1557 Blast Furnace

[John73]

OK well i just installed my blast furnace and everything was going good until last night my wife loaded the furnace and did like I said,get fire temp too 550-575...Close door damper on low and open ash door air damper 1 turn ....

Well I come home in the morning and looks like my stove is burning fine I open the door figuring I'll load it up well wow i go to open the loading door and notice she NEVER latched the load door...

I open it and smoke pours out of the door...The wood was smoldering..
Creosote all over the door and inside the stove...


I then close the door and open the ash door figuring it would catch fire ok so it catches fire... Then I close ash door open loading door ...FIRE shoots out of the door I am guessing due too the creosote on the door...
Mine you I have a damper in the stove pipe also...

Do you think I would have to worry about creosote build up in my pipe?
Or the flu...

I did get the stove burning right after that and it was burning ok....I did notice when I went out and looked at the chimney there was little too no smoke coming out..

I was also wondering if I should take the plug out of the back and just use that for my air supply...


Please help me due to the fact i work nights and my wife has to take care of this and get it right....

Thanks,
John

 

[smokinj]

cresote inside the furance is normal,flue will be fine

 

[John73]

Thanks for the reply ...What about the plug in the back should I take it out?

 

[smokinj]

some will reduce it down to a 1/2 in. opening but i would get to know the furance frist just my thoughts

 

[bore_pig]

Just DONT jump all over the wife about it! She's probably nervous about running it correctly since she's new to it. Took my wife a whole winter to get semi-comfortable loading and setting our freestanding stove. Don't want to scare her away from it!

 

[smokinj]

Just DONT jump all over the wife about it! She's probably nervous about running it correctly since she's new to it. Took my wife a whole winter to get semi-comfortable loading and setting our freestanding stove. Don't want to scare her away from it!

good point my wife shows me how to run it now! I load at night she loads in th A.m. and if I dont do something right I here about it

 

[John73]

No I am not jumping her or scaring her..

I installed it sat and sat night I had no problems with it at all..

What do you think caused the smoldering logs from her not latching the door..

Should I leave the door damper open?? low med high?

What about ash door??

I leave the damper in the pipe open all the time..

Sat I had it buring at 550-575 the I closed door damper to low and left ash door air inlet open 1 turn.

 

[smokinj]

No I am not jumping her or scaring her..

I installed it sat and sat night I had no problems with it at all..

What do you think caused the smoldering logs from her not latching the door..

Should I leave the door damper open?? low med high?

What about ash door??

I leave the damper in the pipe open all the time..

Sat I had it buring at 550-575 the I closed door damper to low and left ash door air inlet open 1 turn.

i forget to latch the door as well its not a real tight seal either way. differnt setting for differnt woods med. a good place to start and when you get a real good fire lower the flue damper a little.What kind of wood you using and how season is it?

 

[John73]

I'm using mixed hardwoods and I do believe it is kiln dried...

I buy from a local supplier Gish Logging In PA

 

[smokinj]

I'm using mixed hardwoods and I do believe it is kiln dried...

I buy from a local supplier Gish Logging In PA

thats good wood Id run on low the ash door damper all the way closed at night and flue damper about 45 degrees this is just a guess it all depends on your house and outside temps what sq ft you heating?

 

[John73]

I ran it sat night on low ,ash air inlet open 1 turn and flu damper open all the way....

I can send you pics of my set up if you like including the inside of my stove now...


1664 Sq Ft Raised rancher....With no duct work...I usually heat with baseboard electric..

 

[smokinj]

I ran it sat night on low ,ash air inlet open 1 turn and flu damper open all the way....

I can send you pics of my set up if you like including the inside of my stove now...


1664 Sq Ft Raised rancher....With no duct work...I usually heat with baseboard electric..

that sq should be easy to heat even very cold out. Post some pic,s

 

[John73]

How do I post pics on here...

 

[smokinj]

How do I post pics on here...

push the button with the paper clip

 

[John73]

My pics wont upload shoot me an email and I can send them too you..

 

[bohawg1]

What i have figured out with my 1557 is when it came from tractor supply the door feeder even in the close position was not closed. I helped my brother install his and I notice the feed door damper would close all the way when you push down on it. I had to take a chainsaw file and file mine down more so the door would close all the way. Now im getting longer burns and seems alot better. I keep the bottom turned out 2 1/2 turns when i get the temp. up out of the creasote stage. Works good for me. If you have anymore questions just ask. I have mine in the basement and heating a 2400 sq ft house and doing good. I have not pulled the back plug out of mine..

 

[zipper1081]

I hope you dont care John. Here are our pics that you sent me.

 

[John73]

no not at all i have a few more taken today

 

[johnnylabguy]

Hey John, I have the same furnace and have been running it a year now. I just thought I could add my thoughts for what its worth... I definately don't think you need to worry about the creosote from just one night of it smoldering(don't want it doing that all the time,mind you). I just think she had it choked down too much. A lot of guys with these can run theirs with the feed door draft all the way closed but I've found I have to crack it at least a one eighth to a quarter inch open (with the bottom ashpan screw turned out 1 to 1 and a half turns depending on my coal bed). If I close it too far I just don't get enough heat or high enough flue temp out of it, and I like to play it safe on not building up too much creosote. I do have to admit that I'm burning a lot of oak that could be seasoned more than it did(about 8 months) so that could make a difference,too.

You'll find the sweet spot. It just takes time.