furnace and must not be altered in any way.
• This furnace requires a back-up electric generator, 2000 watts minimum, in case of power failure.
• Always have a properly installed and functioning smoke detector installed in your home.
• To prevent accidental injury, do not allow anyone who is unfamiliar with the furnace to operate it.
• Spend time familiarizing yourself with your Fire Chief Furnace, especially the different settings and the
effects they have on burn patterns. It is impossible to predict how each setting will affect your furnace, due to
variations in conditions, fuels, and temperatures.
• When making plans to install your outdoor furnace, the rst thing you need to think about is the placement of the
unit. Although you can install the Fire Chief Furnace up to 30 feet from the home, a much shorter distance is
recommended to provide better airow. The furnace has been tested for clearance of 12 inches from the home;
this would give maximum airow and provide the highest efciency.
Transportation Damage
Every effort has been made to ensure that your Fire Chief Furnace will arrive in perfect condition. Any visible damage should
be noted on the freight bill at the time of delivery. If upon unpacking your furnace, you nd damage has occurred during
transit, notify your dealer immediately. Your dealer will advise you what actions must be taken to correct the problem.
Disclaimer Notice
The listed BTU rating of your new Fire Chief Furnace was obtained using laboratory calculations. The actual BTU output
you experience may vary somewhat depending on the type, condition, and moisture content of the fuel used, damper
adjustment, chimney type and other variables. Therefore, the manufacturer disclaims any guarantee as to the BTU output
or capacity of your furnace. Fire Chief Furnace disclaims any responsibility for the following: installation of a furnace that has
been altered or modied in any way; installation of the furnace other than as instructed in this manual; installation and or use
of any component or part not approved by Fire Chief Furnace for use on this furnace. Be sure to complete and return your
warranty card within 30 days of purchase in order to activate warranty coverage on your furnace.
Manufacturer’s Notice
Please be advised that periodic changes are made to improve the furnaces. Therefore the information in this manual may not
be completely applicable to your Fire Chief Furnace. Please refer to markings on the appliance for additional information.
THIS IS AN OUTDOOR WOOD BURNING FURNACE ONLY AND SHOULD NOT
BE ALTERED IN ANY WAY.

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Information 3
Furnace Clearances and Operation 4
Installing the Anchor Plate 5
Chimney Location and Clearances 6
Wood Storage and Care 7
Furnace Installation 7
Grounding Furnace 8
Hot Air Duct and Cold Air Return Installation 8
Burying Ductwork 9
Types of Installations 10
Central Duct Connections 10
Mobile Home Down Draft Furnace Connection 10
No Ductwork Connection 11
General Operation 12
FIRST FIRE 12
LOADING WOOD 12
Fuel Recommendations 13
Disposal of Ashes 13
Heat Dump and Fuse Link System 13
Draft Blower 14
CREOSOTE FORMATION 14
CREOSOTE PREVENTION 15
Power Failure 15
Maintaining Your Furnace 15
Furnace Parts List 18
Grate System Diagram 19
Blower Motor Assembly Diagram 19
Wiring Diagram 20
Troubleshooting 22
Warranty Information 28
DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF THE
REQUIRED COMPONENTS. IF YOU FIND THAT THERE IS A PART MISSING,
CALL 1-800-875-4788 FOR FASTEST SERVICE. PLEASE DO NOT GO BACK TO
THE DEALER. THE DEALER MAY NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT PARTS.

3
General Information
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR WOOD COVERED YEAR ROUND; DRY WOOD WILL PRODUCE MORE BTU OUTPUT AND LONGER BURN
TIMES.
This EPA-Approved Fire Chief Furnace is an airtight central outdoor furnace engineered to accommodate the heating requirements of the
average sized home, even during winter’s coldest months, with a heat output range up to 140,000 BTUs. It is constructed of high grade,
heavy gauge steel and is continuously welded to assure the utmost in structural strength. In addition, the heat exchanger is lined with
insulated stainless steel to ensure many years of energy efcient service.
