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damper..

Going Damper shopping.. I want to thank you guys for the re-posts and all the info. I thought my stove performed pretty good. I can't imagine what it will do with the mods.

Thanks Again.
 
weak fire

Question: When you blower is on and you open the door do you see a blazing fire (actual flames) mine is full of smoke and the blower has been blowing wide open fore 2 days. It seemed to work fine the previous weeks (damper only about 1/3 open then), but all I ever got was a smoldering fire even with the blower on. I would think with the blower full blast it would be an inferno in there, but I have ever had is smoke until the front door is opened. I am burning 1 year old cured oak and can't seem to get much going. Is this smoldering normal even with the blower on? thoughts?
 
Smoke.

Hmm. Sounds like mine when the chimney was pluged full of creosote. Stove would not use wood and put out no heat.. I snake it out a lot this time of year..Looking at the insulated pipe slip over option to help with that.
 
Ditto that on the chimney. Logical and cheap place to start. Should be a blast furnace in there. Its one of the reasons I put an on/off weatherproof switch on the outside of the unit. The fire should be jumping out at you with the blower going.

Second cheap suggestion is make sure the air can get at the wood i.e. make sure the grates aren't blocked with a too thick ash bed.

Third cheap suggestion. Check to see that the ashes aren't too high in the ash bin cutting off the flow of air. The blower motor is working correctly isn't it ?


:popcorn:
 
creosote

Hmmm. Could be plugged everything else is fine (no ash, blower is blowing). I would not have guessed it would have clogged this quickly, but it hasn't been cold enough to really run it, but the weather is coming. I assume a 5 inch dia brush and some elbow grease, or is there another method? Do I need to let it burn out, or just work quickly? Any brush recommendations?
 
Hmmm. Could be plugged everything else is fine (no ash, blower is blowing). I would not have guessed it would have clogged this quickly, but it hasn't been cold enough to really run it, but the weather is coming. I assume a 5 inch dia brush and some elbow grease, or is there another method? Do I need to let it burn out, or just work quickly? Any brush recommendations?

Since I'm a bit of an old redneck, I just have small ladder next to the furnace and some leftover 2 inch steel tubing with a 4 inch cross t on one end. Climb up and run it up and down a few times. Takes about a minute including up and down the ladder. Mine blocks right after the pipe exits the roof. I also have the stock pipe on it so its easy to do. Since its such a short time I do it when the draft blower is off and just a wisp of smoke is coming out. If someone added pipe, well.. thats another ballgame.



:monkey:
 
I added a piece of 3' pipe to mine and it will constrict if the OWB is not burning hot. It dont plug per say but it nearly does. I take a piece of re-bar or 1/2" pipe and probe the crap out of it until I can get the 6" steel brush in and out. I wear safety glasses and sometimes a paper mask for the fumes. I caught a big wisp of Creosote smoke and I very nearly passed out. Couldn't breath for 45 seconds. I still think from all I have read that insulated pipe will make less creosote.
 
I've had two sections of the insulated pipe on for well over a year. The pipe just barely slides down over the original chimney and I have it resting on the roof with a large stainless hose clamp holding the inner stainless section to my original chimney. I burn crappy green wood and have not had any problems, unlike when I had regular black stove pipe as a chimney and it clogged up in a few weeks.
 
A different issue. I set a piece of 1/4" x 12" square flat plate on the grate in the front of the stove. That causes the blower air to come up in the middle of the firebox making everything burn much better.

Was there a change in the smoke after you did this? Mine smokes like a friggin freight train. I thought maybe it was the wood but I've tried a couple different types - same smoke
 
Since I'm a bit of an old redneck, I just have small ladder next to the furnace and some leftover 2 inch steel tubing with a 4 inch cross t on one end. Climb up and run it up and down a few times. Takes about a minute including up and down the ladder. Mine blocks right after the pipe exits the roof. I also have the stock pipe on it so its easy to do. Since its such a short time I do it when the draft blower is off and just a wisp of smoke is coming out. If someone added pipe, well.. thats another ballgame.