The design of the secondary combustion chamber increases fuel efciency by creating a “secondary burn” of smoke and wood gases
before they are vented up the chimney. By sending the gases back through the secondary combustion chamber, less fuel is wasted, the
furnace burns at a higher efciency, and for longer burn times.
The cast iron door is custom tted to provide an airtight seal, greatly extending the burn time and ensuring maximum efciency in fuel
consumption. The heavy-duty cast iron grates aid in convenient ash removal and reduce maintenance; the insulated wrap-around sides
are designed for maximum heat transfer.
For total comfort and convenience, a thermostatically controlled 1800 CFM circulation blower system has been installed. The blower
draws the cold air from the home, across the heat chamber before going through the hot air duct and returning the warm air to your home.
This fully automatic blower disperses heat rapidly to your home, minimizing recovery time. Average burn time per load of fuel is 8 to
12 hours depending on wood type and condition, desired temperature within the home and amount of fuel. We have incorporated all
of these features as standard equipment, offering you the most efcient, durable and affordable appliance possible. Abnormally cold
weather could reduce the burn time.
Your Fire Chief Furnace is designed to be either a supplemental or central heating source for your home. This wood burning furnace may
be installed in parallel with a properly operating electric, gas or oil-red central furnace, listed or certied in accordance with a nationally
recognized safety standard, and within clearances specied on Fire Chief Furnace nameplate. When in a parallel installation the static
pressure of the central furnace plenum may not exceed 0.15 water column inches and the maximum setting on central furnace limit
switch is 182°F. With the Fire Chief Furnace in an “Interconnection Arrangement” your furnace should be upstream of the central furnace.
The Fire Chief Furnace warm air supply should never be connected to return air for the central furnace. A qualied installer should
perform the installation.
This is a wood burning furnace – it cannot be turned “off and on” to control the furnace temperature like gas or electric furnaces. Once
the re is established, it has to burn until it burns itself out.
This wood heater needs periodic inspection and repair for proper operation. It is against federal regulations to operate this wood heater in
a manner inconsistent with operating instructions in this manual. Efciency was determined using the higher heating value of the fuel per
B415.1-10 testing requirements. Dry seasoned wood will develop greater BTU output. A well-insulated dwelling will always lead to better
results and overall improved fuel usage efciency.
INCLUDED WITH YOUR FIRE CHIEF FURNACE:
1 – 10” starter collar for warm air exit
1 – 12” starter collar for cold air return
1 – owner’s manual with warranty card
1 – wall thermostat (you must purchase 2-wire thermostat wire separately)
1 – spare fuse link

4
Furnace Clearances and Operation
Before beginning your installation, consult with local authorities regarding the codes governing all such installations. DO NOT connect
your Fire Chief Furnace to any ue that is servicing ANY other appliances.
The Fire Chief Furnace may be placed outdoors or indoors. If outdoors, it must be placed on a level, non-combustible base, preferably
a 4’ x 8’ concrete pad, as close to the home as clearances to combustibles permit – do not place the furnace more than 30 feet from
the house. The furnace must be connected to a grounded electrical circuit with access to a backup generator (2000 watt minimum). If
locating the furnace more than 10’ from the home, a minimum of 6’ of Class “A” HT 2100 All Fuel 6 inch Chimney Pipe is required. If
installing indoors, your furnace must be placed on a non-combustible oor. Air for combustion must be provided into the room where the
furnace is located. Allow air free access to furnace for combustion and ventilation.
Maintain the following clearances:
• Front = 48 inches
• Rear = 12 inches
• Sides = 6 inches
• Heat Duct = 6 inches for the rst 16 inches from the back of the furnace, and 3 inches beyond
Class “A” HT 2100 All Fuel 6 inch Chimney Pipe is required for optimum performance and must maintain a 2 inch clearance from
combustibles. The Fire Chief Furnace will ship with an anchor plate and four #10 ¾” galvanized screws with washers and gaskets to
match the chimney your dealer supplies. If the anchor plate provided with your furnace does not t the chimney your dealer has in stock,
please call our toll free number, 1-800-875-4788 for assistance.
IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that different chimney manufacturers’ pipe will not interchange with other brands. Before using the
silicone to install the anchor plate to the top of your Fire Chief Furnace, ensure the chimney you purchased will t the anchor plate.
Guy wire brackets are attached to the sides of the Fire Chief Furnace. A heavy gauge of stainless steel wire can be purchased from
your dealer or at a local hardware store to use as guy wire to help support your chimney. It is recommended to use Roof Guy Kit (part
#SHPURK). Attach the appropriate chimney pipe lengths to the adaptor plate nishing with a chimney cap. IMPORTANT: Your furnace
requires its own chimney system and cannot share a ue with any other product. DO NOT USE GALVANIZED OR BLACK PIPE TO
VENT YOUR FURNACE.
Once you have met local requirements governing the installation and positioning of the furnace. Install thermostat and plug power cord
into a grounded 110 volt electrical outlet. Open the Electrical Control Kit and conrm that all items were shipped with your Fire Chief
Furnace. IMPORTANT: ENSURE THE POWER CORD IS PLUGGED INTO A GROUNDED ELECTRICAL SUPPLY. Do NOT connect
the furnace to your ductwork at this time. Build a small re – DO NOT ll the rebox to full capacity during the initial ring. Your new
furnace has a protective coating of oil or paint on the surface, which could produce smoke or odors during the initial ring and will burn
off. Allow adequate ventilation during this initial, break-in ring to let any odors escape. This initial ring also allows the metals to cure.
After successfully completing the initial ring, you are ready to attach the hot air duct and cold air return to complete your installation. See
diagram below.
This wood heater has a manufacturer-set minimum low burn rate that must not be altered. It is against federal regulations to alter this
setting or otherwise operate this wood heater in a manner inconsistent with operating instructions in this manual.

5
You must install the wall thermostat for the furnace to operate. When the wall thermostat calls for heat, the draft motor will engage,
allowing combustion air to ow into the rebox. This causes a hotter re, increasing the heat in the heat chamber. When the home
reaches the selected temperature on the wall thermostat, it will disengage the draft motor and the re in the rebox will reduce to a low
burn until the thermostat calls for another heat cycle. The fan limit control is factory pre-set at 150° as the “ON” temperature setting and
100° as the “OFF” temperature setting. This means when the heat chamber reaches 150°, the blower will turn on; when the chamber
cools, the blower will turn off. This process is called a heating cycle.
IMPORTANT: FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT OR CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES,
DO NOT RETURN TO THE DEALER, CALL FIRE CHIEF AT 1-800-875-4788.
THIS UNIT IS NOT TO BE CONNECTED TO A CHIMNEY FLUE THAT SERVES ANOTHER APPLIANCE.
INSTALLING THE ANCHOR PLATE: (Only if using chimney other than ShelterPro or Super Vent)
Note: Check with your dealer for the anchor plate that connects to Class A HT2100 chimney. IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOU FOLLOW
THE NEXT STEPS, ENSURE THE ANCHOR PLATE YOU RECEIVE MATCHES YOUR CHIMNEY PIPE, AS CHIMNEY PIPE IS NOT
GENERIC AND WILL NOT INTERCHANGE.
1. Using the diagram below as a guide, caulk the bottom of the anchor plate around the center pipe shaft.
2. Install the anchor plate to the top of your furnace using four #10 3/4” galvanized screws with rubber gaskets.
3. Install the chimney pipe to your outdoor furnace.
4. After all the chimney components are installed including the cap, follow the diagram below to caulk around the chimney pipe as well as
around the outer edge of the anchor plate.
PLACE A LINE OF 1 4DIA HIGH TEMPERATURE
SILICONE CAULK ON CHIMNEY ADAPTOR AS
SHOWN BY DASHED LINES
Place a line of high temperature caulk
(1/4 inch diameter) on the chimney
adaptor as shown with dashed line.