I can build one of those "redneck" cleaners. I will give it a go tomorrow. That surely is the problem, I just would not have guessed it would have clogged this quickly, but then again I have been stuffing some cedars in it on occasion (trying to clean up the lot). It seemed to work ok until yesterday. If my wife runs out of hot water again...
 
I diddn't notice any more smoke from using the plate in the front of the grate. Mine smokes when the fan is on too. What I did notice was a more uniform burn down of the wood and the coals. I welded 2 = 2"x2"x1/4" tabs on the bottom side so they would go into the grate and hold it there when I rake or add wood.
 
problem solved. That pipe was completely choked off with a huge slug of tar/creasote goop. Once I smashed it down into the firebox (with a 2 x 4) she roared back to life. I have burnt wood for years in conventional fireplaces and never seen anything quite like that. I wouldn't have guessed it would clog that quickly or completely. I am sure once the cold weather sets in it will fire enough to keep the stack clear, but if not I know the fix.

Thanks for your help.
 
Here is a list of my mods for the new guys. I have zero issues with creosote plugging the chimney.

Don't get me wrong, I do see some creosote on the firebox door but nothing like it was before the mods.

I run my water temp at 150*



My mods;

Dryer vent blower mod

Doublewall pipe slid over original flue pipe (slid clear down and resting on top of water jacket)

Ranco thermostat with well for probe

Unfaced insulation in the fire box door

Unfaced insulation inside the door on the back that accesses the blower,piping, thermostat

Unfaced insulation stuffed in attic of OWB around fluepipe

Foil faced foam insulation board slid under water jacket on the bottom


Elbow on vent tube and added extra water (Fletcher's steam fix)





When I refill furnace, I rake ashes/coals over grates. When the blower kicks on it is like a blast furnace, flames are white hot with a tint of blue.

I think this along with the insulated chimney pipe helps keep my flue clean.


I highly recommend the Ranco thermostat and blower mods too.

To install the well for the Ranco's probe, I drilled a hole in the top of water jacket, about 14" in and about 6" to the left of the DHW coil cover plate. Of coarse you could put yours where ever you want.


For the well, I made it out of a 1/4 copper tubing cut to 14 inches long. I soldered a cap on one end of the tube and a 1/4 to 3/8 coupler on the other end. ( this keeps it from falling into the water jacket)

I inserted it into the hole I drilled and sealed it with High temp silicone. Then insert probe for thermostat

This also was Fletcher's idea too. Gotta give props to him!
 
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I posted earlier that I liked the idea of using using a plate to redirect some of the air in the bottom of the stove. I did not have any plate but, I did have two pcs. of channel. They were about 6" wide and about 10" long with about 2" tabs. I put them in the front of the stove and so far, I kinda like what I see. I seems to burn in more of the area of the bottom, rather that just in the small area of the front. While it is not the "blow torch" type flame I had before, it stills SEEMS more than adequate. I am going to run it like that for a bit then maybe go down to just one channel and then compare.
I have enjoyed messing with this thing. Glad I don't have one of those plug n play models that some have. They don't know what they are missing!
 
I know what you mean . Sometimes i go to load it up and minutes later I'm kinda bummed that i dont have anything to tinker with.
 
Plate

I just went and filled the Puffer Belly full of Oak. I have been using the plate on the grate for 2yrs. I get the Blow Torch effect only it's closer to the center of the fire box. I highly recommend it. I just got home with my blower mod parts and underbelly insulation. Install is this week if the MN. weather permits. I really need to get that insulated pipe installed as well. I guess all I will have to do after that is just cut and split my life away. Haahaa I wish, I own too many engines to maintain and way too many fab projects in the works. :givebeer:
 
ranco

I was looking up the Ranco Temp Stats. I am unsure which one everyone uses but I was curious if anyone was using an Aquastat to control the OWB. I use one on two floor heat applications , My Heat Exchanger and my water heater too. They work perfectly and that is why I ask the Ranco question..
Floor heat's are set at 72. Water Heater and Heat Exchanger are set at 140. Boiler is set at 180. Is the ranco used so you can see the digital temp? or what is it with the Ranco that everyone likes.
"Thanks in advance.." :confused:
 

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