6
Chimney Location and Clearances:
Requires Class “A” HT 2100 All Fuel 6” Chimney
The furnace requires a minimum of 6 feet of chimney. When positioning the furnace, maintain the “10/2 Rule” for the chimney – In order
to determine proper chimney height above the roof, measure from the side of the chimney horizontally. As you move up the chimney,
the length of the measurement increases. Once this measurement reaches 10 feet, this height on the chimney is your base height. The
chimney must be 2 feet taller than the base height. If the chimney is closer than 10 feet from the peak of the roof, the chimney must be 2
feet higher than the peak of the roof. The 2 feet above the base height does not include the cap. The furnace must be placed on a level,
non-combustible surface or 4 foot x 8 foot concrete pad.
10 Feet 2 Foot Minimum
4’ x 8’
Level Concrete Pad

7
Wood Storage and Care:
KEEP WOOD COVERED AT ALL TIMES. This cannot be over emphasized. Wood stored/stacked, uncovered, exposed to rain and
snow has a higher moisture content, causing the formation of creosote, excess smoke, and it takes longer to ignite as well as producing
poorer res with lower sustained BTU output. Unseasoned wood ends up costing more in time trying to achieve and maintain proper
temperatures in the rebox, while using more wood with less heat output. Covering the woodpile will keep it dry and offer you the hottest
res with the greatest BTU output. If you store the wood near your furnace, be sure to maintain proper clearance from the furnace to
prevent a re hazard. DRY WOOD WILL PRODUCE HOTTER FIRES AND INCREASE BTU OUTPUT.
Follow instructions included with the moisture meter that was supplied with this unit to make sure that you are using seasoned wood to
achieve the cleanest burn and highest efciency possible.
When using the moisture meter, in addition to following the manufacturer’s instructions, look for readings under 30% moisture content.
Also seasoned wood will be noticeably lighter weight than green wood, generally has darker ends with cracks or splits visible.
IMPORTANT: FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT OR CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES, DO NOT
RETURN TO THE DEALER, CALL FIRE CHIEF AT 1-800-875-4788.
Furnace Installation
• Installation is to be performed by a qualied installer.
• Always consult local building inspectors for codes concerning the installation of your furnace.
• Always have access to a backup generator, 2000 watt minimum.
• Use Class “A” HT 2100 All Fuel 6 Inch Chimney for your Fire Chief Furnace.
• Never use galvanized pipe in your ue connection.
• Inspect the ue periodically for structural integrity.
• Clean the ue regularly to prevent creosote accumulation.
• Never use chemicals or gasoline to start or maintain your re.
• Never burn garbage, oil, trash, or gasoline in your furnace.
• Never leave the fuel door or ash door open during operation.
• Remove ashes on a daily basis, before ashes reach the grates, to ensure proper air ow.
• Never use wet, unseasoned wood or wood exposed to a recent rainfall. Doing so causes a rapid accumulation of hazardous creosote,
which is a proven cause of ue res.
• Never burn plastics, wood products containing glue, or wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives in your Fire Chief
Furnace. The combustion of these substances may release harmful, toxic gases.
• NEVER UNPLUG THE FURNACE FROM THE POWER SOURCE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE FURNACE TO OVERHEAT. If it is too
warm in the house, lower the temperature on the thermostat; and/or use less fuel.
• Never leave the ash pan or fuel door open in an attempt to regulate the re. This will overheat the furnace and void the warranty.
• Do not connect this unit to a chimney ue serving another appliance.
• Refer to nameplate on furnace for additional information.
WARNING: RISK OF FIRE
• DO NOT operate with ue draft exceeding .08 water column inches (19.9 Pa).
• DO NOT store fuel or other combustible materials within marked installation clearances.
• Inspect and clean ues and chimney regularly.
• DO NOT operate your furnace with the fuel door or ash door open.
DANGER: Risk of Fire and Explosion. Do not burn garbage, gasoline, naphtha, engine oil, or other ammable liquids/inappropriate
materials.